What are the materials boat gas tanks made of?

by Brandon Hefner Custom Marine Fuel Tanks

Many years ago steel was the preferred choice for fuel systems. It was an excellent barricade against petrol vapor and its range of components was very competitive when building in large volumes. In spite of several advantages of using steel to build tanks and other pieces, the heavy penalty and persistent potential of corrosion and leaks make provision for the introduction of plastic. Now, plastic is widely material for boat gas tanks.

The most common hazardous substance that is widely stored in plastic tanks is gasoline fuel. However, these tanks are also used to store other flammable stuff such as motor oil, natural gas, butane, and transformer oil.

Aluminum gas tanks have plenty of advantages over other metals. These advantages include being lightweight, durable, and cost-effective. They offer increased compartment space utilization, improved convenience, and enhanced safety due to being non-explosive. Aluminum boat gas tanks are also flexible, which allows for the spread of vapors and mending after an accident.

The material employed by manufacturers is not always of the top quality. It may have the same volume when it is about lubricating ability of it and the ignition quality. Tank manufacturing firms alert against using home heating oil in shielded combustion engines. That is apparently not a safe practice at all.

Plastic is a very common material used in making parts of machinery and equipment belonging to automotive, construction, commercial, marine, petroleum, military, and other industries. Plastic fuel tanks come in different shapes and sizes. However, the typical configurations of aluminum gas tanks include rectangular, horizontal, v-shaped, cylindrical, and vertical.

There are several advantages of aluminum over steel. It is more malleable than mild steel but less ductile than steel. The material is preferred by marine manufacturers because it provides them with the ability to design innovative and customized solutions. They have high-impact strength and maintain integrity after an impact therefore minimizing the risk of leakage.

The best part of boat gas tanks that are made of aluminum is they do not corrode. Aluminum is a powerful conductor of electricity and offers amazing corrosion-resistance. Aluminum is lighter because of its low density. Though it’s comparatively more expensive than carbon steel, due to its characteristics, fuel tank technicians suggest aluminum for most of the applications.

Corrosion elements of biofuels play a big role in the durability of fuel tanks and engine components. Biofuels are of hygroscopic character thus they are capable of attracting and holding moisture from the surrounding environment and corrode the material to which it is exposed. When fabricating fuel tanks for boats, technicians apply an appropriate coating to the material to prevent condensation and corrosion.