Questions & Answers
Q) Why does the fuel nozzle shut off without spilling when filling my car but not my boat?
A) There are many variables involved in refueling boats that simply are not a factor in automobiles. Please see Automatic Shutoff in Marine Vessels.
Q) What changes must be made to the design of a boat that is already in production, to use the Overfill Prevention System?
A) None! Boat builders will be able to purchase our deck fill fitting and the tank they are currently using, with the appropriate tank sensor/vent fitting installed. After installing the components and connecting the required hoses and ground wire, the fuel fill system meets ABYC Standards and EPA design requirements for refueling.
Q) How does the system shut off the nozzle and allow room for expansion?
A) Our tank sensor/vent fitting is installed in the tank and when the fuel reaches a predetermined level in the tank, the pressure in our pressure transfer tube is increased. The technology we use in the deck fill fitting responds to this increase in pressure, causing the nozzle to shut off. The shutoff can be set at any level in the tank – this allows room for expansion.
Q) Must check valves be used to control the vent and fill hoses while filling?
A) No, some systems rely on a check valve in the vent to create pressure in the tank, causing fuel to back up the fill hose to shut off the nozzle. Then they rely on another check valve in the fill hose to keep the pressure built up in the tank from pushing fuel back out the fill hose after the nozzle shuts off. Because our system never increases the pressure in the tank, there is no need for check valves or the access panels required to access them
