The 5 biggest problems with basic anti-siphons
Fuel theft has always been a huge problem for UK fleet operators, but with the current skyrocketing fuel prices, it’s more of an issue than ever. The good news is that there’s no shortage of cheap anti-siphons you can get for your own fleet. The bad news is that there’s often a good reason so many of them are cheap.
Basic anti-siphons are generally made with quantity rather than quality in mind, which means that a lot of them share the same common flaws. Unfortunately, even one of those flaws can be more than enough to make them almost entirely useless. Here, we’ve outlined five of the biggest to watch out for - and how our very own TankSafe Optimum can help you avoid falling victim to them.
1. Weak bases
Basic anti-siphons don’t always have the highest build quality, and one frequent issue that can develop on some of them is that their bases can be easily detached with a bit of force. In other words, all it takes is one knock from a determined would-be fuel thief, and the bottom can drop right out, leaving them free to drain your fuel as they please.
2. Overly lengthy chambers
By design, every basic anti-siphon has a chamber that sits in the top level of fuel in the tank. This is a design flaw in all basic anti-siphons - the issue is exacerbated when the anti-siphon chamber is excessively long, as this can allow the majority of the fuel to be siphoned. (It’s a poor indictment of a piece of equipment when it does its job so poorly that it might as well not be there at all!)
3. Excessively sized holes
Even with siphons that are shorter and with strong enough bases, some of them are - for some reason - designed with fairly large holes in their grilles. Potential fuel thieves who notice this can bypass the siphon with a very simple measure; all they have to do is use pipes that are small enough to fit through these holes, and they can extract as much fuel as they’d like.
4. Improperly fitting siphons
There’s not a whole lot of technical explanation that needs to go into this one. If the anti-siphon doesn’t properly fit the tank filler neck, there’s no chance that it’s going to be able to do its job correctly. Fuel thieves can simply remove the anti-siphon, drain the fuel, and then replace it when they’re done. And as with all the other faults on our list so far, it’s not always easy to tell from a glance when (and how frequently) this has occurred, which is one of the many reasons why so many companies can often end up losing thousands or even millions of litres a year to fuel theft.
5. Restrictive filling issues
Now, this is a slightly different kind of problem - this one isn’t just a case of failing to stop fuel thieves, but rather one that actively obstructs drivers. Some anti-siphons can spit fuel back during filling, sometimes directly onto the person who’s filling the tank. That can pose a number of issues. The first one is obviously to the health and safety of your staff, as these chemicals are very much not intended for close human contact.
However, they can also pose a major threat to the environment, as spilled fuel can ultimately make its way into the natural ecosystem, threatening plants, animal and marine life. It’s all so very easily avoidable!
How does TankSafe Optimum protect you?
As experts with more than two decades of experience behind us here at TankSafe, we’re all too conscious of the impact these issues can have on your business. That’s exactly why we designed TankSafe Optimum, which specifically counteracts every one of the problems we’ve covered above.
In short, TankSafe Optimum is the only security device that offers 3 in 1 protection, protecting you from:
fuel spills
overfilling
100% of fuel theft
That’s right - 100%. That means you never have to worry about fuel theft again. So, how does it do it? Well, essentially its unique patented design incorporates a locking float valve that rises with the pressure of the fuel in the tank during filling. That allows the anti-siphon device to actively track how much fuel is left in the tank. When it reaches 98% capacity, the valve locks off.
That prevents the fuel tank from being filled any further - an act known as brimming. (Brimming is a common tactic used by unscrupulous employees planning to skim fuel from the top of the tank at a later date.) Its patented head design also fits neatly over the filler neck so that it’s completely flush with the tank, and ensures that it won’t yield under blunt impacts like some of the anti-siphons we’ve covered above.
It’s a build we’ve worked very hard on here at TankSafe, and rest assured it gets results. In fact, it’s been proven to reduce bills by around 15%, with a Return on Investment of between 3 to 6 weeks. Depending on the size of your business, that could range up to thousands or even millions of pounds!
If you’ve got any more questions or need any more details, that’s exactly what we’re here for at TankSafe. You can find more answers on our Frequently Asked Questions page, or alternatively simply talk directly to one of our experts by giving us a call on 01253 400 401. We’re here to help!