Aux Fuel tank with a canopy

[Shadrach]

Years ago I read an article in the TDR about a guy who had an electric fuel pump that he used to fill up his aux tank. He would fill the stock tank and then pump it up to the aux tank which was under a canopy and then pump it back down when he needed it. It was a 2 way pump. At that time I had a long box with a canopy and had just bought a 75 gal aux fuel tank for it. I changed the side window in my canopy to a windoor and filled up the tank that way. Much simpler. I used this set up on my last 2 trucks but now I have a a short box and can't get a windoor for this canopy.

How do I fill up the tank? There is No room to add a fuel door to the side of the canopy because the window is so large. I am Not removing the canopy for my trips. I can't make a long filler pipe to the back of the truck as it would be too high and could easily over flow the tank. When I stick the nozzle in the tank and it kicks off that means it is Full. Getting the fuel out of the tank is no problem as it can gravity feed to the stock tank like I have done before. Because I have a short box I thought of Not mounting the tank permanently because I only need it for the summer and because it is a short box.

One suggestion was to mount the tank front to back on the RH side of the box ( helps balance the weight of the stock tank on the left ) with the filler neck at the tailgate end and to use a 12 pump and a long hose with a nozzles and fill the stock tank thru the fuel door.

Anyone got any good ideas ?

David

 

[mpaulson]

On my long box, if I park at the pump just right, with the back of the canopy right at the hose, the few local stations I use have a long enough hose that I can come in from the back of the canopy and reach the filler neck on the tank at the front. I did switch out the side window after a bit though, but it could be done without because it is a pain to crawl in to squat there for a 235 litre fill.
You for sure should be good for reach with a short box.

 

[bcbender]

Could put in a filler (marine or racing type) on the side of the canopy that you could fill through and then attach it where the existing fuel cap is with a hose.

There are cleaner options out there but below is the gist of it.

 

[Shadrach]

On my long box, if I park at the pump just right, with the back of the canopy right at the hose, the few local stations I use have a long enough hose that I can come in from the back of the canopy and reach the filler neck on the tank at the front. I did switch out the side window after a bit though, but it could be done without because it is a pain to crawl in to squat there for a 235 litre fill.
You for sure should be good for reach with a short box.

Can't crawl in when the box is full of camping stuff

 

[Shadrach]

Could put in a filler (marine or racing type) on the side of the canopy that you could fill through and then attach it where the existing fuel cap is with a hose.

There are cleaner options out there but below is the gist of it.

View attachment 133376

Good idea but as I said there is No room on my canopy because the window is so big

 

[AnonEd]

If the window doesn't slide to allow a freestanding fill tube, could the window be replaced with plexiglass or lexan that would allow putting a fill tube in the window instead of the cap?

 

[mpaulson]

Come in from the rear slider through the cab
Just kidding of course.
Don’t know other than a filler cap in the roof of the canopy(goofy I know) or a 6’ plus long slightly sloped 2.5” pipe to the rear along the canopy wall so you can fill it from the rear. (Complex mess of plumbing).
Fill before loading the camping gear in? Depending on how far you’re going and if/how many times you’d need a refill per trip.
The two way pumping system you mentioned would work but you’d need to have a gauge on the aux tank to avoid over filling it.

 

[mpaulson]

Two pumps wouldn’t be too bad, install an extra tank pick up tube like the fass systems use in the stock tank, and connect a transfer pump to it to pump to the aux tank. And same setup in reverse. Just don’t forget you’re transferring! Been there done that twice with a gravity feed set up in the 90’s both times at West Edmonton Mall. Both times came out to the fire department cleaning up the spill. Never got charged or fined!