Pumping gas from containers into the wings while on the ground
- Thread starter The Kid
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RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
One winter I picked up a five gallon full plastic can to fill the garden tractor snow plow. As I lifted it up, the hairs on my arm stood up. I touched some steel on the door and the hairs went down. There was the slightest spark between my fingers and the door.
Made me think about things.
Eskflyer, I too am going to order that pump you suggested. Looks good. I didn't quite understand what you were doing with the cap so send me pictures so I can duplicate. And think of this; it's 2 am in the morning and you're out in the bush or backcountry and your parked next to a guy with Dodge's 30 gallon tanks. You need gas and he has plenty. With a little extra hose you can get all you need and not even have to have carried those troublesome gas bags and he'll never know as when you have 60 gallons of gas who ever checks what they have cause they have plenty.
NunavutPA-12
FRIEND
67.8N,115.1W CYCO Canada
The "jiggle" part works fine but most (all?) have vinyl hose which gets impossibly stiff in the cold. I've been trying to source some surgical rubber tubing of the correct size to replace the vinyl.
I replaced the tubing on a few with Tygon. It remains flexible in way below zero temps. The vinyl tubing is about worthless below freezing. The pink anti-static is slightly better than standard vinyl. I have one of my 1-1/4” guzzlers with Tygon. It’s my winter fuel transfer tool of choice. It’ll drain a 15 gallon jug faster than I can stage the next one.
My Congo pump is for diesel and it uses black fuel and oil hose similar to gas station fuel hose. No problem for winter use.
OMG , I would never put "DODGE" fuel in my airplane , dont ya know how dangerous that is , You must use Ford and on the one off Chevy fuel but never DODGE.
Recommended fuel transfer pump
I just got the transfer pump Eskflyer recommended and Holy Cow does it work very, very well. No more straining and lifting up then and possibly damaging my wings with cans or bags to add fuel. This bad boy really works!. That tip alone was worth whatever it costs to belong to this group. THANKS! P.S. I'll burn Dodge gas or even Ford gas; no problemo!
I just got the transfer pump Eskflyer recommended and Holy Cow does it work very, very well. No more straining and lifting up then and possibly damaging my wings with cans or bags to add fuel. This bad boy really works!. That tip alone was worth whatever it costs to belong to this group. THANKS! P.S. I'll burn Dodge gas or even Ford gas; no problemo!
I too love how this pump works , and the nice kit it is contained in along with the various hoses and connections. I had no problem just laying the fuel bags against my tire and putting the hose in and then running the output side up to the tank to fill. Yes it works wonders.
Don't tell my wife I was finally right about something. Lol
Glad you are liking the fuel pump.
Don't tell my wife I was finally right about something. Lol
Glad you are liking the fuel pump.
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
Ordered one to save my joints on floats - thanks for the link
Gary
Gary
A few months ago, I was standing on an 8.50 tire and fell backwards, sustaining 11 fractured ribs, 5 fractured vertebrae, and a punctured lung. It still hurts.
If my only way to fly out was to tote a 30# bag up onto the wing, I’d rather just push the SOS button on the SPOT.
I have a friend that built this with a harbor freight transfer pump. He says he likes it, but it's a fairly recent build.
I didn't ask if I could post his photo, so I removed the N number.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-diesel-transfer-pump-66784.html
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
I didn't ask if I could post his photo, so I removed the N number.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-diesel-transfer-pump-66784.html
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
Now I'm thinking about a grounding or common mode wire for this kind of portable setup. No real answers until see the pump.
Gary
Gary
RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
I’m jittery about those alligator connectors. Why not use battery clamps?
Knowing me, I’d tug on the hose and bump the connection, and sparks would fly.
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
Knowing me, I’d tug on the hose and bump the connection, and sparks would fly.
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
courierguy
MEMBER
Inkom, Idaho
Good catch RV.
The comments about "jury rigged", well, there is half assed jury rigging, and jury rigging done right. Checking my logs....it's more like 24 years I've been up pumping. Sure it's easier to have the fuel truck meet you on the ramp, and go drink coffee while the line boy/girl/women deals with it, but in 24 years (longer in burning mogas,, pushing 40, just up pumping for 24) I've saved, by my reckoning, $28,800.00, More, when one considers I didn't have to earn more than that and pay income taxes, call it 30K.. More Importantly, my setup allows me to easily and (apparently) safely refuel where there ARE no FBO fuel pumps, but there IS a mo gas station. Again, not a single drop of fuel on the wing during
all that time.
courierguy
MEMBER
Inkom, Idaho
Good catch RV.
The comments about "jury rigged", well, there is half assed jury rigging, and jury rigging done right. Checking my logs....it's more like 24 years I've been up pumping. Sure it's easier to have the fuel truck meet you on the ramp, and go drink coffee while the line boy/girl/women deals with it, but in 24 years (longer in burning mogas,, pushing 40, just up pumping for 24) I've saved, by my reckoning, $28,800.00, More, when one considers I didn't have to earn more than that and pay income taxes, call it 30K.. More Importantly, my setup allows me to easily and (apparently) safely refuel where there ARE no FBO fuel pumps, but there IS a mo gas station. Again, not a single drop of fuel on the wing during
all that time.
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
And seal the supply tank opening to excessive fume escape as safely as possible. Fuel vapors like to escape the tank. After all the years packing fuel up and over a portable pump would make the job safer. Ground based tanks are prohibited where I now park at FAI Floatpond. Some have trailers or pickups with tanks. This way I can transfer from 5 gallon jugs to my three tanks w/o lifting the fuel, and use the vehicle or aircraft battery for power. Oh, and still keep that fire extinguisher handy.
Gary
Gary
Spent 12 days in a Burn ICU, second and third degree burns. I don’t use plastic jugs period for gasoline or avgas. Wouldn’t wish the experience on anyone. Also witnessed blue flame coming out of a fuel tank during refueling operation, the guy put out the fire by placing the fuel cap back on removing the oxygen component. Be careful out there, crazy things happen.
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Sent from my iPad using SuperCub.Org
Rob
MEMBER
AZ06
I like the cap idea to secure everything while you pump, but it is imperative to make sure that either your fuel venting is greater than what your pump puts out, which doubtful since your vent is your cap, or your pump is pretty anemic.
I own an airplane that once had the wings rebuilt to the tune of $60K (wet wing) due to the use of a large banjo trash pump for fueling from the single point. This is of course an extreme example, but the concept remains the same.
Take care, Rob
Rob
MEMBER
AZ06
Doh, I'm a goober... I thought you were going through a cap on the other side.
Sometimes pointing out the obvious isn't even enough
ADK_Cub
Registered User
That harbor freight moving dolly rig sends chills down my spine. Multiple things very unsafe with that. And I am by no means the safety cops.
Tractor supply sells a GPI GASOLINE APPROVED 12v pump. It’s a kit that can be adapted to drums, truck tanks, portables whatever. I made 30 gal portable tank out of an aluminum tank scraped from a boat and the GPI pump.
Tank made of aluminum-no sparks, min static
Gasoline approved pump
Tank vent
Grounding wire and clamp
LONG leads to connect and disconnect battery at least 6 feet from the fuel.
I’ll get pictures when I get back home, but the whole set up was less than $300 well worth not spilling, busting my ass with jerry cans or burning down my truck and the plane at the same time.
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
Tractor supply sells a GPI GASOLINE APPROVED 12v pump. It’s a kit that can be adapted to drums, truck tanks, portables whatever. I made 30 gal portable tank out of an aluminum tank scraped from a boat and the GPI pump.
Tank made of aluminum-no sparks, min static
Gasoline approved pump
Tank vent
Grounding wire and clamp
LONG leads to connect and disconnect battery at least 6 feet from the fuel.
I’ll get pictures when I get back home, but the whole set up was less than $300 well worth not spilling, busting my ass with jerry cans or burning down my truck and the plane at the same time.
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
GEEEEEEESH, the question has been answered and you guys that cant think outside the box even a little bit are so far out there. I have been filling gas cans since about 1973. OMG I was abused by my parents for teaching me how to properly fill gas cans plastic metal glass ect, vehicles airplanes since I was 7. I am sorry for those that have had an incident and injured. but dammit guys if you want to be truly safe go crawl under 6' of dirt and call it done. Im going to continue the way we have and enjoy life and continue to fly and fill my sleds my motorcycle my airplane my side x side my chainsaw and everything else with the ohhhh so dangerous plastic fuel jugs / fuel bags / my approved for gasoline bought on amazon made in America fuel pump kit. loosen up be safe and go fly.
just my 2 cents and with inflation that aint worth #%it
JP
just my 2 cents and with inflation that aint worth #%it
JP
mvivion
SPONSOR
Bozeman,MT
Actually, being safe is what all this discussion is about. I've known two fellows who were badly burned in fueling incidents with airplanes. There's a reason "licensed" fueling facilities have lots of safeguards, little things like bonding wires, etc.
Visit a burn victim in a burn ward sometime.....
MTV
Everyone should watch how fuel fumes flow (an IR scope/camera will show it) if they come out from being disturbed, they then spill out and run down to the ground and in this case possibly flowing over the battery. This one and the larger transfer tank/pump previously shown in this thread would be much safer with the battery mounted high and away or better yet remote. Oh and loose the alligator clips, use a hard clamps with a high mounted switch to get the arcing devise out of harms way.I have a friend that built this with a harbor freight transfer pump. He says he likes it, but it's a fairly recent build.
I didn't ask if I could post his photo, so I removed the N number.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-diesel-transfer-pump-66784.html
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Last edited:
akavidflyer
FRIEND
Soldotna AK
in an open environment outside fumes are not going to accumulate to a level that vegas will give you odds on blowing up. If this was the case then we would be seeing planes, boats, cars, tractors and every other form of motorsports blowing up daily and in huge numbers. I am shocked that half of you folks actually get out of the safe room in the house and actually enjoy flying. How is it possible that millions of gallons of gas is transferred daily without the entire world having become a giant fireball?
I know a guy that wrecked a plane once so we better all sell the planes and take up knitting because its much safer than enjoying life.
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