[Spridgets] Fwd: fuel senders and ethanol

[w swift]

I received several helpful responses to my earlier post.  In summary I was
right and wrong.  Thanks to those who showed me the light.

1.  Right to replace the plastic float with a brass one.

2.  Wrong as to my explanation about the cause of the leak into the plastic
float.

Briefly - I was advised that since ethanol is hygroscopic, it absorbs
water. Unlike water, it won't freeze unless temperatures are very very low
or unless the water concentration is very very high .  80 proof vodka is
ethanol with about 60 % water - and it doesn't freeze when stored in a 0 F
freezer.  (Ask me how I know).

As to the other possibility that freezing was a source of the leak - water
at the bottom of the tank - this too is unlikely, since the tank was
1/2-3/4 full, the float before leaking wouldn't have rested at the bottom
of the tank where water would have collected.

So I have to rule out freezing as the cause.

Another response pointed out that ethanol eats plastic floats. There are
plenty of anecdotal links supporting this explanation.    And my plastic
float leaked.

So stick with brass.

Walt

On Thu, May 4, 2017 at 7:04 AM, w swift  wrote:
>
>
> I believe the freeze/thaw cycles during the winter caused the plastic
> float to crack and leak, slowly.  I removed the plastic float from the
> lever arm ...
>
> I located a minuscule crack in the circumferential groove where the lever
> arm snaps onto the float.  I think that during extended periods of below
> freezing temps, ice accumulates on the wire ring that snaps onto the
> plastic float (air inside) and basically cracks the plastic.
>
> It's also possible  that the float had a split in it from the beginning,
> but I'm betting it was the water in the ethanol that caused the seeping
> leak.
>
> So - I replaced the plastic float with a brass float, and I don't use
> ethanol anymore.
> --
> w swift ... on the road again.
>
>
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