What is the best way to make up a quick and dirty portable pump?

[steve yates]

I want to have a small electric pump can attach to the battery with long clips and then throw a switch on it to empty water out of lockers full of rainwater and to get pump out old deisel and petrol from tanks for disposal.
Any recomendations for what would be a good cheap pump? what kind of hose required fo handling fuel as well as water and what sort of cable to wire it up with?
Thanks.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

If you carry a cordless drill - how about one of the cheap drill-powered ones?

 

[Pete7]

Steve for water I would use one of those portable caravan 12v pumps that drops into a water container. About £12 on e bay. for fuel the Facet 12v pumps are good for 90L an hour. I use one on a tank cleaner.

 

[pvb]

If you carry a cordless drill - how about one of the cheap drill-powered ones?

They are usually disappointing.

 

[pvb]

I want to have a small electric pump can attach to the battery with long clips and then throw a switch on it to empty water out of lockers full of rainwater and to get pump out old deisel and petrol from tanks for disposal.
Any recomendations for what would be a good cheap pump? what kind of hose required fo handling fuel as well as water and what sort of cable to wire it up with?
Thanks.

I use an old 12v fresh water pump - it works fine for water, diesel, etc.

 

[alan_d]

The OP mentions pumping water, diesel or petrol. Many small 12v pumps I have seen explicitly warn against their use with petrol - am I right in thinking particular care is needed with petrol?

 

[MonniotC]

The OP mentions pumping water, diesel or petrol. Many small 12v pumps I have seen explicitly warn against their use with petrol - am I right in thinking particular care is needed with petrol?

That probably depends on how much you enjoy explosions.
Water and diesel no problem.

 

[William_H]

Yes be very wary of pumping petrol with electric pump. I remember a story in oz a long time ago where a guy was filling his helicopter with petrol froma 200l drum using an electric pump. He ran it with clips of the helicopter battery. Tank filled and started over flowing. He jerked the leads off the battery with an instant bonfire and a bit of scrap metal in lieu of helicopter. Do look for a suitable pump if you want to pump petrol (fire proof) perhaps not so much concern with diesel.
As reported a little jabsco type rubber impeller pump might seem like an answer but mine seems to have a lot of mechanical resistance. My best success with rain water in dark places has been with an old wet and dry vacuum cleaner. Seems to be able tio suck out and dry. ol'will

 

[coopec]

I had a cheap 12v bilge pump with hose and battery clips but that was a PITA. Now I use a diaphragm pump with lawnmower snorkel tubes (off the rubbish dump) and it works fine.

 

[PilotWolf]

Yes be very wary of pumping petrol with electric pump. I remember a story in oz a long time ago where a guy was filling his helicopter with petrol froma 200l drum using an electric pump. He ran it with clips of the helicopter battery. Tank filled and started over flowing. He jerked the leads off the battery with an instant bonfire and a bit of scrap metal in lieu of helicopter. Do look for a suitable pump if you want to pump petrol (fire proof) perhaps not so much concern with diesel.
As reported a little jabsco type rubber impeller pump might seem like an answer but mine seems to have a lot of mechanical resistance. My best success with rain water in dark places has been with an old wet and dry vacuum cleaner. Seems to be able tio suck out and dry. ol'will

Out of interest do you have a reference?

Only piston engine helicopters use anything close to petrol - Avgas. Lots of them around but likely only a couple of manufacturers.

Have ‘hot’ fuelled jet aircraft many times and its perfectly acceptable as turbines ‘age’ based on start cycles.

W.

 

[coopec]

Out of interest do you have a reference?

Only piston engine helicopters use anything close to petrol - Avgas. Lots of them around but likely only a couple of manufacturers.

Have ‘hot’ fuelled jet aircraft many times and its perfectly acceptable as turbines ‘age’ based on start cycles.

W.

I did a quick search and can't find any reference to the incident. (I know from my auditing days Avgas was considered quite volatile)

Leaded gas was phased out 25 years ago. Why ... - NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com › business › business-news

22 Apr 2021 — Small planes still use leaded fuel long after cars abandoned it. ... still fuels a fleet of 170,000 piston-engine airplanes and helicopters.

 

[cmedsailor]

New 12V 24V DC Electric Submersible Multifunctional Mini Diesel Oil Water Pump | eBay
Hopefully the link works! Is this an option? I use it for transferring diesel from jerry cans to tank and it's excellent for this job.

 

[BarrytheViking]

After making a roving pump the pump burnt out after a few uses so I bought one of these off ebay for £9.49. Good quality and works well and would cost more to buy the individual components.

 

[cmedsailor]

After making a roving pump the pump burnt out after a few uses so I bought one of these off ebay for £9.49. Good quality and works well and would cost more to buy the individual components.
View attachment 121990

Yes! The pump on my link. Works perfectly and it's very cheap.

 

[steve yates]

Thanks, I'll try one of them first.

 

[PilotWolf]

I did a quick search and can't find any reference to the incident. (I know from my auditing days Avgas was considered quite volatile)

Leaded gas was phased out 25 years ago. Why ... - NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com › business › business-news

22 Apr 2021 — Small planes still use leaded fuel long after cars abandoned it. ... still fuels a fleet of 170,000 piston-engine airplanes and helicopters.

I know the FAA required Robinson to fit bladder tanks to the R44 following fatal post crash fires

Interneresting the aircraft are grounded to the fuel bowser or pump but we don't do the same with cars.

W

 

[penfold]

I suspect they are, dispensing nozzles are metal as are most fuel fillers and I'd be surprised if the hose reinforcing isn't bonded too. Pumping organic fluids through a non-conductive hose is a good way of building up static, it would be a brave Gilbarco or Avery that did not bond everything electrically, even on a precautionary basis.

 

[Bilgediver]

They are usually disappointing.

And on many a warning about not using for petroleum products.

 

[steve yates]

Meant to add, I dont really need to pump petrol, and it sounds like I'm best avoiding doing so. I can disconnect, pick up the remote tank and pour it out.
Water and diesel will be adequate.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I suspect they are, dispensing nozzles are metal as are most fuel fillers and I'd be surprised if the hose reinforcing isn't bonded too. Pumping organic fluids through a non-conductive hose is a good way of building up static, it would be a brave Gilbarco or Avery that did not bond everything electrically, even on a precautionary basis.

Thread drift I know, but wouldn't that ensure that any static discharge happened at the open mouth of the filler tube? I'm thinking that's not where I'd choose to do it! I think that cars are relatively good at discharging through the tyres, although obviously not perfect because I still get zapped every few years. Doesn't answer @PilotWolf's comment on why aircraft are bonded when their fuel is mainly far less volatile.