Fuel fittings in Kemah

Need to find some 3/8 fuel fittings (T's ,valves etc.) in Kemah TX.to build bypasses around the primer bulbs I installed in my fuel supply.No luck in "The Boaters Directory" or Home Depot. Does anyone have any ideas?Primer bulbs are working great but cause blockages from the black crud before it gets to the primary filters.
I have 24 inch diameter by 72 inch SS baffled tanks without any inspection ports or piping holes except at fwd end for pickup and aft end for fill. I've had a double hose cleaning done in St Petes, which picked up a lot of crud but probably couldn't get to the *fwd compartments. I subsequently have used my oil change pump to scour the bottom of the tanks which helps a lot.
I realise i'm going to have to design and install inspection /clean out ports in each of the compartments but would like to wait till I back in Canada - unless someone has a quick way to punch a (series of 4)hole in the tank (say 1")and get a capped nipple on said hole without welding.
Jon

Jon,
Seems like I remember Blue Water Ship Store carrying a good supply of SAE fittigs. They are open on Sunday also.

Your local NAPA (if they do Hyd) or Hyd repaor store will usually be Parker Hanifin or Goodyear dealers.

Either can get Quality fittings , usually in stock , or overnight from a large catalog.

FF

I made the manifold and T out of copper pipe fittings and valves that you can buy at most hardware stores. Primer bulbs and electric fuel pumps should be after the filters.


*
Sounds like you might need a fuel polishing system.* If you are interest in a fuel polishing system let us know.* ****

I made the manifold and T out of copper pipe fittings and valves that you can buy at most hardware stores

Great if it is flair fittings , annealed after forming ,
or screw together pipe with yellow oil grade Tefflon .

Sucks if its compression fittings.

FF

Phil/Fill
I had followed some Tony Athens (BoatDiesel.com) sketches and put the bulbs ahead of the filter - but it now appears much more logical to put them after. I'll get at it after breakfast!
Jon

Anyone with any brilliant insites in how to put an inspection port in the side of a circular tank?

There are 10 or 12 inch ports that can easily be installed in most tanks.

No welding , just a jig saw and 1/4 drill.

FF

-- Edited by FF on Monday 14th of December 2009 01:58:05 PM

Primer bulbs now replumbed and working fine.
Mike - the tanks are fairly light guage - I'll need to pull my Webasto pickup off the end wall when I lower that tank, measure, and hope the end walls are the same thickness as the barrel.
The one inch hole was just to allow me to get a clean-up hose in as an interim measure. Even that would be difficult as there is a HT 6354 blocking almost all access to the starboard tank side.
FF - if you know of something that can adapt to a 24" diameter curve , I'd be interested. I visited a machine shop yesterday and came away with a ballpark quote of a little under $400 for a port (if I ordered 6). It would still be very difficult to work at the SB tank thru the engine.
I'm probably going to stock up on filters and when I get back home next year I'll come thru the deck from the top.
If I use good gaskets, I'm wondering if I can use aluminum for the saddled inspection port and then bolt it to the tank?
In the mean time, I'll bounce the boat around a bit (it got a good workout last week in Galveston Bay. then use my oil change pump to pull off the bottom few gallons, then return to the tank thru a Racor funnel. I've done that before and it separated out a pile of the "Creature from the Black Lagoon"

Thanks Mike.What I have ben considering is
1 source some 6" flanged aluminum stubs or nipples
2 make an inside and outside 24"dia former from 4 pieces of 2 x wood, bend a warmed up piece of 1/4' aluminum plate. to the correct curvature, then cut out hole for nipple/stub
3 weld nipple to curved plate
4 bolt plate to tank after cutting tank with recip saw.


I'll have plenty time to think it out as I still have a ways to go before I get back to homeport.
Jon

Jon:

Al cover on a SS tank - have you*considered possible corrosion issues? Suggest same material be used.

Why not save a bunch of work?
<a href="http://www.seabuilt.com/">
http://www.seabuilt.com/</a>

Many thanks to all.
Rick and Mike - I've sent Seabuild a query as to whether or not they think I could bend a system to my radius (even if I have to slot some of the outer plate holes). I'll calculate the increase in hole size if the studs are radial with some assumptions on plate thickness.
tgwhite - good comment but Seabuild seem ok on Al on SS.
At the very least I'll start looking at how I could gain access to one of the end walls on each tank.

Jon

Seabuilt replied that curving the plate would likely cause major problems with the internal flange.
I asked for their suggestions on drill bits and jig saw blades for SS, and will start the planning process to get access to one end wall, as a trial. Its likely there might be a clear shot under the baffles at the very bottom of the tank so I might be able to get a small chimney sweep brush and rod to the end. Time will tell.
Jon

To tgwhiteFurther to my comment on Seabuilt being ok on disimilar, I got a note today from them.


John,
Glad to hear you may still be able to use our system.

Once a plate is installed there is very little galvanic potential between the base metal of the tank and the metal of our product. This is due to insulation provided by the gaskets and the dielectric quality of diesel fuel. **However, *Our recommendation is always to use materials with the very best compatibility. *So it will be best to use the stainless access plate on a stainless tank .

I have attached a set of instructions that should give you a good idea what tools will be needed for an installation.

Thanks,
Don



So looks like you were correct and I'll use the SS plate.
Jon