Good Dipstck Material

So the new boat has fuel gauges. I don't trust them... or the actual truth is... we haven't had the boat LONG enough to vouch for their accuracy. Soooo... I am double checking using the dipstick method.

I have a small dowel right now (boy if I had a nickel for every time I heard THAT line), but it doesn't do very well. It's hard to see where the wet part stops (another nickel), so I was wondering if there are any good tips for a dipstick like me to make a good dipstick. I don't think that wood really works well. (there's yet another nickel). I was thinking a tube of some kind. Like the way bartenders taste drinks, but a long tube seems messy and may not be easy to store (add ten cents there).

Any ideas?

Thanks.

I use a mahogany stick. It is pretty easy to see the level on it. Have to hold it right in the light to see where the shiny stops.

That's the same problem with the pine dowel. I suppose a darker wood might work better, but it sounds like it's almost the same.

I use a pine dowel and it works pretty good.

We only had dipsticks on our sailboat. A good light helped.

Greetings,
Mr. T. We used to use a yardstick with a piece of line tied on (stick wasn't quite long enough). Looked for the wet (shiny) dry (dull) interface, using Mr. S's technique, and wiped between dips.

We use a meter long timber stick with a 5mm mild steel flat bar screwed to it this bar gets surface rust on it and when you dip it into the tank the fluid mark is very easy to see as the rust is wet then dry.



This stick doesn't prevent you putting diesel into the water tank

I use a folding carpenters wood ruler. Sand off the shiny white paint on one side and paint it flat black so you can see the fuel. Read level on other side.

Folds up small and quick and fits in tool box.

Conall

All we use on the commercial boats is rough wood painted flat black.

Cut lines into the lighter colored wood as marks.

The rough wood and flat black paint shows liquids well and the black helps it dry quicker in the sun.

On my assistance boat, I used the last several feet of an old LORAN whip antenna. The fiberglass was rough but not bad with some flat black on it. Etched circles at the 1/4 full marks. Works very well as I whip it to dry it quickly for the next dip.

If none of that suits your fancy, buy a cheap fish tape on a reel and use it. It is pretty similar to an oil dipstick and a small file will make all the marks you want and you can reel it up when done.

I got lucky when I sent the build drawings out to get my tanks made. Turns out it is 10gal per inch each. I did not plan it, but sure makes it convenient.

Ski in NC said:

I got lucky when I sent the build drawings out to get my tanks made. Turns out it is 10gal per inch each. I did not plan it, but sure makes it convenient.

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HA! Yea... You got lucky. Mine is 7.06 per tank per inch.

Thanks everyone. I will do the flat black thing and see if it improves.

We use a wood dowel that I marked with black marker at the 1/4 tank marks (measured the height of the tank to determine the marks). I painted it with clear epoxy so the fuel wouldn't soak into the wood and the marks would not bleed. At first it was hard to read because it was glossy, so I hit it with some medium grit sandpaper. Works great now and easy to wipe off with a paper towel. Before I sanded it, I would sometimes just put a paper towel against it and the red fuel would show well on the towel.

Seems to me that in commercial operations fuel trucks and gas stations I have usually see a long square stick used, about 3/4 or 1" maybe the flat sides show the fuel mark better? Maybe I'm mistaken.

Steve said:

Seems to me that in commercial operations fuel trucks and gas stations I have usually see a long square stick used, about 3/4 or 1" maybe the flat sides show the fuel mark better? Maybe I'm mistaken.

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nope pretty common in my experience....diesel does well on any rough surface, gas just needs a difference between its wet look and something...like sanded wood or flat black paint is good.

If absorbent it should show but takes forever to dry enough for a good second reading so one per tank.

Steve said:

Seems to me that in commercial operations fuel trucks and gas stations I have usually see a long square stick used, about 3/4 or 1" maybe the flat sides show the fuel mark better? Maybe I'm mistaken.

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They check for water in the bottom of the tanks that way. A sticky paste is put on the bottom of the tank, and it will change color to bright red if water is present.

Fine sandpaper glued to the side of a 1 inch yard stick. Sandpaper holds on to the diesel and allows you to see the level easier.

No it wont clog your filters, no it won't drip all over the deck, use epoxy and no the diesel won't break down the glue, no it won't cause cold fusion.

Flat black paint makes all the difference. Tanks that are not straight sided certainly complicate the calibration issue, but a little junior high math will get you an answer after a little work.

My new-to-me Defever 41 has no gauges and no way to stick the tanks -- the fill hose path is too convoluted. How a boat could get to be 34 years old and never had a means of gauging the fuel lever is beyond me. I'm scheming some sight gauges that will hopefully do the trick.

For bends, a weight and string , cable or tape works.

On USCG cutters I have seen them stab tanks with steel tape that had some pretty good bend on the way down.

Of course severe bends like on my tanks wouldn't work from the deck but a small plug hole on the top of the tank would or tee the vent and use the top for tape and side for air.

Use a wooden yard stick, and drill 1/16 holes in it every 1/4 inch.

Most of the dipstick material has found its way inside the beltway of Washington, DC.

Tried the string & weight -- no go. Pretty hard to get at the tops of these tanks.

If bottom feed, then a sight guage should be easy to rig.

When you stop at your local gas station ask the guy if they have any broken ullage sticks.

They usually have one or two broken ones hanging around. Then you can use the matte black edge to get a reading. There is also a paste you can buy that shows the level of the fuel. The only problem with this paste is it has to be scrubbed off pretty often or it gets gummy.

Try 'Tank Tender'. It's super accurate. And dependable.

Cappy208 - I have a Tank Tender. I learned two years ago on a Memorial Day, that when Tank Tender shows 4.5" - it means my tank was bone dry....I now use a wooden dowel.

Both my boat's 100 gal tanks hold a smidgen over 4 gal per inch. Each has kinky fill pipe that goes from deck fill hole to tank top. 1/4" dowel will not bend enough to go into either tank.

I have a medium dark tan colored fabric line with led torpedo shaped fishing weight on its end. 1/2 tank level is marked... figuring tank gallons using that mark as a guide is not rocket science. Wet look is easy to discern once line is pulled back out. Can tell exactly when point of led weight first touches bottom of either tank.

Stores next to salon pilot station.

Eazy Peazy!

I use a wood dowel that hangs by the helm station.

It is a bit difficult to see but good enough. I usually know what tank is lower and check the lower (less fuel) tank first so I can read/see the level on the other tank or I only need to check one tank. Since we burn 1gph and have two 50 gal tanks checking fuel level isn't done that often.

I pump a little fuel out of the bottom of the tank to check for water ect.

Moonstruck said:

They check for water in the bottom of the tanks that way. A sticky paste is put on the bottom of the tank, and it will change color to bright red if water is present.

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This works well to check for water. Sold by oilfield supply places.

The some company makes a paste that changes colour when contacting hydrocarbons (diesel or gasoline).

On my boat I use a sight glass.

You guys know that the common float arm needle level indicators while not particularly accurate are very repeatable , right?

The suction units are by far the easiest to install and maintain.

Tank Tender.

Only PIA is to get the tank empty one time and then fill it in 5g or 20g steps to calibrate the gauge from inches of fuel into gallons of fuel.

They also work for FW and waste , and are probably the easiest to clear/maintain in a waste measuring role.

If you have a tank with no angles, math works out suitably to calculate GPI figures too.

The tank tender took a while with multiple 'sticks' to confirm its accuracy. But it is spot on. Of course, knowing how far the suction is from the bottom is important. One thing I do wish was installed in my tank is a water cut drain from the bottom of the tank.