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Refuelling in the Field: Gear Checklist
for Utes and Service Trucks
When the machine cannot come to the fuel, the fuel goes to the machine. The vehicle carrying it becomes a small bowser, and it needs the same parts.
- Tank
- Pump
- Delivery
- On Board
A ute or service truck refuelling setup needs a tank sized for a day's work and secured to the tray, a 12V or 24V diesel pump matched to the vehicle's battery, and a duty cycle that suits how long it pumps at a time. A 30 minute duty cycle pump suits topping up a few machines, while a continuous duty pump suits a long refuelling run. Add a hose long enough to reach the fill point without moving the vehicle, an automatic shut-off nozzle, a filter to stop dirt reaching the machine, and a meter if the fuel has to be accounted for. A spill kit and a hand pump as a backup complete the kit. How much diesel can be carried, and how, is a separate legal question that should be answered before the tank is bought.
Driving an excavator back to the yard for fuel costs hours. Driving a ute out to the excavator costs minutes. That is why farms, contractors, councils and plant hire businesses run refuelling utes and service trucks, and why the gear on them gets more use than almost any other fuel equipment they own.
This checklist covers the parts a field refuelling setup needs, what to look for in each, and the mistakes that leave a machine half full on a hot afternoon.
100 to 1,000 L The POLYCUBE ute tank range, from compact tray tanks to the largest ECO model
30 min The duty cycle of a standard 12V refuelling pump, against continuous duty on premium kits
40 to 50 L/min Listed flow of the 12V pumps on FuelGear's ute tanks and refuelling kits
330 + 50 L Diesel and AdBlue in the POLYCUBE ECO combo tank, each with its own pump
The Tank
Sized for the day, secured to the tray
Start with how much fuel the vehicle has to deliver between refills, then check that the tank, full, sits within the vehicle's payload and fits the tray. A tank that is too big overloads the ute. One that is too small sends it back to the yard by lunchtime.
| Tank |
Sizes |
What comes with it |
| POLYCUBE with Premium Kit |
100, 200, 400, 440 and 600 L |
Premium 12V 50 L/min continuous duty pump, 4 m x 3/4 inch hose and auto nozzle |
| POLYCUBE ECO |
200 L slimline, 500 L stumpy and 1,000 L |
Standard 12V 40 L/min pump, 4 m hose with swivel and auto nozzle, with a premium pump as an upgrade |
| POLYCUBE ECO combo |
330 L diesel and 50 L AdBlue |
Separate 12V diesel and AdBlue pumps, so the two fluids never share a hose |
All of them have a splash-proof breather and a lockable lid, which keep dust and water out and the fuel in. Whatever the tank, it has to be properly restrained on the tray as a load. The full range is under diesel tanks.
Check the legal side first
How much diesel a vehicle can carry, and what applies once it does, depends on the quantity, the container and how the fuel is used. It is covered on the A-FLO side in their guide to how much diesel you can legally transport in Australia. Read it before choosing the tank size.
The Pump
Voltage, flow and duty cycle
The pump runs off the vehicle's battery, so the first choice is made for you. Utes and most light trucks are 12V. Many heavy trucks run 24V. The PIUSI dual voltage pump runs on either, listed at up to 40 L/min on 12V and 75 L/min on 24V, which suits a business with both kinds of vehicle. 12V vs 24V vs 240V diesel transfer pumps goes further into the choice.
Duty cycle is the number most buyers skip, and the one that decides whether the pump survives. A 30 minute duty cycle means the motor should run for no more than 30 minutes before it rests and cools. That is plenty for topping up a few machines. A service truck filling a whole fleet on a long run needs a continuous duty pump.
| Pump or kit |
Listed flow |
Duty cycle |
| ULTRAFLO 12V refuelling kit |
Up to 50 L/min |
30 minutes |
| Premium 12V pump on POLYCUBE Premium Kit tanks |
50 L/min |
Continuous |
The ULTRAFLO 12V kit is a self-priming vane pump with a suction lift of up to 2 metres, switches and fuses on a terminal board, 2 m battery cables with clips, 4 m of 3/4 inch hose and a bottom suction filter, with a choice of automatic or manual nozzle. It suits a tank or drum that does not come with its own pump. The POLYCUBE ECO tanks come with a standard 12V 40 L/min pump, and a premium continuous duty pump is offered as an upgrade.
Delivery
Hose, nozzle, filter and meter
Reach
Hose and reel
Most ute kits carry 4 m of hose. A service truck reaching tall plant is better with a hose reel that keeps a longer hose tidy. Hose reels compared covers the options.
Control
Auto nozzle
An automatic shut-off nozzle stops when the machine's tank is full, so a refuel does not end in a spill. See automatic vs manual fuel nozzles.
Clean fuel
Filter
A tank bouncing along a dirt track stirs up whatever has settled in it. An inline fuel filter catches it before it reaches the machine.
A meter turns the refuelling ute into a record. If fuel is charged back to clients, cost codes or hire machines, a flow meter at the nozzle is the simplest way to know how much went into each one. Fuel flow meters compares mechanical and digital types.
On Board
The rest of the checklist
- A spill kit. Oil and fuel absorbent pads and loose absorbent deal with drips at the fill point before they reach the ground.
- A backup pump. A hand operated rotary pump keeps fuel moving if the electric pump or the battery lets you down.
- Spare fuses. A 12V pump that stops in the paddock is usually a fuse.
- AdBlue, if the fleet needs it. Carry it in its own tank with its own pump. Why AdBlue needs dedicated equipment explains why the two must never share gear.
- A lock on the lid. A refuelling ute parked overnight is an easy target.
Electrics
Looking after the battery
A 12V transfer pump draws a lot of current, and a long refuelling run with the engine off can leave the ute unable to start. Connect the pump straight to the battery with the cables and fuse supplied, keep the connections clean and tight, and run the engine during long transfers so the alternator keeps up. If the pump is permanently wired into the vehicle, have an auto electrician fit cable rated for the current and the length of the run.
Mistakes
What goes wrong
- A tank bigger than the payload. Full of diesel, it overloads the ute.
- A 30 minute pump on a two hour run. The motor overheats and the pump dies early.
- No filter. Sediment shaken loose on the drive goes straight into the machine.
- A manual nozzle and a distracted operator. The machine's tank overflows.
- Pumping with the engine off. The fuel is delivered and the ute does not start.
- Diesel gear used for petrol. These kits are for diesel. Transferring petrol vs diesel explains why petrol needs different equipment.
- An unrestrained tank. Everything on the tray has to be secured as a load.
Summary
Build it like a small bowser
A field refuelling setup is a bowser on wheels: a tank sized for the day and the payload, a pump matched to the battery and the length of the run, and a hose, auto nozzle, filter and meter that deliver clean fuel to the right place. Add a spill kit and a backup pump, sort out the legal side before buying, and the ute will keep the machines working instead of driving them back to the yard. For a fixed fuel point on a property, see how to set up a farm refuelling station.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to set up a ute for refuelling?
A diesel tank sized for the day and secured to the tray, a 12V pump wired to the battery with a fuse, a delivery hose, an automatic shut-off nozzle and a filter. Add a meter if the fuel must be accounted for, plus a spill kit and a hand pump as a backup.
What does duty cycle mean on a 12V fuel pump?
It is how long the motor can run before it needs to rest and cool. A 30 minute duty cycle pump suits topping up a few machines. A continuous duty pump suits long refuelling runs where it has to keep pumping.
Should I choose a 12V or 24V pump for a service truck?
Match the pump to the vehicle's battery. Utes and light trucks are usually 12V, and many heavy trucks run 24V. A dual voltage pump can run on either, and the PIUSI model is listed at up to 40 L/min on 12V and 75 L/min on 24V.
What size diesel tank fits on a ute?
One that holds a day's fuel, fits the tray and stays within the vehicle's payload when full. Ute tanks in the FuelGear range run from 100 litres up to 1,000 litres. How much diesel can be carried legally is a separate question to answer before buying.
Can I carry diesel and AdBlue in the same ute tank?
Only in a combo tank with separate compartments and separate pumps, such as the POLYCUBE ECO combo with 330 litres of diesel and 50 litres of AdBlue. The two must never share a pump, hose or nozzle.
Will a 12V fuel pump flatten my ute battery?
It can on a long transfer with the engine off, because the pump draws a lot of current. Run the engine during long transfers, keep the battery connections clean and tight, and use the cables and fuse supplied with the pump.
Take the fuel to the machine
FuelGear stocks ute diesel tanks, 12V and 24V pump kits, hose reels, filtration and flow meters. Tell us the vehicle and the machines it serves, and we will match the setup.