Fuel tank breather & capacity
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 415/418
Forum Description: 415/418 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9611
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 03:29
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Topic: Fuel tank breather & capacity
Posted By: charentebob
Subject: Fuel tank breather & capacity
Date Posted: 14 May 2016 at 20:48
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Yesterday whilst en route for Naples from South of France we stopped in Bonifacio, Corsica for diesel. The tank meter had indicated Zero just before arrival so we added 10 litres to ensure arrival. I understood that the 415 tank had a capacity of 160 litres but it took 170 Litres (without sign of being full) in addition to the 10 litres added earlier. A few hours later there was a smell of fuel inside the boat an some in the bilges in addition to water. The quantity was not great but if course there is more in the moulding between bilges formations. I'd like three questions answered. 1) What is the capacity of the tank? 2) Is there breather valve for the tank & if so where is it? 3) Is it quite like that the bilge diesel I've found likely to come from an internal breather? |
Replies:
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 15 May 2016 at 07:47
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You are right the tnak has a nominal capacity of 160 ltrs. Don't trust the factory fitted cheapo mechnical level sensor, they often get stuck. I had the same Problem, if you fill the tank to the top (activating the stop in the fuel nozzle ) you will have Diesel in the bilge. The vent on my boat is in the stern bench. Have not been able to locate the leak. I suspect it is somewhere in the hose from the tank to the deck cap. I am only filling the tank maximum 90% since the 1st experience and never had a drop of Diesel in the bilge underneath the tank. I replaced the fuel sensor with a magnetic Philippi sensor and know exactly when I Approach the 140 ltr Level. ------------- Frank |
Posted By: Simon L
Date Posted: 19 May 2016 at 14:19
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Frank Is the sensor magnetic, or ultrasound? I'm not trying to be smart - I was just interested to find it and can only find an ultrasound one. Thanks |
Posted By: charentebob
Date Posted: 19 May 2016 at 15:01
| I have not yet gone hunting for this device. Where is it located on a 415? If the cut-off valve closes then presumably you only know when fuel comes to the top of the filler pipe at deck level. If it sticks open I assume the fuel does the same thing. In that case where is it overflowing from in to the bilges? Is it possible to fit a conventional breather pipe to overcome this dodgy device? |
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 20 May 2016 at 09:59
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Simon, I have the
magnetic version from Philippi for the fuel tank. It is called TGT line, the
height for the 160 ltr tank is 200 mm, TGT 200 has the order number (Bestell-Nr) 6
6011 7080. You need a “GWA” adaptor
flange order number 6 6010 9010 as well. This makes it an easy drop in
installation. It took me about 15 minutes. You can still use the indicator in
the Würth panel.
------------- Frank |
Posted By: charentebob
Date Posted: 20 May 2016 at 13:50
| What might you suggest for a non metal tank as in my 2013 boat? |
Posted By: Wild
Date Posted: 21 May 2016 at 10:00
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Hello I cant speak for the 415 but on our 545 build 2010 there is a VETUS SPLACH-STOP installed by Hanse just under the fuel filler cap underdeck.This to prevent overflow on the deck By the filler cap. . By example : cold fuel from the fuel station mixt with the relative warm fuel in the boattank will expand and the fuelgauge and the fuel nozzle auto stop can not react fast enough. In this case the small 2 liter reservoir will full up. This splach stop is placed in to the filler hose and also in to the airbreather hose. In my case the connection of the breathing hose was not done right and leaking. In normal condition ( the small reservoir is empty there is no problem) in case of a overfilling the 2 liter of the reservoir will flow back to the tank by the airbreather line and in case there is a leak ,fuel will run inside the bilge ( max 2 lit) ------------- Wild and Wet Belgium 545e#268 |
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 21 May 2016 at 12:25
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Bob, if you have the same 160 ltrblack plastic tank, then the sensor as above will fit. As Wild suggested the source of the small diesel leak is difficult to detect when you overfill the tank. This is the reason I decided to fill the tank max. to 0% ( approx. 140 ltrs ). ------------- Frank |
Posted By: charentebob
Date Posted: 22 May 2016 at 12:13
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With a strong smell of diesel, two days ago I went bilge diving & found many ares under the floor had fuel in them. Yesterday I borrowed an electric pump & removed nearly 60 litres! I had not overfilled by that amount, maybe 20. The problem lay with the tank inspection cover. Fuel was seeping out under the gasket. The fuel level was up to the tank sensor. The cover bolts were loose so we tightened them & that just made the problem worse. We called in the cavalrymen who pumped out 40 litres of diesel & removed the inspection cover. This has the fuel delivery & return pipes in it. When lifted away the condition of the gasket was terrible, it fell to pieces. The top of the plastic tank with nuts for the plate is badly distorted a& there are dips between each nuts so the tank top around the inspection cover is no longer flat. Thank you Hanse for a nasty plastic tank with no real re inforced area for the inspection cover. The plate was replaced on a bed of Sikaflex 291i as this is fuel safe & tightened. I replaced 20 litres of that removed. The tank capacity is in excess of 160 but should have the area above the inspection plate occupied with air rather than fuel. Had our I.P. not leaked we would not have had a problem I guess. |
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 28 May 2016 at 07:32
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Here is a Foto of my sensor replacement process:  And here is the end result with the new Philippi sensor. I am reusing the existing cable.  ------------- Frank |
Posted By: Silver
Date Posted: 28 May 2016 at 21:20
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Hi all, I had exactly the same issue last summer on my Hanse 345 after my first fully filling the tank. Let me add my thanks, too, for this brilliant components choice. I found some 20 liters of fuel in the rear bilges, which was particularly annoying in the bedroom. The gasket below the inspection plate could not work properly because the tank's surface was not flat. The dealer forwarded my claim to Hanse and I was given a new gasket and tank (!) of which I could not care less, as it was exactly the same type and quality  as the original, and would require heavy work for replacement, though dealer would have done this.So with the help of my skilled father in law, we bolted a custom-designed stainless steel flange over the old tank, which forced its surface to stay flat; we added fuel-resistant sealant between the tank and the flange. Then we installed the inspection plate on top, with the new gasket in between. This allows to have the gasket work between perfectly flat surfaces, and to unmount the plate, if needed , with no need to use sealant again. The whole system is now really leak-free and we can fully fill the tank. Brgds, Maurizio ------------- Hanse 345 # 51 Performance sails Volvo D1-30 KiwiProp Coppercoat |
Posted By: charentebob
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 20:22
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Frank Thanks for the photos. Did you have to calibrate the new sensor by filling the tank from empty? Does your unit have a new display or is it wired direct to the existing Hanse display on the switch panel. Finally where did you buy it & what was the cost.? Nigel |
Posted By: Fendant
Date Posted: 29 May 2016 at 21:02
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Hi Nigel, I bought it from Philippi in Germany. I think the cost was around 50 € for the sensor and the flange. http://www.philippi-online.de/" rel="nofollow - http://www.philippi-online.de/ In fact I wired it first into the existing Würth Panel by only connecting the outer wires in the 5 wire loom and got a vast difference in between the crappy old and the new sensor. Apparently the factory sensor was stuck and showed a 1/4 full tank. The heater however was not working, I only had 10% of the capacity left ! I have now wired the sensor together with fresh water, Grey water and black water into a Philippi TCM tank Monitor. Yes, I did calibrate the reading to the actual volume in Liters, By adding 20 ltr each step and noting the % on the Display. Due to the geometry of the tank the relationship is not really linear. If you have the same tank, I will gladly sent you the Excel file. Just PM me with our E-Mail address. ------------- Frank |
Posted By: charentebob
Date Posted: 09 July 2016 at 17:37
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Update on our leaking fuel tank. Two days ago I had a plastic tank specialist in Corfu, Greece make a repair to the area around the Inspection Plate/Fuel take-off pipes. He uses a special machine to weld the plastic. Hanse tanks are moulded Polyethylene of very thin wall construction. The material is made up using granular pellets stirred along with other chemicals. This method does not always produce a tank of uniform wall quality & there can be areas of weakness as in our case. It is likely that earlier over tightening of the plate retaining nuts deformed this critical area. Our technician only constructs tanks using 10mm sheet material & includes internal baffles to reduce fuel surging. The Hanse tanks being vacuum formed have no baffles, thin walls & as a consiquence very flexible. In other words poor quality. We now have a rigid area for the inspection plate & a cork/rubber composite gasket. He suggests that one should be able to fill the tank to capacity without further problem. This assumes that there are no leaks from the breather/filler pipe areas. I'll post again once we have had time to assess the situation. The tank on the 415 is extremely easy to remove once empty as its retained by just 2 bolts. Simply disconnect filler, breather, fuel delivery & return pipes & lift out. Nigel |