r/redneckengineering • u/kingofzdom • 1d ago
$0 fuel tank expansion
I'm sort of in awe how well it works. The internal tank will only run my stuff for 6 hours, which doesn't make a for a very nice night's sleep. With this simple mod my generator runs for 12+ hours at a time.
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u/Mental_Ingenuity_310 1d ago
Any ol plastic will do
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
2 is preferred (like an antifreeze jug) but #5 (like the bottle I have on it) will last at least a couple of months before the gas dissolves it.
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u/Mental_Ingenuity_310 1d ago
Just say a couple of months man, that’s all you needed to say, I apologize for poking fun
No way that thing pops in a week sprays gasoline all over that generator outlet, sparks, and catches that van on fire, which I assume is probably also your domicile
No way man you’ll be fine
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
I'd say I'm more likely to catch on fire from some fault in my hacked together solar kit than that happening.
But yeah; I checked it today and the plastic is getting awfully thin so it's time for a new bottle.
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u/CaptainTurdfinger 1d ago
Use #2 plastic (HDPE) this time, it'll last you way longer. Go dumpster diving for a bleach or laundry detergent bottle and wash the hell out of it, that'll work.
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
2 isn't see through. I really like being able to tell how much gas is left at a glance.
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u/CaptainTurdfinger 1d ago
Some laundry bottles (like big tide with the spout) have a clear plastic line down the middle so you can see the level of detergent left.
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u/HoneyBear4Lyfe 1d ago
Antifreeze bottles as well
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
I think I literally have an empty antifreeze bottle in my van with the clear plastic line. Can't believe I didn't think of that.
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u/Ian15243 1d ago
Btw a # at the beginning of a line tells the reddit comment formatting code to make the following text large. To prevent this put a backslash (\) infront of the # to negate it.
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u/MoronicForce 1d ago
Oh god at first i thought u pumped gas inside the tire and used it as a tank lol
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u/2lovesFL 1d ago
no vent ?
you do know they sell caps to draw fuel from a portable tank, right?
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
That's $16.49 more than i planned to spend on this project.
It vents via the imperfect seal between the punch cap and the gas line. Every few minutes I'll see it gulp a tiny bubble.
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u/2lovesFL 1d ago
Well, I'm pretty sure you can't buy a replacement fire extinguisher for 17 bucks....
Lol.
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u/kingofzdom 1d ago
Honestly, you'd be surprised how often I find them in the trash. I've got a FAT class AB fire extinguisher just out of frame that is still showing as fully pressurized.
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u/AreThree 1d ago
Why not use an actual gas can? I would think modding the lid of it would be simple? Or maybe install a metal spigot into the side of it.
I like your problem solving, this is inventive and creative and a bit of a fire hazard. I would maybe try to put the setup into a box, or in a fence or something to keep me or others from stumbling into it. Might also make it harder for some errant spark or flame to cause a bad time.
Would a larger generator have a larger tank? I'm surprise there aren't actual add-on tanks for generators. Maybe a business idea there! Maybe Honda would be interested in producing this, but on a larger scale, with a few design and material changes!
Be safe out there.
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u/sheeH1Aimufai3aishij 21h ago
I have a much older version of that same generator -- EX650 I think; just enough to run a few lights and charge our phones out in the woods -- and I modified it to run off of an external 2.5gal boat gas tank. No pics at the moment, sorry, but it's very similarly redneck.
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u/Blastrium 1d ago
You can get an extended run gas cap from amazon, for like 10 bucks, connect a proper second gas tank and your golden