Fueling from plastic gasoline containors

I fuel my airplane about 3 times a month with about 40 gallons of
autogas. Plastic jugs are dangerous and a hassle if you need more than
5 or 10 gallons. If you invest in the right rig it is easy and safe to
self fuel. I saw an article (in Kitplanes?) a few years back about
building a little trailer with tank and pump. That would work for
anybody. If you have a pickup truck read on.

I carry my fuel rig in the back of my pickup and take it out when not
needed. A built-in toolbox tank is really nice but will cost you about
$300 just for the tank.

Recently I was visited by a representative of the County's Fire
Department Aviation Unit just after I finished fueling. My setup passed
his inspection and cost less than $500 for everything:

1) To carry fuel on U.S. Highways the container needs to be DOT
approved and labeled/placarded as flammable liquid. Failure to do so
violates Federal Law. I bought a refurbished 55 gallon closed head
steel drum that is United Nations and DOT approved for flammable
liquids. Cost me $25. Available free some places. Self adhering
flammable-liquid placards from Gemplers were 4 for $5.

2) Bought a 15GPM Fill-Rite 12volt transfer pump that is UL-approved to
pump gasoline. Cost me about $270 from Harbour Freight. It is designed
to mount perfectly into the top of a steel drum. I also purchased a 20
foot long anti-static fuel hose to replace the standard 12-foot hose
that comes with the pump for $25 from Northern Tool. Also added a
Northern Tool Goldenrod Waterblock Filter for $25. It gets all the
water out, traps particles larger than 5-10 microns and easily connects
between the pump and the fuel hose using 3/4" pre-threaded bronze or
galvanized pipe nipples from Home Depot for $5.

4) While at Home Depot I also got some gasoline tolerant pipe joint
compound, two 20 foot lengths of #12 stranded copper ground wire (green
insulated), some alligator clips for the ground lines and the pump
power connections to connect to the truck battery, a bronze ground
strap to attach the ground wires to the pump ahead of the filter. This
stuff was about $25. Also from Home Depot a good medium-sized
foam-type fire extinguisher (8A-70B rated) $35.

5) I strap the drum with attached pump permanently to a hand
truck/dolly using 5-foot nylon ratcheting strap ties and also use a
pair of 12-foot strap ties to secure the rig to truck bed tie-down
points. Cost for straps and dolly about $50. Also got a pair of ramps
made from 2x8 x 6-foot long boards that hook to the tailgate allow me
to wheel the drum up and down from the truck bed.

On days I want to fuel the airplane I wheel the empty drum/fuel rig up
into the truck bed and drive to a gas station just outside the airport.
I ground the rig to the gas station pump and my truck chassis and test
the gasoline for alcohol/ethanol using a Petersen $15 tester. I haven't
found any gas with alcohol yet but still always test. I pump between 35
and 45 gallons of regular into the drum depending on what amount I am
sure will completely fill the airplane tanks. I drive to the airplane,
hook-up the gound lines to plane, power lines to truck battery, pull
out my step ladder and top off the airplane as fast as the FBO could do
it. If there is any gas left in the drum after the airplane is full, I
pump it into the pickup fuel tank. It is much easier to move the drum
when it is empty and safer to keep it empty too.

In reality its a bit of a work to self-fuel but I save about $35 to $45
dollars every fill up. Much more important my 7:1 compression ratio
O-470 engine runs better on 80/87 octane. No lead fouled plugs and no
lead sludge in the oil. Oil analysis greatly improved since switching
to mogas. I'm Happy. Rig was paid for after 6 months.

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 23:23:15 +1000, "Bushy Pete"
wrote:

I use 20 litre plastic jerry cans to pick up fuel for the bush strip that I
fly out of at the moment and my instructor there who has over 50 years of
bush flying recommends plastic fuel drums in preference to steel ones. Most
of the steel jerry cans have some paint on the inside which will continue to
flake off and contaminate your fuel for years and years.

Get the good NATO approved orange plastic jerry cans - they are
conductive and non-static.

Make sure you use a funnel with a decent filter, one that catches the finest
particals, and preferably one of the fancy (about Australian $30 to $50)
that catch water as well as crap. Keep it in the aircraft so you can refuel
with confidence anywhere you may travel. Don't use fuel from the very bottom
of the container and take extra care during preflight inspection water
check.

I'm currently using this to fill both two stroke ultralight and C172, but
the same basic principles apply to all bush operations.

Make sure that (eg 200 litre) drums are stored so that water condensation or
rain cannot sit on top of the drum and be drawn down through the cap's
threads as the fuel inside contracts with temperature as this will give a
high water content. If they must be stored outside, leave them on their side
so rain water does not sit.

I'd be more worried about an engine stoppage from poor fuel than a fire
caused by static from a proper plastic fuel container. I have heard, but
cannot confirm that the main problem with static and plastic is the use of
different types of plastic that may be used for petrol storage when no other
container is at hand such as old drink bottles.

Hope this helps,
Peter

"Michael Horowitz" wrote in message
.. .
I may have an opportunity to move to a hanger at a private strip; no
facilities, so I'll have to tote in my own gasoline in 2 1/2 gal
plastic containors.

When refueling, do I only need to worry about grounding the a/c?

How would static be generated? - Mike

It is interesting to see all the replies, educating us... I often
wonder about where this knowledge came from... Being that I have only
been refueling my planes from plastic 5 gallon cans for decades, 40 to
60 gallons at a time, I guess from here on I'll just listen to the
experts do the explaining...

denny

Michael Horowitz wrote:
: I may have an opportunity to move to a hanger at a private strip; no
: facilities, so I'll have to tote in my own gasoline in 2 1/2 gal
: plastic containors.

I'm not sure how large of a creature you're fueling, but I've been filling my
Cherokee up with 5 or 6 gallon cans for two years now.

: When refueling, do I only need to worry about grounding the a/c?
: How would static be generated? - Mike

Grounding the a/c isn't nearly as important as grounding the can to the plane.
It's not the static buildup on the plane that's the problem, but rather the static
differential between the plane and the can as the fuel pumps charge as it flows.

You can build a nice fuel trailer for $300-$500 as people have suggested. My
solution is somewhere between cans and a fuel trailer.

I didn't like the small amount of water and particulate gunk I picked up from
the gas station, nor the feeling of having to maintain sterility with the lids, etc.
I ended up constructing a pouring spout for the cans with a spin-on, water-absorbing
fuel filter included in the spout. You can get the filter from a farm-supply or order
it... $20 or so. When I switch to another can, I simply move the pour spout to the
new can. Also, the plumbing for the spout is metal, so I can definatelively bond the
plane to the part of the can that counts..... the pouring area. Charge will not build
up, and even if it did it cannot spark where the two come together (since they're
metal-metal and already bonded together).

It's not that big of a deal to just fill up and bring along a few cans on your
way to go flying.... dump it in when you're done.

-Cory
--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

Don't know your location, but if you never fuel except in humid conditions,
then you might be safe. It only takes one episode however.

The sion of an autodealer used gas to clean some parts. Did not make it to
his 17th birthday.

"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
It is interesting to see all the replies, educating us... I often
wonder about where this knowledge came from... Being that I have only
been refueling my planes from plastic 5 gallon cans for decades, 40 to
60 gallons at a time, I guess from here on I'll just listen to the
experts do the explaining...

denny

On 27 Feb 2005 12:42:42 -0800, wrote:

A former student of ours had a fire refuelling an aiplane from a
plastic can. In Alaska. Cold, dry weather raises the risk considerably,
and an airplane recently landed may have more charge on it, too. Living
in Canada we regularly hear stories of fuelling accidents attributable
to static. Not too many years ago a guy got burnt when his coat,
rubbing on the wing, set off fuel fumes. How's that for being bit by
what you don't know?

Dan

It's amazing how a charge can build up. Last summer I was at the MMV
flyin. It was hot and dry and I was taking in lot of water so I needed a
visit to the Port-O-John. While I was in there, a Bonanza taxied by and
blew a big prop blast over the row of cans. Instantly, the hair on my arms
and head stood up. Quite a charge!

wrote:


I use a plastic can -BUT- I have a little chain wired to the filler
neck of the can with an alligator clip on the loose end. I then ground
the can to a tie down ring BEFORE I open the tank and fill it.
Bob Olds RV-4
Charleston,Arkansas


************************************************* **********************


Bob - I'm having difficulty visualizing what you did. Could you please
re-phrase your description of how the chain is connected to the filler
cap? - Mike

wrote:


I use a plastic can -BUT- I have a little chain wired to the filler
neck of the can with an alligator clip on the loose end. I then ground
the can to a tie down ring BEFORE I open the tank and fill it.
Bob Olds RV-4
Charleston,Arkansas


************************************************* **********************


Bob - I'm having difficulty visualizing what you did. Could you please
re-phrase your description of how the chain is connected to the filler
cap? - Mike

In reality its a bit of a work to self-fuel but I save about $35 to $45
dollars every fill up. Much more important my 7:1 compression ratio
O-470 engine runs better on 80/87 octane. No lead fouled plugs and no
lead sludge in the oil. Oil analysis greatly improved since switching
to mogas. I'm Happy. Rig was paid for after 6 months.


Auto gas cannot be used unless you're flying a home built, right?

"LCT Paintball" wrote in message
news:RuMUd.77580$4q6.7306@attbi_s01...
In reality its a bit of a work to self-fuel but I save about $35 to $45
dollars every fill up. Much more important my 7:1 compression ratio
O-470 engine runs better on 80/87 octane. No lead fouled plugs and no
lead sludge in the oil. Oil analysis greatly improved since switching
to mogas. I'm Happy. Rig was paid for after 6 months.


Auto gas cannot be used unless you're flying a home built, right?



We have several certified aircraft in our neck of the woods with autogas
STC's-- Cubs, 172's, Churkies, Cessna 140's, Cessna 180's and so on.