As the title says. Are belly tanks on a trailer allowed both here in the uk and abroad? Was thinking of fitting something between the chassis rails which could be used to fill the running tank.
Well there are thousands of reefer trailers floating about with belly tanks fitted so whats the difference.
I don’t know the answer but you have to watch out for ADR regs
durknp:
As the title says. Are belly tanks on a trailer allowed both here in the uk and abroad? Was thinking of fitting something between the chassis rails which could be used to fill the running tank.
Hi durknp,
Angus25 is correct that you have to watch out for ADR Regs.
ADR has this to say about the belly tank you described…
1.1.3.3 Exemptions related to the carriage of liquid fuels
The provisions laid down in ADR do not apply to the carriage of:
(a) Fuel contained in the tanks of a vehicle performing a transport operation and destined for its propulsion or for the operation of any of its equipment.
The fuel may be carried in fixed fuel tanks, directly connected to the vehicle’s engine and/or auxiliary equipment, which comply with the pertinent legal provisions, or may be carried in portable fuel containers (such as jerricans).
The total capacity of the fixed tanks shall not exceed 1500 litres per transport unit and the capacity of a tank fitted to a trailer shall not exceed 500 litres.
Taking it in the order given in ADR…
From the first little paragraph in the quote, the fuel is destined for your vehicle’s propulsion, so you’re ok so far.
IMHO, your idea might fall down on the second little paragraph in the quote because you’ve not mentioned a 'fridge and the belly tank isn’t directly connected to the vehicle’s engine. The mention of “the pertinent legal provisions” might also be problematic, because that means the same as ‘other applicable laws,’ such as C&U Regs and HMRC.
My reading of it is that a belly tank of no greater than 500L can be used for supplying fuel to auxiliary equipment, such as a 'fridge or a donkey engine, as long as there isn’t more than a total of 1,500L of fuel on board the (whole) vehicle.
If you really want to max out your fuel allowance, ADR allows an additional 60L of fuel in jerricans.
Bking:
Well there are thousands of reefer trailers floating about with belly tanks fitted so whats the difference.
That’s true mate, but ADR says that a fuel tank has to be directly connected to the vehicle’s engine and/or auxiliary equipment, which I’d take to mean the running tank.
Since the belly tank isn’t (usually) connected to the vehicle’s engine, then the fuel in a belly tank has to be for auxiliary equipment such as a 'fridge or donkey engine. It’s clear that the size limit for a belly tank is 500L though.
dieseldave:
Bking:
Well there are thousands of reefer trailers floating about with belly tanks fitted so whats the difference.That’s true mate, but ADR says that a fuel tank has to be directly connected to the vehicle’s engine and/or auxiliary equipment, which I’d take to mean the running tank.
Since the belly tank isn’t (usually) connected to the vehicle’s engine, then the fuel in a belly tank has to be for auxiliary equipment such as a 'fridge or donkey engine. It’s clear that the size limit for a belly tank is 500L though.
Google gives some good answers to this question, if you type “belly tank” and “France.” 
durknp:
As the title says. Are belly tanks on a trailer allowed both here in the uk and abroad? Was thinking of fitting something between the chassis rails which could be used to fill the running tank.
Here’s a better idea : charge your customers more! Then you wouldn’t need to bring a refinery back with you in order to make the job pay. 
Wheel Nut:
dieseldave:
Bking:
Well there are thousands of reefer trailers floating about with belly tanks fitted so whats the difference.That’s true mate, but ADR says that a fuel tank has to be directly connected to the vehicle’s engine and/or auxiliary equipment, which I’d take to mean the running tank.
Since the belly tank isn’t (usually) connected to the vehicle’s engine, then the fuel in a belly tank has to be for auxiliary equipment such as a 'fridge or donkey engine. It’s clear that the size limit for a belly tank is 500L though.
Google gives some good answers to this question, if you type “belly tank” and “France.”
That’s a fair point Malc. 
If you could get through France without your belly tank being discovered, the Germans are just next-door and they just love non-standard tanks. 
Just goes to show what a load of bollox that ADR crap is dont it?
Its perfectly safe to have 300 litres of the old red slopping about under a
trailer as long as the fuel is for a fridge or a donkey engine but its oh so
dangerous if its 300 litres of white for the truck engine.
Just another way of making sure the greedy bloody government get their
pound of flesh off you at the fuel pumps.
What a bloody con.And nobody does sod all about it.
Well definitely a few questions answered and a few more to answer. I didn’t realise trailer tanks were limited to 500L, although I’m sure it could be disguised to carry a few more.
The reasoning for carrying a refinery as rob describes it, is because a 6x2 short wheelbase doesn’t exactly have much space left onboard for proper tanks.
The second point of the ADR Regs could simply be overcome by having a direct fixture via a suzie or flexible pipe from the trailer headboard to the running tank. That way I would claim it is for the direct running of the motor.
I did hear the Germans could be funny about such things. I was under the impression though if the vehicle was legal within the country of registration, and has the right to travel within eu community laws, then it can do so unhindered.
durknp:
Well definitely a few questions answered and a few more to answer. I didn’t realise trailer tanks were limited to 500L, although I’m sure it could be disguised to carry a few more.The reasoning for carrying a refinery as rob describes it, is because a 6x2 short wheelbase doesn’t exactly have much space left onboard for proper tanks.
The second point of the ADR Regs could simply be overcome by having a direct fixture via a suzie or flexible pipe from the trailer headboard to the running tank. That way I would claim it is for the direct running of the motor.
I did hear the Germans could be funny about such things. I was under the impression though if the vehicle was legal within the country of registration, and has the right to travel within eu community laws, then it can do so unhindered.
What do you think the blue line was for? 
Bking:
Just goes to show what a load of bollox that ADR crap is dont it?
Its perfectly safe to have 300 litres of the old red slopping about under a
trailer as long as the fuel is for a fridge or a donkey engine but its oh so
dangerous if its 300 litres of white for the truck engine.
I’m not sure where you’re coming from with your comment, but the belly tank limit is 500L, not 300L.
ADR doesn’t make any distinction between red or white diesel, and the 500L limit is nothing to do with how dangerous it is.
Bking:
Just another way of making sure the greedy bloody government get their
pound of flesh off you at the fuel pumps.What a bloody con.And nobody does sod all about it.
Maybe you could get your facts straight■■?
Although your opinion might find popular support amongst the misinformed, it doesn’t deflect from the fact that ADR isn’t made by the UK Govt, nor is it even made by the EU.
However, I’d agree that the price of UK fuel as set by the UK Govt is a rip-off. (But that’s nothing to do with the OP)
For anybody who may not know, ADR actually comes from UNECE (an organisation far bigger than the EU) and is currently valid in 47 countries including the UK.
durknp:
The second point of the ADR Regs could simply be overcome by having a direct fixture via a suzie or flexible pipe from the trailer headboard to the running tank. That way I would claim it is for the direct running of the motor.
Hi durknp,
You might still be in breach with that idea because the way it’s written in ADR suggests a direct connection to the engine, rather than a connection via another tank.
It’s possibly a question for an enforcement decision, but my gut feeling tells me I don’t think I’d risk it.
Besides ADR, there are still some other laws governing what you propose to do, so it might be an idea to have a snoop around and have a look at those too.
durknp:
I did hear the Germans could be funny about such things. I was under the impression though if the vehicle was legal within the country of registration, and has the right to travel within eu community laws, then it can do so unhindered.
I’m no expert in this part of the discussion, but the Germans seem to have taken an overly strict interpretation of the type approval Regs to back-up their strict enforcement of non-standard tanks. I’d just point out that non-standard tanks are a big no-no in Germany, which could cause you untold grief if discovered.
How do the Scandinavians get away with it then DD 
They’ve run non OEM tanks on their trucks for years and years and still do so to put their big locker boxes and outside fridges on the chassis. They have a job running anywhere in Europe without transitting Germany
dieseldave:
Although your opinion might find popular support amongst the misinformed, it doesn’t deflect from the fact that ADR isn’t made by the UK Govt, nor is it even made by the EU.However, I’d agree that the price of UK fuel as set by the UK Govt is a rip-off. (But that’s nothing to do with the OP)
For anybody who may not know, ADR actually comes from UNECE (an organisation far bigger than the EU) and is currently valid in 47 countries including the UK.
Customs and Excise are one of them who have some power, they might question the wisdom of smuggling fuel
newmercman:
How do the Scandinavians get away with it then DD
Hi NMM,
Each country is at liberty to make its own national laws for domestic transport, so my guess is that the Scandinavians are using their own laws to increase the size of their fuel tanks for domestic haulage work.
Once anybody goes out of their own country, they have to comply fully with ADR, because ADR is valid for international journeys.
As far as I’m aware, the Germans will accept a vehicle fuel tank as being ‘standard’ if it was fitted as a manufacturer’s standard optional extra when the vehicle was new.
dieseldave:
Bking:
Just goes to show what a load of bollox that ADR crap is dont it?
Its perfectly safe to have 300 litres of the old red slopping about under a
trailer as long as the fuel is for a fridge or a donkey engine but its oh so
dangerous if its 300 litres of white for the truck engine.I’m not sure where you’re coming from with your comment, but the belly tank limit is 500L, not 300L.
ADR doesn’t make any distinction between red or white diesel, and the 500L limit is nothing to do with how dangerous it is.Bking:
Just another way of making sure the greedy bloody government get their
pound of flesh off you at the fuel pumps.What a bloody con.And nobody does sod all about it.
Thought you would have realised that most fridge tanks are about 300 litres or is that not part of the ADR spiel? Thought you would have
known that “fact”.So inform me if its nothing to do with safety what is it to do with prey tell?Although your opinion might find popular support amongst the misinformed, it doesn’t deflect from the fact that ADR isn’t made by the UK Govt, nor is it even made by the EU.
However, I’d agree that the price of UK fuel as set by the UK Govt is a rip-off. (But that’s nothing to do with the OP)
For anybody who may not know, ADR actually comes from UNECE (an organisation far bigger than the EU) and is currently valid in 47 countries including the UK.
So if the non OEM tank is fitted by the supplying dealer it circumvents the law
We used to have big tanks made up for 6x2s when I sold Mercs, none of them were for companies that went over the water though, so i don’t know the finer points of those regs
In my day’s over the water, un petit cafe solved most diesel related problems and Germany was a transit country, so the diesel was T-formed anyway and not a problem
Whatever about whatever you don’t want some stroppy German or French copper or Gestapo snooping about your nether regions as by the time it gets sorted in court, your truck will be rusted through.
Bking:
Thought you would have realised that most fridge tanks are about 300 litres or is that not part of the ADR spiel? Thought you would have
known that “fact”.So inform me if its nothing to do with safety what is it to do with prey tell?
The “ADR spiel” says a maximum of 500L as in my earlier post.
300L is within the maximum, so a 300L belly tank directly connected to auxiliary equipment is clearly OK.
Whether some/most/all 'fridge belly tanks are 300L isn’t anything do with this discussion as far as I can tell.
All I can do is to explain what ADR says, but I stop well short of pretending to know the reason that the belly tank limit in ADR is set at 500L.
I know that it’s nothing to do with how dangerous it is, because of the ADR section number that it’s in.