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How do you refuel your kitfox?
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wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:15 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

My local airport will no longer be offering mogas so I have to figure out how to get fuel to my airplane. A have a couple of 5 gallon plastic fuel tanks that will do in a pinch but I was hoping to find something more convinient for the long term. I looked at some fuel transfer tank solutions for my truck but they're expensive. Just a smal dot approved tank is $500. What are other kitfox owners doing?



Luis R.

824KF

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:41 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Luis,



I use the gas cans.  Mine are plastic, but that might move the  topic to 

static electricity.  I was taught to put a towel on the wing - inboard where 

the tank top is - and lift the can to the towel and pour.  I use one of the 

large filtering funnels.



I too have done a bit of looking at the possibilities of a hose from a pump 

or suspended tank and none have grabbed me as better for the buck.



I know guys that will use the plastic water cans - the collapsable type with 

the spigot on the bottom side.  These you just heft to the wing and open the 

spigot - no funnel.



I will usually keep at least one of my plastic cans full, so I can fill and 

fly when I want and not worry about going to get the cans filled all the 

time.



Lowell



---

taildragon(at)msn.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:59 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Luis,



You can use this link to search for airports that have mogas. But still, I would also call the airport to confirm.

http://www.airnav.com/airports/search.html<http://www.airnav.com/airports/search.html>



Roger

  ---

Ben-PA

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 44
Location: Berwick, Pa

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:01 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I use 3 six-gallon plastic cans that I only put four gallons in so I can use the built in spout without spilling on my wing.

Ben

  ---

_________________
Sign up on the Kitfox Frappr Map:
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shilocom(at)mcmsys.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:04 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Go to the farm store like ORSCHELN, FARM & FLEET, TRACTOR SUPPLY etc and you

can buy a tank, pump and maybe a tool box on top for $500.   Consider one

that is flush or nearly flush with the top of the bed, the others block the

view backing up, but other than that are OK.  I'll send this direct also and

attach a pic of my fuel truck.  Bob U.



---

morid(at)northland.lib.mi
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:47 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Gas cans work ok, but can be a pain sometimes.  Something you might want to

consider is using a 55gal drum with one of those lever pumps that Harbor

Freight sells for about $80.  Comes with hose and nozzle.  I had a small

utility trailer that I semi-permanently mounted the drum to and all I have

to do is drive to the gas station, fill up, and drive home.  The trailer

with full gas drum is still light enough to wheel up to the airplane and

fill up.  Saves using the 5gal cans.

The trailer was only about $125 used so I don't have much invested.  The

drum was $10.  Been using it for years and no problems so far.  When I need

to fill up I borrow the plate from the boat trailer.  

Deke



---

wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:16 am Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Looks like the cheapest DOT approved transfer tank with a decent pump is going to be in the $700 range. There are many cheaper solutions that are approved for diesel but apparently, gasoline is more volitile. I guess I'll stick to the platic cans for now with some kind of hand operated pump.



I gather that static electricity is a concern with this kind of scenario. How are you guys dealing with this?



Luis R.

824KF

mike
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:18 am Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

This is what I do and can be done very fast.  I went to Shucks and bought the 5 gallon metal cans that have the drain spout that you hook on seperately and uses a latch for sealing the can.  I have two of them and fill them at the gas pump and throw them in the back of the pick-up.  Then I have a 5 gallon plastic fill bucket that is used for 4wheelers, sold at the motorcycle dealers, has a long hose on the end about 2 feet long.  When I get to the hanger I pour in as much fuel as I can handle on a ladder.  I climb up on the ladder and put the hose in the airplane and then seal off the vent on the plastic tank(mine is clear), when the tank is up side down, I release the vent and in goes the fuel.  Takes about 3 minutes if that for each 5 gallons.  The other day I removed all the shrouds on the engine, replaced all spark plugs and put in 5 gallons of gas in 30 minutes.

mike
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

those of you interested in the plastic container this is one simular to the one I have.     http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=16745&department=633&division=6

cliffh(at)outdrs.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:48 am Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I use two wires to ground the airplane. One is clipped to the funnel in the 

tank, and the other end, to the landing gear. The other is clipped to the 

landind gear, the other end is clipped to the metal frame of the hanger.



Floran H.

---

wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:58 am Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

 	  cliffh(at)outdrs.net wrote: 	
		  I use two wires to ground the airplane. One is clipped to the funnel in the 

tank, and the other end, to the landing gear. The other is clipped to the 

landind gear, the other end is clipped to the metal frame of the hanger.

--- 	




Hmm. What if eveything I'm using is plastic (can, spout, funnel, etc). Is there still a static issue? There's no point in grounding a plastic funnel right?

mike
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:07 pm Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I don't mess with it.

Bill Willyard

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 34
Location: Grandville, Michigan U.S.A.

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:51 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I also used a 55 gal. drum and applied 5 psi of air pressure to dispense fuel. That way I could see when the tank was full and close the valve on the supply hose.

 

Bill W. 

 

--

_________________
Bill Willyard
Classic IV 912UL

wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

You use air pressure to pump the gas? That sounds like a winner. What is your air presure source and how do you hook it up? Maybe I can use this technique with   this   tank that I found on ebay. Anyone know of a downside to this approach?



 	  Quote: 	
		  I also used a 55 gal. drum and applied 5 psi of air pressure to dispense fuel. That way I could see when the tank was full and close the valve on the supply hose.

aldaniels(at)fmtc.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:31 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Plastic is the worst for static. Ground the plane.  Kill the static with 

Static Guard like for computers or woman's dresses. Don't touch the gas 

cap on the plane first. Put the gas jug on the ground. Spray can, 

funnel, and plane with static guard. Then touch the plane with the can 

away from the gas cap. They you can fuel. We had a horrible disaster up 

this way a month or so ago fueling from static that killed the 17 year 

old that was fueling and the father that tried to save him is still 

critical. And that was from a certified fueling truck.

wingnut wrote:

 	  Quote: 	

cliffh(at)outdrs.net wrote:

>I use two wires to ground the airplane. One is clipped to the funnel in the 

>tank, and the other end, to the landing gear. The other is clipped to the 

>landind gear, the other end is clipped to the metal frame of the hanger.

>---

>    

>

Hmm. What if eveything I'm using is plastic (can, spout, funnel, etc). Is there still a static issue? There's no point in grounding a plastic funnel right?

Read this topic online here:

http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=25617#25617

mike
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: How do you refuel your kitfox?

What I specifically do is when I get fuel from the truck(100ll) I hook the ground wire to the rim of the tank filler.  If I use the gas can I transfer the fuel from the steel tank to the plastic tank on cement.  I like the idea of spraying with the static guard.  But I do have a 20ft. 16guage wire that I have eligator clips on each end and I hook up from the neck of the tank on the plane to the hanger.

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

The Mr. Funnels are supposed to be conductive.  My guess the balxk color is 

from Carbon in the plastic mix.



One piece of advice that makes sense to me is to avoid wiping with a dry rag 

any spills - a sure way to generate static electricity.  Another piece of 

advice I heard is to wipe the area of the filler cap, the plastic funnel and 

the outside of the gs can with  a wet rag.  It will dissipate a static 

charge.



I also like to fuel in the cool of the morning when the humidity is a bit 

higher.



Lowell



---

cliffh(at)outdrs.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I use a metal funnel that I have bolted an eye-bolt into it that I attach 

the ground wire to. This funnel also has two layers of felt in it to catch 

anything that may be in the fuel.

My gas cans are plastic.



Floran H.

---

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:02 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

I just started using a Mr. Funnel. Their literature says that, yes, 

they use carbon in the plastic mix. They are model number xxxxC..."C" 

for conductive. They also produce a   xxxxNC "NC" for, you guessed it, 

non-conductive.  Interestingly, Home Depot sells the NC version, but I 

had to go to an aircraft supplier to buy mine, the "C" version.

When this subject was brought up last year, I had both wings in the 

"pink" stage...Poly-brush...and decided to solder a 1/4" braided copper 

bonding wire to the tank necks,  routed the wire across the fuel tank 

and terminated the wire at the rear strut attaching bolt. Through the 

metal airframe and various bonding straps, the current (or whatever the 

nasty electrical stuff that starts fires is called...I'm no 

electrician) finds its' way to the exhaust pipe where I connect it to a 

pipe driven in the ground inside my hangar...WHEW! what a journey!  

This gives me a thought...maybe I ought to do a continuity check and 

see if I really DO have continuity, and am therefore safe.



Lynn

Kitfox IV...Jabiru 2200



On Friday, March 31, 2006, at 07:09  PM, Lowell Fitt wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 The Mr. Funnels are supposed to be conductive.  My guess the balxk 

 color is

 from Carbon in the plastic mix.



 One piece of advice that makes sense to me is to avoid wiping with a 

 dry rag

 any spills - a sure way to generate static electricity.  Another piece 

 of

 advice I heard is to wipe the area of the filler cap, the plastic 

 funnel and

 the outside of the gs can with  a wet rag.  It will dissipate a static

 charge.



 I also like to fuel in the cool of the morning when the humidity is a 

 bit

 higher.



 Lowell

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 8:08 pm Post subject: How do you refuel your kitfox?

Are you denying Jennifer the pleasure that she would get from selling 

you another plate, Deke?  Oh, right, you meant the plate that you set 

the gas can on....sorry....



Lynn

do not archive

 	  Quote: 	
		    When I need

 to fill up I borrow the plate from the boat trailer.  

 Deke

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

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