Skyline 21 gallon fuel tank

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rivereed
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:45 pm
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Skyline 21 gallon fuel tank

#1

Post by rivereed »

2001 Jetcraft Kokanee
The fuel tank:
it is a Skyline, manufactured Nov 3, 2000, 21 gallon, model 30023-04, material is XLPE. There are two wires, a black and red, leading under the deck somewhere...they are going under the deck where the battery sits. I am not really wanting to tear up that deck but I will if I have to. Do you by chance know if that is going to lead to the "sending unit?"
the pics I wanted to upload are too big.

The red and black wires there are going under that little deck plate under the battery. The other wires are all going to the battery terminals.

These two ports have no wires to them, They cannot be the sending unit. I removed the one on the right :shrug: there is nothing there. (maybe a little gauge is available to insert here to show fuel levels? do you know of such a thing?)


I took out that little deck there under the battery, but it does not want to come up unless I:

remove the vertical carpeted face here to that compartment.



​ The red and black wires go under the deck there...those other ports have no wires attached to them. Do you think those wires lead to the sending unit? I can't find this tank diagram online. Seems Skyline is no longer in Utah. If I had a drawing of the tank I could determine just how much of the deck I have to take up. Any ideas? to find the drawings?
If I knew where the sending unit was, I could save a lot of work taking up unnecessary deck. If it is far forward from this face, this carpeted vertical face enclosing the battery compartment, I'd only have to remove the chairs, maybe that little deck box up forward and the biggest length of deck plate up the center. This carpeted face running vertical is on very tight. Its a very tight fit across there and I am hesitant to remove it. Any ideas where it could be?
Also, trying to sort out the wires under the dash from the fuel gauge will entail a lot of snipping of wire ties. I am not sure I want to go that route yet either.
IF someone can help me find a diagram so I know where the sending unit is located on this tank, I can proceed and would be very grateful. Otherwise, is there a mechanical gauge to put on the port on the right, for fuel level?
Thanks,
Cleo
Attachments
red and black wires go under that little deck, the other wires are all going to the battery.
red and black wires go under that little deck, the other wires are all going to the battery.
IM0021121.JPG (71.26 KiB) Viewed 9910 times
These two ports couldn't be the sending unit, they have no wires. I actually took the port on the right off. There is nothing there. Perhaps there is something to put there with a gauge, a mechanical gauge, for fuel levels? In case I can't find out where the sending unit is.
These two ports couldn't be the sending unit, they have no wires. I actually took the port on the right off. There is nothing there. Perhaps there is something to put there with a gauge, a mechanical gauge, for fuel levels? In case I can't find out where the sending unit is.
IM0021142.JPG (67.82 KiB) Viewed 9910 times
IM0021133.JPG
IM0021133.JPG (68.18 KiB) Viewed 9910 times
I took this little deck out ...this one under the battery to try to find the sending unit. It does not want to come out without taking the next picture out.
I took this little deck out ...this one under the battery to try to find the sending unit. It does not want to come out without taking the next picture out.
IM0021154.JPG (75.08 KiB) Viewed 9910 times
This vertical carpeted face to the battery compartment is preventing me from lifting up the small deck under the battery. It is very, very tight fitting and I am reluctant to take it out if it does not lead to the sending unit.
This vertical carpeted face to the battery compartment is preventing me from lifting up the small deck under the battery. It is very, very tight fitting and I am reluctant to take it out if it does not lead to the sending unit.
IM0021165.JPG (75.15 KiB) Viewed 9910 times
kmorin
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Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: Skyline 21 gallon fuel tank

#2

Post by kmorin »

Riverseed,
rivereed wrote:There are two wires, a black and red, leading under the deck somewhere...they are going under the deck where the battery sits.
Since the wires are wired directly to the battery terminals and not through an isolation switch and DC Pos. Buss: #1 I'd say they were likely to a bilge pump float switch? or #2 the boat is wired so poorly there's no telling?

(In many boats) Most all loads not needed when you're not running are isolated by a battery disconnect or battery isolation switch; usually a 4" or 5" round switch housing the has huge copper contacts labeled, ONE/OFF/TWO/BOTH or something along those lines? Fuel gauges not being critical to sitting on the trailer for months during the off season... well they'd usually be isolated with other loads like windshield wipers, live well pumps and radios.

The main battery cable should run to this switch, then several leads come out of that switch one of which should go to a 'positive buss' or terminal strip (with fuses) where all the DC power should begin the circuits to different loads- and the fuel level gauge is just one of many loads, best practice leaves these individually fused circuits off when the boat is not in use.

To justify running power and return to the battery directly, so it cannot be isolated, usually means the circuit powers a safety bilge pump.

I'll assume your boat has a dash mounted fuel level indicator? I mean you seem to make the case there is a sending unit in the tank? (Perhaps I didn't read the post well, but I didn't actually notice if you mentioned a dash mounted level indicator already installed? ) If that is true, they turn on clear the bilge with the blower or open the bilge for a few hours to vent, then turn on the ignition to the ON position, if the fuel gauge shows level, un-land one wire. If the circuit is opened, the gauge will show a drop to Zero level- and you know the wiring is to the fuel sender to dash indicator circuit- right?

On the other hand, if you turn off the key or switch the battery isolation switch to OFF and you still have a fuel indication on an electrical indicator? then I'd say you might argue the two wires in question could possibly be to the fuel sender, but again, un-landing one of the two should answer that question. I'd expect this wiring to has killed a battery in a short period of time if true, since the draw would not end while there was no charging resulting in a dead battery.

The second top flange fitting on the plastic tank is probably the manufacturer's provision for dual draw, dual filter, dual engine fuel supply plumbing? There are top mount float/screw acting level indicators on the market, where their effective range meets or matches your tank and if there is a means of mating them to a flanged or FNPT port? I can't say.

http://usmarineproducts.com/osc/index.php?cPath=46_79 (top mount electrical units)
http://www.bizcoco.com/product/Mechanic ... Gauge.html (this type is top mounted and mechanical but offshore origin)
http://www.fueltanksdirect.com/index.ph ... auge.html/ (this one seems to be top mounted and purely mechanical)

River', I'm not sure if any of this helps? There maybe an owner's association for the boats? They may be on other Forums or boards? I've not seen any JetCraft boats here in Cook Inlet region, in S.C. Alaska, so I'm no help regarding information or other owners to contact. Most boats have a very generic wiring scheme, so why not take a look around for a general boat wiring diagram? I'm not saying the wiring loom's individual conductors labels will be exactly the same, the colors may be slightly different but the layout of a battery, then isolation switch, the fused buss distribution (often with individual rocker switches) and returns to a Neg Bus, should be fairly common in small welded boats.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
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