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Safety when fueling an RV-12 from gas cans

Ex Bonanza Bucko

Well Known Member
If you have input/advice about safety while fueling my new RV12 with auto gas from plastic gas cans with a hand pump I'd like to get that from you.

I have 7.5 gallon Flo Fast plastic cans and a hand cranked pump. It has a ground wire attached which I will use. I know about placing the cans on the ground while filling them and pumping from them. I discovered teflon tape in one of the Flo Fast pump fittings and I have removed that.....I guess they didn't know about the problems with that.

Also if you have input about the purity of gas taken from major oil company gas stations like Chevron or Shell please tell me what you know: did you ever get dirt or ?? when filling a gerry can from them? Is it necessary to use a Mr. Funnel filter when using their gas?

Here in Goneafornia we can only get 91 octane gas with 10% (advertised) auto gas. Ugh.http://www.vansairforce.com/community/images/smilies/confused.gif

I am thinking about using 100LL at least a major percentage of the time with Decolin. What is your input about that?

I think I will have my new S-LSA from Vans about 1 June. It will replace my V35A Bonanza that has been our main bird for 29 years! Looking forward to being back in the air.http://www.vansairforce.com/community/images/smilies/smile.gif

EBB :)
 
I have been refueling my RV12 with a hand pump mounted in a 30 gallon tank. My suggestion is to invest in an automatic shut off nozzle. Have been refueling for 200 hours and never spilled a drop. Works great.
 
I pour directly from 5 gallon cans. 7.5 gallons might be a bit heavy to prop on my shoulder. I've been using 91 octane with 10% ethanol for about 175 hours with no issues. If you look at the threads you'll see a lot of operating experience on auto gas.
 
fuel

I also have the flo fast set up. I bought 4 7.5 jugs and the pro pump. Ordered the mr funnel from wally mart. Works great....very happy with the set up as is. Not as easy as using a pump on field but way better than 5 gal jugs free pouring and would not consider doing that without a mr funnel.

Surprising the junk that shows in the bottom of poly fuel tanks....don't want to mess with junk in your fuel.
 
Rick,

I worried about debris from my 5 Gal jugs, but two annuals have turned up nothing in my gascolator. The nozzles have a screen, but not as fine mesh as the gascolator, so the gas must be pretty clean. I can't say it won't happen, but so far the operating experience I've had supports continued use of the 5 gallon jugs as is.

Rich
 
Have been fuelling from 5gal cans almost exclusively for the last 7 years. I have cans which are reserved exclusively for fuelling the airplane and as a result I control their use very closely. Over the years I have found no sediment or other contamination. I normally do a visual check before filling the cans and before pouring them into the airplane. At annual inspection there is a minute amount of sediment in the gascolator - normally sand-like sediment. Again, only a very small amount.

I contrast this experience with my experiences with rental airplanes fuelled with 100LL at the FBO... Sumping the tanks was bound to net a new surprise and a treasure hunt to find where that "mystery gunk" originated.
 
Cans

I am sure that keeping cans clean etc limits any debris. BUT, when I got my new flo fast set up, I used a paint filter the first time and then got a mr funnel. Both times a little bit of stuff showed. I just believed it was a little plastic from the manufacturing. I do know that our home gas can for the lawn mower seems to end each season with a bit of junk floating in the bottom no matter how careful we try and be. I just think something like a mr funnel for 20 from wally mart is well worth the extra level of protection. Just what works for me.
 
I decided a long time ago to be serious about fuel. Keeping the fuel clean and safely hauling it to the airport. In 12 years, and 10,000 gallons I'm glad I made the investment and built a fuel trailer. The fuel meter on the nozzle makes tank calibration easy.

fuel_tank.JPG
 
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That looks like about 50 gallons. I'd want to research at what point the state laws for trailer safety kick in, like haz-mat decals, brakes on the trailer, spill protection, etc. Also where do you use this? Most airports have zero tolerance for fuel stored in hangers that is not in planes.
 
That looks like about 50 gallons. I'd want to research at what point the state laws for trailer safety kick in, like haz-mat decals, brakes on the trailer, spill protection, etc. Also where do you use this? Most airports have zero tolerance for fuel stored in hangers that is not in planes.
Oh, I would say that is much bigger than 50 gallons. As far as state laws, actually there are Federal laws (DOT, EPA come to mind) dealing with fuel transportation without a hazmat license.
 
Looks like a steel tank. They can rust if you get water in them. It happened to an old sports car I had. I guess nothing is perfect.:(
 
Looks like a steel tank. They can rust if you get water in them. It happened to an old sports car I had. I guess nothing is perfect.:(

Your right, steel would rust, that is why I used a 100 gallon aluminum fuel tank. ;)

If you don't like the trailer idea, fine, keep humping 5 gallon cans. Your call. :D

I've pumped over 11,000 gallons of fuel through this rig. That would have been lifting 2,200 5 gallon cans in and out of my truck. No thanks. Oh! and I have saved around $22,000 in fuel costs. :D
 
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I have been refueling my RV12 with a hand pump mounted in a 30 gallon tank. My suggestion is to invest in an automatic shut off nozzle. Have been refueling for 200 hours and never spilled a drop. Works great.
Where does one get an automatic shut off that works witha a hand pump?

Tim
 
That looks like about 50 gallons. I'd want to research at what point the state laws for trailer safety kick in, like haz-mat decals, brakes on the trailer, spill protection, etc. Also where do you use this? Most airports have zero tolerance for fuel stored in hangers that is not in planes.

You guys are making this way to complicated. See that big filter on top of Larry's red fuel tank! No rust, no water, no nothin gets by that filter. If you don't want to use something like Larry has then here are some smaller options. Use what works for you.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_fuel-transfer-lubrication+fuel-caddies?

Here are a few common sense things to remember. How you accomplish these things is up to you!
1. Your fuel should be filtered going into your plane.
2. You should ground your tank to the plane.
3. If not flying for a few months run some 100ll through your engine before you put it away for the season.
4. Keep a fire extinguisher near by.
5. Don't advertise to all your neighbors that you fuel at your hanger if there are restrictions. Buy a grill cover from home depot and cover your rig when done. Think camouflage!
6. If you get a call or letter from the city about your yearly fire inspection empty your tank into your car before they come and then put your grill cover on. Now your fuel rig is for maintenance.
7. Just because you have a 30 gallon fuel rig doesn't mean you have to keep it full all the time. Its much easier to add a few gallons to a large tank from smaller jerry jugs than moving a pump between smaller tanks and dripping fuel all over the place off your pump, but if that works for you then have at it.;)
8. Keep all your fuel containers sealed when not in use, keeps fuel fresher and dirt out.
9. Keep fuel tanks in the shade away from sun light/ UV when not in use.
10. If using fuel with ethanol, don't store it unused for longer than 3 month, just put it in you car, it will still run fine.
11. If you don't want to fiddle with this stuff then buy 100ll and add declin and don't worry about it.:rolleyes:

Steps 1, 2, 4, & 8 occur every time you go to the self serve pump or the FBO fuel truck delivers fuel to a plane

Once again these are my personal opinions on the matter. It's your life so how you fuel your plane is up to you so you make the finial call!:D
Good luck.
 
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Larry,

I'm not knockin' your setup, just passing on info. I think the airport Nazis at my home field would go nuts if they saw a fuel bowser in a hangar. 5 gallon jugs work for my situation, but everybody is in different circumstances.

Rich
 
Larry,

I'm not knockin' your setup, just passing on info. I think the airport Nazis at my home field would go nuts if they saw a fuel bowser in a hangar. 5 gallon jugs work for my situation, but everybody is in different circumstances.

Rich

I've never understood how a well-designed fuel trailer is more dangerous in a hangar than 100 gallons of fuel in an aircraft wing that has fuel drain sumps with o-rings that sometimes let go..........
 
Larry,

I'm not knockin' your setup, just passing on info. I think the airport Nazis at my home field would go nuts if they saw a fuel bowser in a hangar. 5 gallon jugs work for my situation, but everybody is in different circumstances.

Rich

Here are my circumstances:
Fuel Station 4 miles from airport
Refueling with 3 x 5 gal. Jerrycans, one metallic (A/P regs)
I rarely use more than 10 gal for refill, keep the metallic can full in hangar until needed (A/P regs.)
To avoid lifting the 5 gal cans up to fuel port I empty the 1st half in a smaller can (30 seconds penalty)
Time to fill my tank including trip to service station: 1 hour (watch in hand)
Bonus: the fuel station sells ethanol free premium gas
... No big deal!
 
I think the reasoning is never safety, but preserving their exclusive market share of fuel sales. Hundreds of gallons sitting around in THEIR trucks gives them no problems.
I've never understood how a well-designed fuel trailer is more dangerous in a hangar than 100 gallons of fuel in an aircraft wing that has fuel drain sumps with o-rings that sometimes let go..........
 
I've never understood how a well-designed fuel trailer is more dangerous in a hangar than 100 gallons of fuel in an aircraft wing that has fuel drain sumps with o-rings that sometimes let go..........

There should be a "like" button here somewhere.
 
There should be a "like" button here somewhere.

The danger is to the retirement plan of the Fire Marshall. I know at least five of them in Mexico who retired on disability at age 40 +/- and who are now busily building houses and fishing for large sea life......not too disabled.
EBB:-(
 
Our city bureaucracy is terrible. They brought in FOUR inspectors on the last jihad. One fire, two code guys and an airport guy. So far they have earned themselves two lawsuits over hangar use. They lost the first with about 1.7 M in damages. They'll probably win the current one.
 
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