Beta 43 fuel consumption

[ditchcrawler]

If you can see down the filler to the reflection of the light from the surface of the fuel, then instead of pushing your steel tape measure all the way in it is better just to lower it in until the reflection breaks up. That way you measure the distance from the top of the tank and you can simply subtract from the depth of the tank to tell the depth of the fuel. That way, you dont risk stirring up anything from the bottom of the tank when you withdraw the tape there is only a drop of diesel on the end instead of a load of diesel dripping off a long length of the tape.

But at the moment he doesn't know how deep the tank is unless he has measured it externally in which case he can calculate the capacity.

[frahkn]

I have a beta 43 in a 70' narrowboat and normally get 1.5 litres per hour. I have the standard 2 alternators but do tend to travel more slowly than most; rarely exceeding 1100 rpm.

 

If I am running my Lockage Reflex stove, the consumption reaches 2 litres per hour.

 

Frank.

[tonyt40]

We have just got back from a trip to Selby via the Aire / Aire and Calder Navigation and Selby canal. We overnighted at Ferrybridge last night and after approx 16 hrs it had used about 1/4 of a tank. It was quite windy and against the wind and current it was running at about 1700 rpm coming back. It was pretty similar today on the last stretch only windier! I will fill it this week and work out how much we used. I also used the Webasto quite a bit.

[Sea Dog]

We have just got back from a trip to Selby via the Aire / Aire and Calder Navigation and Selby canal. We overnighted at Ferrybridge last night and after approx 16 hrs it had used about 1/4 of a tank. It was quite windy and against the wind and current it was running at about 1700 rpm coming back. It was pretty similar today on the last stretch only windier! I will fill it this week and work out how much we used. I also used the Webasto quite a bit.

 

I would feel seriously 'under bunkered' with a 64 hour fuel tank Tony. I think your 'quarter of a tank' is a guess (based on your earlier post of adding 60 litres but not knowing how much was in there before you started) but 16 hours per quarter tank would put you just about on fumes when you added those 60 ltrs, so maybe it's pessimistic? As I said earlier, at those rates you'd be looking for fuel every few days, which makes fuel stops about the biggest feature in your route planning. You need to work out your tank capacity (or find it in your documentation) as soon as you can or you'll be forever fretting about fuel!

[Alan de Enfield]

Its probably of no help to Tony but with full tanks I am carrying 2900 litres of diesel.

I have a centre 'keel' tank of 900 litres and two 'wing' tanks each of 1000 litres.

[Sea Dog]

Its probably of no help to Tony but with full tanks I am carrying 2900 litres of diesel.

I have a centre 'keel' tank of 900 litres and two 'wing' tanks each of 1000 litres.

 

Now, in a narrowboat, that could seem like quite a lot, but.......

[BGA]

A Beta43 has big alternators and maybe a Travelpower. The alternators sap a lot of power when working hard and even when not working hard, if you have 3 alternators that is 3 fans pushing air around and creating drag. Also with 43hp to play with you might be using 3 hp to chug gently along a shallow canal or 30hp to thrash up a river.

 

All that said we find about 1.7 litres an hour on the canals at 1300rpm but we are heavy electrical consumers.

 

Remember that with diesels it is best not to run the fuel too low as there is often some crud in the bottom of the tank and with low fuel, this all sloshes around and can then get sucked up into the fuel system. I'd suggest not going below 1/4 full.

I get 1.7 ltrs perhour out of mine including diesel heating and some time charging batteries.

[ditchcrawler]

We have just got back from a trip to Selby via the Aire / Aire and Calder Navigation and Selby canal. We overnighted at Ferrybridge last night and after approx 16 hrs it had used about 1/4 of a tank. It was quite windy and against the wind and current it was running at about 1700 rpm coming back. It was pretty similar today on the last stretch only windier! I will fill it this week and work out how much we used. I also used the Webasto quite a bit.

Can you measure the outside of the tank and work out the capacity. Is it in the rear counter of the boat or somewhere else?

[tonyt40]

Can you measure the outside of the tank and work out the capacity. Is it in the rear counter of the boat or somewhere else?

It's in the rear counter. I will have to do some measuring.

[Tony Dunkley]

Can anybody give me a clue as to the hourly fuel consumption of a Beta 43? The boat is new to us and we are planning our first major trip and I haven't got a clue how far I am likely to get before I need more fuel.

 

Thanks

 

The only correct answer to your question ~ " Can anybody give me a clue as to the hourly fuel consumption of a Beta 43? " is, in fact, ~ No, we can't tell you that, unless you can tell us the mean power output from the engine over a given period of time. Specific fuel consumption does vary by a miniscule amount between different engine makers, but nowadays the differences are fairly insignificant.

 

To predict, or estimate, fuel consumption for any engine of any make you have to know how much power the engine will be producing, and for how long, rather than how much power it's capable of producing.

[billS]

I find that my Beta 43 uses about 0.2 litres per hour even when switched off -

 

 

if my eberspacher is switched on...

Edited May 3, 2016 by billS

[Machpoint005]

I find that my Beta 43 uses about 0.2 litres per hour even when switched off -

 

 

if my eberspacher is switched on...

 

Eberspacher 0.2li/h

Beta 43 1.5l/h

Total 1.7l/h with both running.

 

Seems entirely reasonable to me (Beta 43, 48ft 6in boat, no diesel heater).

[tonyt40]

The only correct answer to your question ~ " Can anybody give me a clue as to the hourly fuel consumption of a Beta 43? " is, in fact, ~ No, we can't tell you that, unless you can tell us the mean power output from the engine over a given period of time. Specific fuel consumption does vary by a miniscule amount between different engine makers, but nowadays the differences are fairly insignificant.

 

To predict, or estimate, fuel consumption for any engine of any make you have to know how much power the engine will be producing, and for how long, rather than how much power it's capable of producing.

Perhaps I should have used the words "approximate" or "roughly". Most replies got the gist of what info I was looking for. I was simply wondering, with no experience of this boat, whether I going to run out of fuel or not.

 

Eberspacher 0.2li/h

Beta 43 1.5l/h

Total 1.7l/h with both running.

 

Seems entirely reasonable to me (Beta 43, 48ft 6in boat, no diesel heater).

Thanks Ian. After refilling I reckon I used about 2 litres an hour but bearing in mind I had a head / side wind all the way there and back and did about 5 hours into the current on the Aire.

Its probably of no help to Tony but with full tanks I am carrying 2900 litres of diesel.

I have a centre 'keel' tank of 900 litres and two 'wing' tanks each of 1000 litres.

I wouldn't want your fuel bill Alan.

[Alan de Enfield]

Perhaps I should have used the words "approximate" or "roughly". Most replies got the gist of what info I was looking for. I was simply wondering, with no experience of this boat, whether I going to run out of fuel or not.

 

 

Thanks Ian. After refilling I reckon I used about 2 litres an hour but bearing in mind I had a head / side wind all the way there and back and did about 5 hours into the current on the Aire.

I wouldn't want your fuel bill Alan.

 

Surprisingly - whilst the NB uses about 0.7 lites per mile ( 2 litres per hour, average 3 mph) my 'big boat' only uses 1.5 litres per mile (10 litres per hour but 7mph)

My advantage is that I can go 1800 miles before refuelling (eg Hull to Gibralter, taking about 10 days)

[Tony Dunkley]

Perhaps I should have used the words "approximate" or "roughly". Most replies got the gist of what info I was looking for. I was simply wondering, with no experience of this boat, whether I going to run out of fuel or not.

 

 

. . . . . and every reply you got was totally meaningless, simply because you were asking a question which didn't contain enough information to be answered with anything apart from uninformed guesswork.

 

The fuel consumption of every engine that has ever been made, from the contraption that Newcomen built for pumping water out of mines to the latest highly efficient diesels, is directly proportional to the power it is producing at the time the fuel consumption is measured.

[dmr]

 

 

The fuel consumption of every engine that has ever been made, from the contraption that Newcomen built for pumping water out of mines to the latest highly efficient diesels, is directly proportional to the power it is producing at the time the fuel consumption is measured.

 

If only it was that simple!

 

..............Dave

[tonyt40]

. . . . . and every reply you got was totally meaningless, simply because you were asking a question which didn't contain enough information to be answered with anything apart from uninformed guesswork.

 

The fuel consumption of every engine that has ever been made, from the contraption that Newcomen built for pumping water out of mines to the latest highly efficient diesels, is directly proportional to the power it is producing at the time the fuel consumption is measured.

In my simple world approx litres per hour is good enough for me.

Implying that everybody that has contributed to the thread has wasted their time supplying "meaningless" information is a bit harsh wouldn't you say? They obviously have this information because it meaningful to them.

We are all experts in our own fields and mine is not (and never will be) the fuel consumption of a Newcomen engine or any other engine come to think of it.

 

Thanks everybody for contributing.

[dmr]

Take care...you might accidentally become an expert on fuel consumption, and battery charging, and even the pros and cons of cassettes and pumpouts, it happens to boaters.

I will contribute this bit of information....

If you are using about a litre per hour you are doing very well, but realistically will probably only get this with an old slow revving engine.

If you are using 2 litres an hour then you really need to slow down.

 

...............Dave

[tonyt40]

Take care...you might accidentally become an expert on fuel consumption, and battery charging, and even the pros and cons of cassettes and pumpouts, it happens to boaters.

I will contribute this bit of information....

If you are using about a litre per hour you are doing very well, but realistically will probably only get this with an old slow revving engine.

If you are using 2 litres an hour then you really need to slow down.

 

...............Dave

I don't want to be an expert Dave. I just want to contribute to a friendly, non judgmental, forum where people help each other out and everybody gets something out of it.

 

P.s.I wasn't going too fast. I think this was probably due to the head wind and current I endured for 5 hours as stated in my post. Certain sections of the river are a dedicated water skiing zone on a river over 100ft wide! I can assure you I wasn't pulling any skiers.

[ditchcrawler]

I don't want to be an expert Dave. I just want to contribute to a friendly, non judgmental, forum where people help each other out and everybody gets something out of it.

 

P.s.I wasn't going too fast. I think this was probably due to the head wind and current I endured for 5 hours as stated in my post. Certain sections of the river are a dedicated water skiing zone on a river over 100ft wide! I can assure you I wasn't pulling any skiers.

Until you work out how much your tank holds and get a dip stick of some sorts you are guessing in the dark. looking down the filler at you reflection in the surface of the diesel will tell you nothing. it could be 6" down or even 9" down but even if you guess that right until you know how many lts. to the inch you don't know how much you have used or how much you have left. If you have used 9" and the tank is only a foot deep you will soon be in the you know what.

[dmr]

I don't want to be an expert Dave. I just want to contribute to a friendly, non judgmental, forum where people help each other out and everybody gets something out of it.

 

P.s.I wasn't going too fast. I think this was probably due to the head wind and current I endured for 5 hours as stated in my post. Certain sections of the river are a dedicated water skiing zone on a river over 100ft wide! I can assure you I wasn't pulling any skiers.

 

Most of us are friendly and non judgemental, a few are not, don't worry. My figures are for canals, rivers are a chance to work an engine hard, which diesels just love, and fuel consumption can be accordingly high. I don't have any river fuel figures. I work out my consumption twice each year. Over summer its almost constant cruising, mostly canals, but at least a few river days. Over winter its some canal cruising and a fair bit of static battery charging. Interestingly the figures are almost equal at somewhere between 1 and 1.1 litres per hour.

I made a calibrated dip stick by cutting notches into a wooden dowel and it works very well.

A bit of time spent getting to understand your consumption now will prevent embarrassments in the future.

 

...............Dave

Edited May 3, 2016 by dmr

[tonyt40]

Until you work out how much your tank holds and get a dip stick of some sorts you are guessing in the dark. looking down the filler at you reflection in the surface of the diesel will tell you nothing. it could be 6" down or even 9" down but even if you guess that right until you know how many lts. to the inch you don't know how much you have used or how much you have left. If you have used 9" and the tank is only a foot deep you will soon be in the you know what.

 

 

 

Most of us are friendly and non judgemental, a few are not, don't worry. My figures are for canals, rivers are a chance to work an engine hard, which diesels just love, and fuel consumption can be accordingly high. I don't have any river fuel figures. I work out my consumption twice each year. Over summer its almost constant cruising, mostly canals, but at least a few river days. Over winter its some canal cruising and a fair bit of static battery charging. Interestingly the figures are almost equal at somewhere between 1 and 1.1 litres per hour.

I made a calibrated dip stick by cutting notches into a wooden dowel and it works very well.

A bit of time spent getting to understand your consumption now will prevent embarrassments in the future.

 

...............Dave

I think the plan will be:-

 

1. Use some fuel to get the level down

2. Dip the tank

3. Add measured quantity (20 litres)

4. Dip tank again

5. Measure difference on dip

6. Work out a scale for dip (assuming tank is the same circumference all the way down)

7. Mark scale on dip stick (other materials are available!)

8. Begin long term study

 

Does that sound like a plan (or Plan A)?

 

Plan B

 

Have a look at fitting this that the previous owner left me in a box (Option 1)

 

http://mcsboatproducts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/mcs_diesel_fuel.pdf

Edited May 3, 2016 by tonyt40

[cereal tiller]

 

 

I think the plan will be:-

 

1. Use some fuel to get the level down

2. Dip the tank

3. Add measured quantity (20 litres)

4. Dip tank again

5. Measure difference on dip

6. Work out a scale for dip (assuming tank is the same circumference all the way down)

7. Mark scale on dip stick (other materials are available!)

8. Begin long term study

 

Does that sound like a plan?

A very sensible one.

 

CT

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

I think the plan will be:-

 

1. Use some fuel to get the level down

2. Dip the tank

3. Add measured quantity (20 litres)

4. Dip tank again

5. Measure difference on dip

6. Work out a scale for dip (assuming tank is the same circumference all the way down)

7. Mark scale on dip stick (other materials are available!)

8. Begin long term study

 

Does that sound like a plan (or Plan A)?

 

Plan B

 

Have a look at fitting this that the previous owner left me in a box (Option 1)

 

http://mcsboatproducts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/mcs_diesel_fuel.pdf

But until you know what the tank holds you wont know how soon you need to fill up when it gets to half on the gauge. I thought about fitting one myself, I have a water tank gauge made by them.but you have to drill the tank, get an electric supply to it, mount the gauge. It was easier to do A

[WotEver]

But until you know what the tank holds...

His steps will tell him the tank capacity pretty much exactly

 

Tony