30 Pilot II fuel gauge mod

[rgano]

I installed four-inch diameter deck plates over the port and starboard WEMA fuel tank level senders a couple of year back while troubleshooting the inoperative fuel gauge on my 30 pilot II. At the time I discovered odd arrangements which were fuel return to only the port tank and both tanks with installed senders with only the starboard side connected to the Faria cluster gauge. Both of the tank senders were inoperative as was the fuel gauge; so I replaced the starboard tank sender and the Faria cluster. At the time, I just put one of the defective senders back into the port tank in order to fill the hole in the top of the tank.

With this return fuel arrangement, if one were to close off the fuel supply from the port tank with a relatively full tank, the return fuel would soon fill the port tank to overflowing without the operator being unable to determine the condition of that tank at the helm. If one shut off the starboard tank, the danger of overfilling the port tank is averted, but the fuel gauge would remain static with the operator unaware if he were about to run the engine out of fuel. The whole thing argues for two fuel gauges ad or a switchable return fuel system.

I wonder if P34s are similarly deranged?

Anyway, today I involved myself in a little three-hour fuel gauge job while some really nice weather was visiting the Florida panhandle. I installed a brand new fuel tank sender in the port tank giving me an operable one in each tank. What next? Why hook it up, of course. I installed a double-pole double-throw toggle switch above the Faria cluster gauge and ran a wire from the red lead of the new sender to one side of the switch and removed the existing similar lead of the stbd tank from the Faria cluster gauge and hooked it up to the other side of the switch. The center contact of the switch is connected to the Faria cluster's fuel contact. The ground lead of the new port sender was simply connected to one of the five screws securing the new sender to the aluminum tank.

Now I can use the single Faria cluster's fuel gauge to read either tank while with a flip of the toggle. It isn't normally going to matter because I leave the fuel tanks connected, something I NEVER did in my twin engine trawler.

Someday I am gonna do something about this cockeyed fuel return system.

 

[JAB53]

Faria multigauge

Rich,

You stated you replaced your fuel gauge. Was it a Faria multigauge GF4071 by any chance. The voltmeter on mine has stoped working and Faria does not make the gauge in 5”anymore. Do you remember where you found one?

Thanks

 

[rgano]

I got replacement from greatlakesskipper.com. It is Faria model GF4067A

 

[DavidM]

The Mainship Pilot 34 with the single Yanmar 6LY has the same "deranged" fuel system, but it works fine for me. I keep all valves open including the crossover line. This equalizes the fuel level between the two sides even though all fuel return is to the port tank. Or is it starboard- probably starboard as the fuel injection pump is on that side for the Yanmar 6LY. The Yanmar 6LP on your boat is probably the opposite.

So I have never had a problem with all fuel valves open. The gauge at the helm (Faria I think) does just read one tank, but since the levels are the same, who cares.

BTW I have stabbed the tank with a ruler once or twice and have always found them with the same level.

David

 

[rgano]

My system has never been a problem to me, and I am happy to keep track of the inequality of the tank levels with a sight gauge which always shows the port a few gallons higher. I will eventually install a return to the stbd tank with selector valve for the sake of casualty control in case the port tank should develop a leak.