Fueling from plastic gasoline containors

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

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.

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

On Sun, 27 Feb 2005 04:20:21 -0500, 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.

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

How would static be generated? - Mike

static is generated by the movement of the fluid. the more turbulent
the pour the more static electricity that can be potentially
generated. it is supposedly a dislodging of electrons as the atoms
bump into each other.

what you are concerned with is that the refuelling kit and the
aircraft have the same static potential.
with the same potential there can be no spark between the items
triggering combustion in the fuel vapours.

my static lead is just 2 metres of 110volt vinyl insulated auto
electrical wire with a crocodile clip on each end.

for plastic containers I have heard of the use of a length of welding
rod poked down into the fuel and clipping on to the static lead. I
dont know how practical this actually is.
Stealth Pilot

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.

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

How would static be generated? - Mike



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

REPLY:
Mike;
Just moving the plastic can around will develop a static charge on the
can. When you get the nozzle close to the metal of the plane , a
static spark jumps across the gap.. If this is at the tank - there goes
the fire !!!!
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


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

wrote in message
ups.com...

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.

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

How would static be generated? - Mike



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

REPLY:
Mike;
Just moving the plastic can around will develop a static charge on the
can. When you get the nozzle close to the metal of the plane , a
static spark jumps across the gap.. If this is at the tank - there goes
the fire !!!!
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


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

Excellent advice.
Plus, keeping a halon fire extinguisher handy is good too. Which reminds
me.

Unlicensed owner of a newly rebuilt Cessna with overhauled engine started it
for the first time at midnight, apparently to fly it away from a large
public airport where rampchecks occur to a private field. It spit back
through the Marvel carb and caught fire. He was alone without a fire
extinguisher and the plane burnt almost to a crisp before the fire
department arrived. Moral of the story: rugged independence and shooting
from the hip can get you into trouble.

I refuel my Safari helicopter from a 28 gal plastic fuel caddy that has a
rotary pump installed. I have a ground wire with alligator clips on both
ends and clamp one end on the metal fitting exiting the rotary pump and the
other end to the airframe. I'm in the desert where static is relatively
easy to generate, but so far with using it over several years no problem. I
have seen sparks generated fueling directly from a plastic jerry can with no
ground wire. Also no explosion or fire. The spark was above the fuel fumes
sufficiently. It did scare the heck out of me tho.

--
Stu Fields

Ground the fuel source to the aircraft, and then to the ground if able.

Also, with regards to tanks.. you can spend a little money here, and get
a 20-30 gallon marine transfer tank that has wheels. You can spend
around $200 for an electric pump to go with it. It beats making repeated
trips with a bunch of 2 1/2 gal tanks. If you want to go even further,
there are tanks that can be installed in the bed of a pickup truck for
not much more (if you drive a pickup)... or collapseable flat fuel
cells that are also sold commercially.

Dave

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.

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

How would static be generated? - Mike

2.5 gal seems snall, like lots of trips to the gas station, but the
basics don't change...
Use a pad on the wing to protect the paint from grit on the bottom of
the can, cardboard is what I use, but rug, blankets, etc., will work
just fine...
Stand on something so that you are high enough for comfort and can see
the fuel coming up as the tank fills...
Hold one finger over the nozzle as you tip the can... Once the nozzle
is inserted you remove your finger and only then open the vent cap on
the can...
As long as you are leaning against the airplane as you open the wing
tank, uncap the can, etc., you don't have to worry about static
sparks... Your body acts as the ground strap that equalizes the charge
between the plane and the can...
Grounding the airplane won't hurt, but it won't help either...
Have you ever put gas in a lawn mower... Ever have one burst into
flames? The ariplane is just a big lawn mower - where the blades are
not expected to cut grass, though sometimes they do...

The local skydive airplane (high wing) pilot, built a wood cradle that
cradles the can so he doesn't have to hold onto it after tipping and
inserting the nozzle...

denny

I'm sorry but your airplane is not just like a large lawnmower. You dump
small quantities of gas into your lawnmower. The longer you pour the larger
the static charge. Pouring small qualities is safer than dumping an entire
can. Grounding the can, funnel and tank together DOES help. It prevents
that charge from building to the point of discharge and explosion.

You can also point to fueling a car as a NON-grounded application but you
couldn't be farther from the truth. Look at the UL or DOT label on the
hose. It MUST be a conductive hose meeting certain specs.

Remember the longer you fuel, the larger the charge. The more important
grounding becomes as well.

--
Cy Galley
EAA Safety Programs Editor
Always looking for ideas and articles for EAA Sport Pilot


"Denny" wrote in message
ups.com...
2.5 gal seems snall, like lots of trips to the gas station, but the
basics don't change...
Use a pad on the wing to protect the paint from grit on the bottom of
the can, cardboard is what I use, but rug, blankets, etc., will work
just fine...
Stand on something so that you are high enough for comfort and can see
the fuel coming up as the tank fills...
Hold one finger over the nozzle as you tip the can... Once the nozzle
is inserted you remove your finger and only then open the vent cap on
the can...
As long as you are leaning against the airplane as you open the wing
tank, uncap the can, etc., you don't have to worry about static
sparks... Your body acts as the ground strap that equalizes the charge
between the plane and the can...
Grounding the airplane won't hurt, but it won't help either...
Have you ever put gas in a lawn mower... Ever have one burst into
flames? The ariplane is just a big lawn mower - where the blades are
not expected to cut grass, though sometimes they do...

The local skydive airplane (high wing) pilot, built a wood cradle that
cradles the can so he doesn't have to hold onto it after tipping and
inserting the nozzle...

denny

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