Sweating the fuel gauge

[Neal]

I don’t care to validate how accurate RV fuel gauges are. I knew where I wanted to hit a Love’s enroute to Gaffney but decided to hit one prior as although the math said I’d make it the low fuel warnings were giving me an ulcer. I took on nearly 80 of 100 gal capacity. I don’t think I would have made it 30 miles to the desired stop. Avoid drama at all costs.

 

[BGMAC]

How many MPG do you get? At 5 MPG you could go 100 miles. No problem..... Live on the edge...

In reality I don't blame you...

 

[Neal]

I use a 7 mpg rule of thumb and that's all fine IF it's all usable fuel. Where is the pickup line? I've been lower, barely in the red, it's just not comfortable

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

We drive on the "top half" of the tank! That prevents ulcers and unneeded drama.

Generally, when our fuel gauge shows 1/2 full, it takes slightly less than 75 gallons to fill our 150-gallon tank. On the few times when we've found ourselves at the 1/4-full mark, LadyDi and I have been more than a bit uncomfortable. So, we plan ahead and schedule a fuel stop every 500-550 miles.

TJ

 

[Buly]

That’s exactly what I do. At half a tank, I start looking for a fuel stop.

 

[sheridany]

Wow @Neal that odometer reading is impressive...Lots of happy miles in the Ventessex..

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Wow @Neal that odometer reading is impressive...Lots of happy miles in the Ventessex..

Looks like that thing is pretty near worn out!

TJ

 

[Neal]

Haha, she's just breaking in. I love her now! It took long, we had many arguments, we didn't quite see things eye to eye. But we are happy together now

As to the fuel gauge, this is a route I've taken several times so I know the area, know the fuel stops, etc. I was trying to see how well it could be planned out based on known fuel, known locations, I simply just couldn't stand the alarms going off. I could see on this gorgeous sunny day me on the side of the road out of gas and causing problems from running a diesel dry, whatever those problems may be.

 

[sheridany]

This is where RV trip wizard shines as I do my planning in it and it indicates where you need to refuel and I like to top off before the final stop so I have a full tank to start in the AM. RVTW is not perfect but I find the actual to be pretty close to what I plan. But then I am a newbie in miles compared to @Neal

 

[AbdRahim]

This is not a criticism, Neal, but I don't know why anyone would not refuel at 1/2 a tank. I know many are more organized than I, but that method has saved me on more than one occasion in my working days hen I ended up running very late (not always my fault, when dealing with customers), with no time to refuel or like today, sitting in traffic for and hour.

I always tell young people - it costs the same to fill it from empty to half, as from half to full.?

 

[Neal]

@AbdRahim because I know this area, this is not a RV trip, this is a known route to service I do annually. I'm familiar with the roads and gas stops so I was able to test the fuel consumption per se. It was not a case of some unknown route and wondering where the fuel stops were. I knew of the Love's near where I left (CG), the one I fueled at, and the one that I was hoping to get to. It was simply an experiment that I chickened out on as the low fuel dinging was driving me insane. It would warn me then go away (hills) rather than just stay on.

I get your point. I don't think this is the same situation as again, this is a very well known route and area in the Charlotte, NC area with lots of fuel stops to pick from, my goal was a Love's stop. I NEVER let my fuel get this low on normal trips. 1/2 tank mark I'm looking with the goal of filling a 1/4.

 

[AbdRahim]

Actually, from what I know of you from the forum, Neal, I suspected that, but did not want to presume.?

 

[J&JD]

Only one time during our Newmar travels have we had the low fuel warning buzzer shout out. We were on a very curvy road in Oregon, DW was not happy and neither was I. Thing went off at each curve. Never again. We now always fuel at or before 400 miles/half tank

 

[Jim]

lol, you're a wildman @Neal

 

[NWIP]

I know that low fuel warning starts to be an annoyance around 1/4 tank on our 4018 DS. West Texas trying to fuel in El Paso is how I found out?. I ended up putting in 78 gallons in the 100 gallon tank. I like most here start looking for fuel at 1/2

 

[RKins]

My fuel gauge was very flaky when we bought the coach. Was great below half but intermittent above - very frustrating. I tried to find a replacement sending unit but couldn't. Discontinued. Finally at the Tampa RV super show I talked to the parts manager of Spartan and explained this frustration and he jumped on his computer and then made a call and found that they sell their old/discontinued stock to a company that resells it (and not cheap either). So he gave me the website and I found one - yay.
The sender is mounted on the side of the 150 gal tank and since I keep the tank above half, where the sending unit was flaky. I had to take long drives trying to get the diesel level below half. Then the mounting bolts were rusted in place - took a lot of finagling and special tools (like a piece of oak to apply pressure to the breaker bar from frame with special adapter and philips bit) to break them loose without stripping. Finally got that done and replaced. The new sending unit /gauge is spot on to what is in the tank. We drive around 300 miles per day, which translates to a 1/4 tank. So we get two 300 mile trips/leg before we hit 1/2 and look for a fuel station. I can look at the gauge and be pretty close to how much fuel it'll take.