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electric fuel pump - 6/5/2007 8:54:33 PM   
rxAxilleas


 

Posts: 192
Joined: 11/2/2006
From: katerinipieria, GREECE
Status: offline 		hi,
i am thinking of buying an electric pump for my field box.
i saw hobbico at about 15$, sulivan at 15 , sig at 30$ and h9 at 17$
any sugestions please?
i dont want any leaks or electric problems to start a fire...

thanks very much
achilles
       Post #: 1

RE: electric fuel pump - 6/6/2007 12:47:50 AM   
aa2dd


 

Posts: 282
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: Frostproof, FL, USA
Status: offline


don't get the Sig ..... it's a pig!!!!!


Bruce

(in reply to rxAxilleas)
       Post #: 2

RE: electric fuel pump - 6/6/2007 3:38:44 AM   
P-40 DRIVER



Posts: 876
Joined: 4/20/2005
From: Cedar Park, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Stay away from electric fuel pumps if at all possible. guaranteed you will get a face full of fuel at some point when the fuel line pops off and sprays everywhere before you can turn it off. Most of the guys at my field don't use them for that reason.

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RE: electric fuel pump - 6/22/2007 8:04:55 AM   
xlr82v2


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 9/21/2002
From: Ellis Grove, IL, USA
Status: offline 		For electric fuel pumps, just remember that if you get a cheap electric pump, then you've got a cheap electric pump. I've tried a lot of them, from cheapo electric windshield washer pumps to Cadillac of them all, the Slimline Boxxer. The Boxxer is a nice electric pump, and in my experience, of the ones I've tried, by far the nicest of them all. It's very quiet, pumps fairly quickly, and when you stop the pump, the fuel stops flowing, unlike some of the other pumps. It will prime itself instantly, even with a nearly empty jug of fuel (this was a real problem with some of the cheap (and not so cheap) gear type pumps that I've had). So far, I have yet to find a fault with it, honest.

As for manual fuel pumps, I don't think you can't beat the Dave Brown Six Shooter. Used one (the same one) for YEARS, from 1982 when I started flying, up to about 5 years ago when I upgraded to a bigger electric flight box with a power panel, and MANY MANY MANY gallons of fuel. All the good qualities of the Boxxer, except it's armstrong powered

Slimline Boxxer-- About $50 (I paid 48.95 at my LHS about a year ago.)

DB Six Shooter-- $10 probably (I think I paid 9.95 for mine back in about 1982). Maybe the price has gone up in the last 25 years, I don't know. Whatever the price is, I think it's the best manual pump out there, bar none.

Both are peristaltic pumps.

Either one is excellent... If you want to go electric, I'd highly recommend that you spend the $ in the beginning and go with the Slimline Boxxer instead of what I did and try a bunch of other "cheaper" electric pumps before getting a good one. Only the rich can afford cheap equipment.

Oh, and you should NEVER have the FILL direction (and IMHO the defuel direction also) of your electric pump wired to a switch that can be left ON unattended... that's just asking for trouble, even though unfortunately this is how most of the power panels are built . The FILL direction should be on a momentary switch that you have to hold continuously. Then if you have a problem all you have to do is release the switch and the flow of fuel stops. You should never turn your back on a running fuel pump, no matter which direction you're moving fuel, IMHO.

Good luck on your fuel handling quest!


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Brian

(in reply to P-40 DRIVER)
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RE: electric fuel pump - 6/22/2007 8:43:07 AM   
rxAxilleas


 

Posts: 192
Joined: 11/2/2006
From: katerinipieria, GREECE
Status: offline 		hi,
thanks for the help Brian.i ordered a few days ago from towers a sullivan pump for 15$ i think.i dont received it yet and dont know if it is a good one.you have absolute right about the switch. it is very easy to make a mistake and leave it "on" all the time. since i am new to pumps i am thinking of the posibility of fire.electricity and fuels dont seem wright together.
have you got any info on that? is it posible to cach fire if accidentaly short cirquit the motor or overheats? (parhaps due to forgoten swich to "on" position.)
thanks very much
achilles.

(in reply to xlr82v2)
       Post #: 5

RE: electric fuel pump - 6/22/2007 9:29:44 AM   
xlr82v2


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 9/21/2002
From: Ellis Grove, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Fire is not likely as long as the pump doesn't leak, which is what happens to most of the cheaper gear type pumps... they start to leak around the motor shaft seals, or in the pump body itself. Then, if you get fuel in the motor, along with electricity, then it's anybody's guess as to what can happen. That being said, I've seen a lot of pumps leak, but I have never seen one catch on fire, yet. Hopefully I never do.

If you're really that concerned with the fire hazard, then I would go with a manual pump. That would be the lowest risk option for you. But, like I said earlier, I've never seen a flight box catch on fire, yet, out of my 25 years flying RC airplanes. I've never seen an engine fire yet as well, for that matter. And that's where you're trying to get the fuel burning

All in all, I would say, from my experience, that as long as you stick with glow fuel, the fire risk is very, very low, even with an electric pump. Assuming that all of your wiring on your flight box is safe (no exposed wires, good tight connections, etc.) If you twist wires together and then wrap them with duct tape, well, all bets are off, if you know what I mean.

As far as short circuits, any time you have a 12 volt lead acid battery (either wet or sealed gel cell), a short circuit could make for an exciting event. Wires can get hot and burn very quickly. It's a very good idea to put a fuse in your flight box electrical system. I've got a 30 amp fuse protecting my box electrics. A 20 amp fuse might even be sufficient... I don't really know. With the starter at full stall (as it would be when cranking an engine and stopped against compression) and the power panel running the glow plug driver, I'm sure that it's getting close to 20-30 amps load through the wiring. But a short circuit will blow the 30 amp fuse almost instantly before the wires get hot enough to start a fire. I use 10ga wire from the battery to the power panel, and 14ga wire out to my fuel pump. The 14ga wire will carry enough amps to blow the 30 amp fuse before getting hot enough to burn should there be a short circuit out at the fuel pump end of my flight box (I've got a Sig Field Boss flight box with a 12AH motorcycle battery for power.)


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Brian

(in reply to rxAxilleas)
       Post #: 6

RE: electric fuel pump - 6/24/2007 2:21:17 AM   
rajul



Posts: 6054
Joined: 6/18/2002
From: Missouri City, TX, USA
Status: offline 		The slimline boxxer is the best electric pump for glow fuel. Don't use it for gas! I've been using one for the last four years, regular use, no issues. Once in a while, I dismantle the pump body to clean the rollers. I bought a maintenance kit for it but haven't had any need to use it yet

I'm rigging up my own electric pump for gas using a miniature pump from Greylor

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< Message edited by rajul -- 6/24/2007 2:28:32 AM >

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(in reply to rxAxilleas)
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RE: electric fuel pump - 6/24/2007 3:31:27 AM   
summerwind


 

Posts: 884
Joined: 2/16/2007
From: fresno, CA, USA
Status: offline 		tomorrow is going to be the first day for me to go flying in 15 years. the past 5 months i have spent my time researching and buying and assembling 2 GP ARF's, and all the accessories i feel i needed.
i checked everything out as i bought it, starter, tooling such as irons and what not, and especially all the radio gear.
in the process i bought the Sullivan Streamer fuel pump, and today i set it up for the first time to get things ready for tomorrow................wouldn't you know, it leaks. not like a sive or anything, but the motor inside is connected to the pump unit by a flat ground on the end of the motor shaft, which of course engages and spins the pump. but this design is a bit odd as when the shaft of the motor is not in there, then there is actually a hole. so needles to say, the shaft and pump aren't close enough in diameter to seal things properly, and now i have to use a towel under the stupid thing tomorrow to keep the leak under okiefied control.
the one item i thought i was smart by saving money on is the one item that is going to give me grief my 1st time out.

went to LHS after i found out, but they didn't have the Slimline Boxer, and Tower's price was 60 bucks, so i ordered the Boxer from Slimline for 50 bucks..............should have done so in the first place..........live and learn.
i always used electric whenever i flew in years past..........i work hard all week, all be damned if i'm gonna work at having fun with a manual fuel pump.

(in reply to rajul)
       Post #: 8

RE: electric fuel pump - 6/24/2007 5:47:26 AM   
xlr82v2


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 9/21/2002
From: Ellis Grove, IL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: rajul

The slimline boxxer is the best electric pump for glow fuel. Don't use it for gas! I've been using one for the last four years, regular use, no issues. Once in a while, I dismantle the pump body to clean the rollers. I bought a maintenance kit for it but haven't had any need to use it yet

I'm rigging up my own electric pump for gas using a miniature pump from Greylor



Rajul,

I looked up Greylor on the 'net, I'm assuming that you're using the PQ pump... just curious, if you're going to go with the 12 or 24 volt model, as the rated flow rate is pretty high with this pump. I tried a similar gear pump a while back from B&D Pumps (a buddy of mine swore that this was the holy grail of fuel pumps), but I used the 24V model, running it on the 12 volts from my flight box battery to basically cut the flow rate in half. Before it started leaking like a sieve, it would fill a 13oz tank in about 30 seconds or so. Worked pretty well (for dropping the flow rate), never blew off any fuel lines or fittings.

Oh, and if you're tempted to try a B&D pump, don't. Took 2 tries to get a pump that would last more than a week with glow fuel, Mine wouldn't draw fuel up out of the jug if it was under 3/4 full, and in less than a year it started leaking like a sieve. And their customer service is pretty much non-existant, as well as their knowledge of materials compatability . Hopefully you have better service from your greylor, I've seen some ads in MA that looks like someone is using a Greylor pump on a 5gal gas can and selling it for like $200 or something...



< Message edited by xlr82v2 -- 6/24/2007 6:17:36 AM >


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Brian

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RE: electric fuel pump - 6/24/2007 5:51:44 AM   
rajul



Posts: 6054
Joined: 6/18/2002
From: Missouri City, TX, USA
Status: offline 		It's the PQ-12, but I might be running it with a 6V battery. I opted for a viton gasket which should last longer than the buna-n, although the buna-n will work well with gas. No way I'm spending $200 on one of those 2.5gal fuel cans

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(in reply to xlr82v2)
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RE: electric fuel pump - 12/15/2007 4:05:17 AM   
linkadrip



Posts: 1190
Joined: 3/17/2006
From: Tehachapi, CA, USA
Status: offline 		A little more information on this pump would be helpfull There are several different Variations of this pump witch variation works bestt for Gas (petrol).

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RE: electric fuel pump - 12/16/2007 9:03:41 AM   
asmund


 

Posts: 1767
Joined: 11/20/2005
From: Floroe, NORWAY
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: P-40 DRIVER

Stay away from electric fuel pumps if at all possible. guaranteed you will get a face full of fuel at some point when the fuel line pops off and sprays everywhere before you can turn it off. Most of the guys at my field don't use them for that reason.



Yeah, what P-40 says, been there done that My electric pump stays home and my crankpump (is that a word??) follows me to the field. For a 91 engine it takes just 10 seconds of cranking to fill the tank anyway

(in reply to P-40 DRIVER)
       Post #: 12

RE: electric fuel pump - 12/16/2007 6:33:31 PM   
JPMacG


 

Posts: 1108
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Ivyland, PA, USA
Status: offline 		I agree with asmund. About twice a year I see someone at our field, who has become distracted from his electric pump somehow, pump half a gallon of fuel out the exhaust and into the dirt. I have to suppress my laughter. My trusty old Dave Brown hand pump has lasted many years and never let me down. It only takes a minute to fill a 16 oz tank.

(in reply to asmund)
       Post #: 13

RE: electric fuel pump - 12/16/2007 9:23:31 PM