Build this fuel
pump for the
long haul
Fabulous
Fuel Filler
by
Jerry
Smith
MANY OF US have different needs and
wants when it comes to model airplane
ground-support equipment. Some are
satisfied with the bare essentials, and others
want to go first-class. When choosing the
latter, you usually end up with more
reliable equipment. You get what you pay
for—most of the time.
But then there is the word
“affordability” and being able to justify a
purchase. That’s why there are so many
options on the market to satisfy our needs.
My good friend, Fred Glance of
Alpharetta, Georgia, falls into the “gotta
have first-class” category and does a lot of
research looking for the best products; he’ll
pay the price if he thinks it is the best.
In fact, he usually buys two—one for a
backup, just in case. It sounds like in spite
of all his research, he still doesn’t trust the
product. To each his own.
Fred recently brought his latest and
greatest ground-support item to the flying
field; this fuel container was the envy of all
who saw it. Looking it over, I began asking
Fred some questions. I thought it was
interesting enough to pass on to MA, since
he had done all the research work. I named
it the “Fabulous Fuel Filler” (FFF).
Fred’s goal was to come up with a fuel
container that was completely reliable,
wouldn’t leak if accidentally tipped over,
would quickly pump fuel into the tank, and
would provide all the convenience one
would need when fueling a model—
providing you kept the battery fully
charged. Right, Fred?
The FFF began with choosing between
three fuel containers from The Home Depot
or Lowe’s. Capacity and form were prime
considerations. Fred selected a 21/2-gallon
variety, because larger airplanes with
bigger fuel tanks require more fuel.
He began research to find a good,
reliable fuel pump: the heart of the FFF.
Looking at many and what they had to
offer, he chose a pump from Jetpower.at
(also known as Jetpower-USA). The Jersey
Modeler 12-volt, Model PQ-12 DC,
weighed only 10 ounces. The PQ-12 and
PQ-24 perform impressively compared to
larger, more expensive gear pumps.
The PQ comes with either a 12-volt DC
or 24-volt DC motor. That motor with heatradiating
fins drives the chemical-resistant
liquid pump. The materials that come in
contact with the liquids being pumped are
the molded Delrin pump body, the
stainless-steel shafting, a Teflon
diaphragm, and a rubber Elastomer seal.
A variety of Elastomers are available,
such as Buna-N, AFLAS, EPDM, and
Viton. The PQ can be used with glow, gas,
or jet fuel, with the Viton Elastomeric seal
in place. It pumps 78 ounces per minute.
To power the pump, two Sanyo 6-volt
(five-cell), 2500 mAh NiMH flat packs
from AtlantaHobby.com were wired in
series to provide 12 volts and 2.5 amps of
capacity. Fred placed the batteries in a
plastic box with a metal lid that he
purchased from a local electronics store.
Fred built a charging port into the side
of the box, to rejuvenate the batteries. He
also installed two single-pole, single-throw
switches (one for fueling and the other for
defueling) with different-color covers, to
identify their purposes. The covers also
protect the switches from accidental
activation. The switches and covers were
from Skycraft Parts & Surplus.
Fred used Aerotrend fuel line
throughout. The 6-foot Coiler fuel-filler
setup, EasyFlex 6mm fuel line, and a 6mm
Festo Inline Fuel Filter completed the
plumbing. Festo filters and fittings for
tubing connections to the tank facilitated
the connection and removal of tubing to the
tank itself.
When employing the Festo bulkhead
fittings on the tank, use bonded-neoprene/
metal washers, available at The Home
Depot, to seal them. Festo fittings are used
extensively in turbine-powered model jets
and are a great convenience when coupling
and uncoupling fuel lines. Festo fittings are
available from Jetpower-USA.
Although you can buy fuel containers
with battery-powered pumps that are
completely fitted with lines and filters
ready to go, they come at a high price. (See
sidebar.) Building the FFF will save bucks,
and you will end up with high-quality
components, great performance, and the
fun of doing it.
I had been using my 1-gallon fuel can
with a Du-Bro hand-crank pump attached.
Now I have something better and more
convenient.
Construction: If the FFF looks like
something you want, gather all the
required parts before you begin. That way,
you will have everything you need to
assemble the project from the start to
finish.
Begin by picking out the fuel container.
Many sizes and shapes are available, but
Fred chose the 21/2-gallon capacity. Look
for a wider base for better stability.
Remove the filler cap and locate the holes
for the Festo bulkhead fittings so that they
are close to and accessible through the
pouring-spout opening.
Make holes for the bulkhead fittings
using a step drill. This tool is shaped like
an inverted Christmas tree, with hole sizes
that get progressively larger. As it goes
into the material, pick the size you need
and stop there. It works great on thin sheet
metal and plastic sheets and will be useful
in your shop later.
Insert a 1-inch length of 5/32-inch-diameter
brass tubing in one end of a Festo bulkhead
fitting. Place a length of fuel line on the
brass tube, along with a weighted clunk
on the other end, that is long enough to
Fred Glance did all the research for and assembled the Fabulous Fuel Filler. He
spent hours looking at various products to determine which were the best.
January 2009 61
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
Placing switch
covers over the
switches is an added
safety measure. The
battery charging
port is just below.
Festo straight-line fittings can be used to
connect two lines. Quick-disconnect
fittings are on each end.
The Festo in-line filter can be connected
in line with secure, no-leak fittings on
each end.
A Festo bulkhead fitting is beneficial when
you must attach a line on both sides of a
bulkhead or wall with fuel or air lines. Lines
can be easily removed.
Aerotrend’s Coiler keeps lines neat. You
can stretch it 6 feet, and it’s good for
glow, gas, and kerosene. EasyFlex tubing is
used for the down line in the tank and
filter outlet connection.
The
filler cap
on the FFF is
free of tubing
and more accessible.
With added line, the little loop of
tubing on top can be hooked into your model’s fuel-tank vent line
to catch overflow.
Above: Sig’s Gas Passer fuel
pump can be used to reduce
project costs. It is good for glow,
gas, and diesel fuels. A mounting
bracket and fittings are included.
Left: Bonded-neoprene metal
washers are required to seal the
fuel-tank fittings. You can find
them in The Home Depot’s
hardware department.
The Jersey Modeler fuel pump is top of the line. Expect
robust pumping action that delivers 78 ounces per minute
and many other good features.
Photos by the author
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 62
January 2009 63
Materials
21/2-gallon fuel tank
12-volt Refueling Pump
(part 400200)
4mm Festo bulkhead
fittings (two to four
required)
6mm Festo Inline Fuel
Filter (part 800134)
The Coiler (part 1089)
2 feet of EasyFlex fuel
tubing (part 1073)
Two Skycraft switches
and two switch covers
(red and green)
3 x 6 x 21/8-inch plastic
box with cover
3 feet of 18-gauge
stranded wire
Two AtlantaHobby.com
2500 mAh, five-cell
Another Fabulous Filler—Already Built
A problem with glow-fuel field boxes is
that they are always made from some
material that can rot or sustain damage from
exposure to model airplane fuel. The result is
that whatever container you use to transport
field equipment will eventually need to be
replaced or, if nothing else, serious
maintenance. What’s worse is that a poor
carrier of expensive field equipment does
damage to those valuables too.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King is the ultimate
in glow-fuel support equipment. It’s a smartly
designed, all-in-one package with almost
everything model airplane pilots would need
at the field to start and maintain their glowpowered
fleet.
The system is centered around a 21/2-
gallon, thick-walled container that has large,
gasket-sealed openings on the top of either
end. These openings are more than twice the
size of the average glow-fuel bottle opening,
so there’s little need for a funnel to transfer
fuel.
The footprint of the system’s no-spill
container is 71/2 x 10 inches, so it’s steady. It
stands nearly 11 inches tall and has a
comfortable carrying handle molded into the
top.
Sturdy aluminum brackets hang from the
container openings and have silicone gaskets
that fit tightly around the neck to prevent
chafing. The 1/16-inch-diameter aluminum is
bent to shape around the container and held
in place at the bottom with Velcro. These
brackets are what turn this otherwise
ordinary fuel jug into an elite utility
management system.
The Glow King is adorned with top-ofthe-
line accessories. On one end is the
equipment box that encloses the 12-volt, 4.5-
amp battery. The battery supplies power to
the Hobbico Accu-Glo Mk II power panel,
and the prize of the system is the peristaltic
fuel pump. It has been rigorously tested for
efficiency and long life.
Besides the Glow King, more simple
variations and containers specific to fuel
choice are available. These are ready-made
fuel containers much like the Fabulous Fuel
Filler, and they come with the long-life fuel
pump similar to the one used in the FFF
article. Visit Abell Hobby to check out Hahn’s
Hangar model accessories. MA
—MA Staff
Sources:
Abell Hobby
(406) 259-4882
www.abellrc.com
FFF Materials and Sources
Step drills take the place of many drill bits
but are limited to material thickness. They
are handy additions to any workshop.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King comes with
everything shown, less the optional field
charger.
A special lock and bracket hold the
Hobbico TorqMaster electric starter to
the 21/2-gallon container. Handle balance
is comfortable.
The only thing missing from the Glow
King is a tool drawer, but snap brackets
are included for one screwdriver and a
glow-plug wrench.
NiMH flat packs
3 x 15-inch sheet of
metal (18-gauge
aluminum or steel)
Commercial-grade Velcro
5/32-inch-outsidediameter
brass tubing
Items Used in Article
Fuel tank:
The Home Depot
(800) 430-3376
www.homedepot.com
Lowe’s
(800) 445-6937
www.lowes.com
Fuel pump, Festo fittings,
filter:
Jetpower.at
(239) 243-9952
www.jetpower-usa.com
Gas Passer (part
SIGSH833):
Sig Manufacturing
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
Fuel tubing, The Coiler:
Aerotrend
(203) 734-5634
www.aerotrend.com
Switches, switch covers:
Skycraft Parts & Surplus
(407) 628-5634
www.skycraftsurplus.com
6.0V flat NiMH battery
pack:
AtlantaHobby.com
(678) 513-4450
www.atlantahobby.com MA
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:35 PM Page 63
reach to the bottom of the tank. Remove
the nut from the far side of the fitting, and
place the assembly inside the tank,
reaching through the fuel spout, into the
hole provided for it.
Holding it in place, install a bonded
neoprene/metal washer and nut, and
tighten the fitting in place until it makes a
seal. Push another 1-inch length of brass
tubing into the fitting, which completes the
assembly.
Install another Festo bulkhead fitting
the same way, but with no down-line or
brass tubing inside. Place a 1-inch length
of brass tubing in the fitting. Connect the
Aerotrend fuel Coiler between the two
extending tubes. The one end provides a
place to store one end of The Coiler. It can
64 MODEL AVIATION
be removed by pushing down on the blue
ring on the Festo fitting.
The small loop of tubing on the far side
of the filler coil is to hook up to the
overflow vent line on your model tank; it
is there for added convenience only.
Leaving it off would save two Festo
bulkhead fittings and some fuel line.
A special tool is needed to hold the nuts
on the Festo fittings inside the tank. Fred
bent some inexpensive end wrenches. To
bend the wrenches as shown, put them in a
vise and hit them with a hammer.
Don’t put sharp bends in the wrench—
make large radiuses a little at a time—or
they will break. Heating the wrenches with
a torch to make them easier to bend is
helpful. You might find other ways of
holding the nuts, depending on where you
locate the bulkhead fittings in the tank.
The original sheet-metal bracket was
made from 18-gauge diamond-plate sheet
stock for good looks. You can use steel or
aluminum; 6061-T6 aluminum is easier to
bend in the vise.
The metal was procured from a local
sheet-metal shop; it was possibly scrap.
Look for scrap before you buy. The size
required is 3 x 14 inches; the shop might
cut it for you.
Two bends are required: one at the top
and one at the bottom. Allow enough of a
flange near the top bend to accommodate a
hole to slip over the tank spout. The
bottom bend is 90° and should end up
flush with the bottom of the container tank
as a stability foot.
The plastic battery box is 3 x 6 x 21/8
inches and has a metal top. The batteries
are held in place inside the container with
Velcro. The pump was screwed to the
bottom end of the box. Fred used the step
drill to make the holes for the switches.
After finishing wiring the switches to the
batteries and pump motor, the box is
bolted to the metal bracket.
Don’t forget to include a charging
jack in the box for the battery. The hole
in the metal-bracket top flange slips over
the fuel-can spout and is held in place
against the tank with commercial Velcro,
making it completely removable. The
hole can be made with a metal-cutting bit
on a motor tool.
It costs roughly $160 to build the FFF.
Some of the market-ready filling stations
are $200 and more. You can reduce the
cost $20 more by using the lesser-quality
Gas Passer fuel pump that is marketed by
Sig Manufacturing. You can further reduce
the cost by eliminating the fuel-tank
overflow catch.
Fred found that using a double-throw,
double-pole switch that is pushed up to fuel
and down to defuel, with off in the center,
instead of the two single-pole switches,
made the wiring less complicated and
provided more convenience for the user
when fueling and defueling.
Good luck in building your Fabulous
Fuel Filler! MA
Jerry Smith
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 61,62,63,64
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 61,62,63,64
Build this fuel
pump for the
long haul
Fabulous
Fuel Filler
by
Jerry
Smith
MANY OF US have different needs and
wants when it comes to model airplane
ground-support equipment. Some are
satisfied with the bare essentials, and others
want to go first-class. When choosing the
latter, you usually end up with more
reliable equipment. You get what you pay
for—most of the time.
But then there is the word
“affordability” and being able to justify a
purchase. That’s why there are so many
options on the market to satisfy our needs.
My good friend, Fred Glance of
Alpharetta, Georgia, falls into the “gotta
have first-class” category and does a lot of
research looking for the best products; he’ll
pay the price if he thinks it is the best.
In fact, he usually buys two—one for a
backup, just in case. It sounds like in spite
of all his research, he still doesn’t trust the
product. To each his own.
Fred recently brought his latest and
greatest ground-support item to the flying
field; this fuel container was the envy of all
who saw it. Looking it over, I began asking
Fred some questions. I thought it was
interesting enough to pass on to MA, since
he had done all the research work. I named
it the “Fabulous Fuel Filler” (FFF).
Fred’s goal was to come up with a fuel
container that was completely reliable,
wouldn’t leak if accidentally tipped over,
would quickly pump fuel into the tank, and
would provide all the convenience one
would need when fueling a model—
providing you kept the battery fully
charged. Right, Fred?
The FFF began with choosing between
three fuel containers from The Home Depot
or Lowe’s. Capacity and form were prime
considerations. Fred selected a 21/2-gallon
variety, because larger airplanes with
bigger fuel tanks require more fuel.
He began research to find a good,
reliable fuel pump: the heart of the FFF.
Looking at many and what they had to
offer, he chose a pump from Jetpower.at
(also known as Jetpower-USA). The Jersey
Modeler 12-volt, Model PQ-12 DC,
weighed only 10 ounces. The PQ-12 and
PQ-24 perform impressively compared to
larger, more expensive gear pumps.
The PQ comes with either a 12-volt DC
or 24-volt DC motor. That motor with heatradiating
fins drives the chemical-resistant
liquid pump. The materials that come in
contact with the liquids being pumped are
the molded Delrin pump body, the
stainless-steel shafting, a Teflon
diaphragm, and a rubber Elastomer seal.
A variety of Elastomers are available,
such as Buna-N, AFLAS, EPDM, and
Viton. The PQ can be used with glow, gas,
or jet fuel, with the Viton Elastomeric seal
in place. It pumps 78 ounces per minute.
To power the pump, two Sanyo 6-volt
(five-cell), 2500 mAh NiMH flat packs
from AtlantaHobby.com were wired in
series to provide 12 volts and 2.5 amps of
capacity. Fred placed the batteries in a
plastic box with a metal lid that he
purchased from a local electronics store.
Fred built a charging port into the side
of the box, to rejuvenate the batteries. He
also installed two single-pole, single-throw
switches (one for fueling and the other for
defueling) with different-color covers, to
identify their purposes. The covers also
protect the switches from accidental
activation. The switches and covers were
from Skycraft Parts & Surplus.
Fred used Aerotrend fuel line
throughout. The 6-foot Coiler fuel-filler
setup, EasyFlex 6mm fuel line, and a 6mm
Festo Inline Fuel Filter completed the
plumbing. Festo filters and fittings for
tubing connections to the tank facilitated
the connection and removal of tubing to the
tank itself.
When employing the Festo bulkhead
fittings on the tank, use bonded-neoprene/
metal washers, available at The Home
Depot, to seal them. Festo fittings are used
extensively in turbine-powered model jets
and are a great convenience when coupling
and uncoupling fuel lines. Festo fittings are
available from Jetpower-USA.
Although you can buy fuel containers
with battery-powered pumps that are
completely fitted with lines and filters
ready to go, they come at a high price. (See
sidebar.) Building the FFF will save bucks,
and you will end up with high-quality
components, great performance, and the
fun of doing it.
I had been using my 1-gallon fuel can
with a Du-Bro hand-crank pump attached.
Now I have something better and more
convenient.
Construction: If the FFF looks like
something you want, gather all the
required parts before you begin. That way,
you will have everything you need to
assemble the project from the start to
finish.
Begin by picking out the fuel container.
Many sizes and shapes are available, but
Fred chose the 21/2-gallon capacity. Look
for a wider base for better stability.
Remove the filler cap and locate the holes
for the Festo bulkhead fittings so that they
are close to and accessible through the
pouring-spout opening.
Make holes for the bulkhead fittings
using a step drill. This tool is shaped like
an inverted Christmas tree, with hole sizes
that get progressively larger. As it goes
into the material, pick the size you need
and stop there. It works great on thin sheet
metal and plastic sheets and will be useful
in your shop later.
Insert a 1-inch length of 5/32-inch-diameter
brass tubing in one end of a Festo bulkhead
fitting. Place a length of fuel line on the
brass tube, along with a weighted clunk
on the other end, that is long enough to
Fred Glance did all the research for and assembled the Fabulous Fuel Filler. He
spent hours looking at various products to determine which were the best.
January 2009 61
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
Placing switch
covers over the
switches is an added
safety measure. The
battery charging
port is just below.
Festo straight-line fittings can be used to
connect two lines. Quick-disconnect
fittings are on each end.
The Festo in-line filter can be connected
in line with secure, no-leak fittings on
each end.
A Festo bulkhead fitting is beneficial when
you must attach a line on both sides of a
bulkhead or wall with fuel or air lines. Lines
can be easily removed.
Aerotrend’s Coiler keeps lines neat. You
can stretch it 6 feet, and it’s good for
glow, gas, and kerosene. EasyFlex tubing is
used for the down line in the tank and
filter outlet connection.
The
filler cap
on the FFF is
free of tubing
and more accessible.
With added line, the little loop of
tubing on top can be hooked into your model’s fuel-tank vent line
to catch overflow.
Above: Sig’s Gas Passer fuel
pump can be used to reduce
project costs. It is good for glow,
gas, and diesel fuels. A mounting
bracket and fittings are included.
Left: Bonded-neoprene metal
washers are required to seal the
fuel-tank fittings. You can find
them in The Home Depot’s
hardware department.
The Jersey Modeler fuel pump is top of the line. Expect
robust pumping action that delivers 78 ounces per minute
and many other good features.
Photos by the author
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 62
January 2009 63
Materials
21/2-gallon fuel tank
12-volt Refueling Pump
(part 400200)
4mm Festo bulkhead
fittings (two to four
required)
6mm Festo Inline Fuel
Filter (part 800134)
The Coiler (part 1089)
2 feet of EasyFlex fuel
tubing (part 1073)
Two Skycraft switches
and two switch covers
(red and green)
3 x 6 x 21/8-inch plastic
box with cover
3 feet of 18-gauge
stranded wire
Two AtlantaHobby.com
2500 mAh, five-cell
Another Fabulous Filler—Already Built
A problem with glow-fuel field boxes is
that they are always made from some
material that can rot or sustain damage from
exposure to model airplane fuel. The result is
that whatever container you use to transport
field equipment will eventually need to be
replaced or, if nothing else, serious
maintenance. What’s worse is that a poor
carrier of expensive field equipment does
damage to those valuables too.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King is the ultimate
in glow-fuel support equipment. It’s a smartly
designed, all-in-one package with almost
everything model airplane pilots would need
at the field to start and maintain their glowpowered
fleet.
The system is centered around a 21/2-
gallon, thick-walled container that has large,
gasket-sealed openings on the top of either
end. These openings are more than twice the
size of the average glow-fuel bottle opening,
so there’s little need for a funnel to transfer
fuel.
The footprint of the system’s no-spill
container is 71/2 x 10 inches, so it’s steady. It
stands nearly 11 inches tall and has a
comfortable carrying handle molded into the
top.
Sturdy aluminum brackets hang from the
container openings and have silicone gaskets
that fit tightly around the neck to prevent
chafing. The 1/16-inch-diameter aluminum is
bent to shape around the container and held
in place at the bottom with Velcro. These
brackets are what turn this otherwise
ordinary fuel jug into an elite utility
management system.
The Glow King is adorned with top-ofthe-
line accessories. On one end is the
equipment box that encloses the 12-volt, 4.5-
amp battery. The battery supplies power to
the Hobbico Accu-Glo Mk II power panel,
and the prize of the system is the peristaltic
fuel pump. It has been rigorously tested for
efficiency and long life.
Besides the Glow King, more simple
variations and containers specific to fuel
choice are available. These are ready-made
fuel containers much like the Fabulous Fuel
Filler, and they come with the long-life fuel
pump similar to the one used in the FFF
article. Visit Abell Hobby to check out Hahn’s
Hangar model accessories. MA
—MA Staff
Sources:
Abell Hobby
(406) 259-4882
www.abellrc.com
FFF Materials and Sources
Step drills take the place of many drill bits
but are limited to material thickness. They
are handy additions to any workshop.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King comes with
everything shown, less the optional field
charger.
A special lock and bracket hold the
Hobbico TorqMaster electric starter to
the 21/2-gallon container. Handle balance
is comfortable.
The only thing missing from the Glow
King is a tool drawer, but snap brackets
are included for one screwdriver and a
glow-plug wrench.
NiMH flat packs
3 x 15-inch sheet of
metal (18-gauge
aluminum or steel)
Commercial-grade Velcro
5/32-inch-outsidediameter
brass tubing
Items Used in Article
Fuel tank:
The Home Depot
(800) 430-3376
www.homedepot.com
Lowe’s
(800) 445-6937
www.lowes.com
Fuel pump, Festo fittings,
filter:
Jetpower.at
(239) 243-9952
www.jetpower-usa.com
Gas Passer (part
SIGSH833):
Sig Manufacturing
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
Fuel tubing, The Coiler:
Aerotrend
(203) 734-5634
www.aerotrend.com
Switches, switch covers:
Skycraft Parts & Surplus
(407) 628-5634
www.skycraftsurplus.com
6.0V flat NiMH battery
pack:
AtlantaHobby.com
(678) 513-4450
www.atlantahobby.com MA
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:35 PM Page 63
reach to the bottom of the tank. Remove
the nut from the far side of the fitting, and
place the assembly inside the tank,
reaching through the fuel spout, into the
hole provided for it.
Holding it in place, install a bonded
neoprene/metal washer and nut, and
tighten the fitting in place until it makes a
seal. Push another 1-inch length of brass
tubing into the fitting, which completes the
assembly.
Install another Festo bulkhead fitting
the same way, but with no down-line or
brass tubing inside. Place a 1-inch length
of brass tubing in the fitting. Connect the
Aerotrend fuel Coiler between the two
extending tubes. The one end provides a
place to store one end of The Coiler. It can
64 MODEL AVIATION
be removed by pushing down on the blue
ring on the Festo fitting.
The small loop of tubing on the far side
of the filler coil is to hook up to the
overflow vent line on your model tank; it
is there for added convenience only.
Leaving it off would save two Festo
bulkhead fittings and some fuel line.
A special tool is needed to hold the nuts
on the Festo fittings inside the tank. Fred
bent some inexpensive end wrenches. To
bend the wrenches as shown, put them in a
vise and hit them with a hammer.
Don’t put sharp bends in the wrench—
make large radiuses a little at a time—or
they will break. Heating the wrenches with
a torch to make them easier to bend is
helpful. You might find other ways of
holding the nuts, depending on where you
locate the bulkhead fittings in the tank.
The original sheet-metal bracket was
made from 18-gauge diamond-plate sheet
stock for good looks. You can use steel or
aluminum; 6061-T6 aluminum is easier to
bend in the vise.
The metal was procured from a local
sheet-metal shop; it was possibly scrap.
Look for scrap before you buy. The size
required is 3 x 14 inches; the shop might
cut it for you.
Two bends are required: one at the top
and one at the bottom. Allow enough of a
flange near the top bend to accommodate a
hole to slip over the tank spout. The
bottom bend is 90° and should end up
flush with the bottom of the container tank
as a stability foot.
The plastic battery box is 3 x 6 x 21/8
inches and has a metal top. The batteries
are held in place inside the container with
Velcro. The pump was screwed to the
bottom end of the box. Fred used the step
drill to make the holes for the switches.
After finishing wiring the switches to the
batteries and pump motor, the box is
bolted to the metal bracket.
Don’t forget to include a charging
jack in the box for the battery. The hole
in the metal-bracket top flange slips over
the fuel-can spout and is held in place
against the tank with commercial Velcro,
making it completely removable. The
hole can be made with a metal-cutting bit
on a motor tool.
It costs roughly $160 to build the FFF.
Some of the market-ready filling stations
are $200 and more. You can reduce the
cost $20 more by using the lesser-quality
Gas Passer fuel pump that is marketed by
Sig Manufacturing. You can further reduce
the cost by eliminating the fuel-tank
overflow catch.
Fred found that using a double-throw,
double-pole switch that is pushed up to fuel
and down to defuel, with off in the center,
instead of the two single-pole switches,
made the wiring less complicated and
provided more convenience for the user
when fueling and defueling.
Good luck in building your Fabulous
Fuel Filler! MA
Jerry Smith
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 61,62,63,64
Build this fuel
pump for the
long haul
Fabulous
Fuel Filler
by
Jerry
Smith
MANY OF US have different needs and
wants when it comes to model airplane
ground-support equipment. Some are
satisfied with the bare essentials, and others
want to go first-class. When choosing the
latter, you usually end up with more
reliable equipment. You get what you pay
for—most of the time.
But then there is the word
“affordability” and being able to justify a
purchase. That’s why there are so many
options on the market to satisfy our needs.
My good friend, Fred Glance of
Alpharetta, Georgia, falls into the “gotta
have first-class” category and does a lot of
research looking for the best products; he’ll
pay the price if he thinks it is the best.
In fact, he usually buys two—one for a
backup, just in case. It sounds like in spite
of all his research, he still doesn’t trust the
product. To each his own.
Fred recently brought his latest and
greatest ground-support item to the flying
field; this fuel container was the envy of all
who saw it. Looking it over, I began asking
Fred some questions. I thought it was
interesting enough to pass on to MA, since
he had done all the research work. I named
it the “Fabulous Fuel Filler” (FFF).
Fred’s goal was to come up with a fuel
container that was completely reliable,
wouldn’t leak if accidentally tipped over,
would quickly pump fuel into the tank, and
would provide all the convenience one
would need when fueling a model—
providing you kept the battery fully
charged. Right, Fred?
The FFF began with choosing between
three fuel containers from The Home Depot
or Lowe’s. Capacity and form were prime
considerations. Fred selected a 21/2-gallon
variety, because larger airplanes with
bigger fuel tanks require more fuel.
He began research to find a good,
reliable fuel pump: the heart of the FFF.
Looking at many and what they had to
offer, he chose a pump from Jetpower.at
(also known as Jetpower-USA). The Jersey
Modeler 12-volt, Model PQ-12 DC,
weighed only 10 ounces. The PQ-12 and
PQ-24 perform impressively compared to
larger, more expensive gear pumps.
The PQ comes with either a 12-volt DC
or 24-volt DC motor. That motor with heatradiating
fins drives the chemical-resistant
liquid pump. The materials that come in
contact with the liquids being pumped are
the molded Delrin pump body, the
stainless-steel shafting, a Teflon
diaphragm, and a rubber Elastomer seal.
A variety of Elastomers are available,
such as Buna-N, AFLAS, EPDM, and
Viton. The PQ can be used with glow, gas,
or jet fuel, with the Viton Elastomeric seal
in place. It pumps 78 ounces per minute.
To power the pump, two Sanyo 6-volt
(five-cell), 2500 mAh NiMH flat packs
from AtlantaHobby.com were wired in
series to provide 12 volts and 2.5 amps of
capacity. Fred placed the batteries in a
plastic box with a metal lid that he
purchased from a local electronics store.
Fred built a charging port into the side
of the box, to rejuvenate the batteries. He
also installed two single-pole, single-throw
switches (one for fueling and the other for
defueling) with different-color covers, to
identify their purposes. The covers also
protect the switches from accidental
activation. The switches and covers were
from Skycraft Parts & Surplus.
Fred used Aerotrend fuel line
throughout. The 6-foot Coiler fuel-filler
setup, EasyFlex 6mm fuel line, and a 6mm
Festo Inline Fuel Filter completed the
plumbing. Festo filters and fittings for
tubing connections to the tank facilitated
the connection and removal of tubing to the
tank itself.
When employing the Festo bulkhead
fittings on the tank, use bonded-neoprene/
metal washers, available at The Home
Depot, to seal them. Festo fittings are used
extensively in turbine-powered model jets
and are a great convenience when coupling
and uncoupling fuel lines. Festo fittings are
available from Jetpower-USA.
Although you can buy fuel containers
with battery-powered pumps that are
completely fitted with lines and filters
ready to go, they come at a high price. (See
sidebar.) Building the FFF will save bucks,
and you will end up with high-quality
components, great performance, and the
fun of doing it.
I had been using my 1-gallon fuel can
with a Du-Bro hand-crank pump attached.
Now I have something better and more
convenient.
Construction: If the FFF looks like
something you want, gather all the
required parts before you begin. That way,
you will have everything you need to
assemble the project from the start to
finish.
Begin by picking out the fuel container.
Many sizes and shapes are available, but
Fred chose the 21/2-gallon capacity. Look
for a wider base for better stability.
Remove the filler cap and locate the holes
for the Festo bulkhead fittings so that they
are close to and accessible through the
pouring-spout opening.
Make holes for the bulkhead fittings
using a step drill. This tool is shaped like
an inverted Christmas tree, with hole sizes
that get progressively larger. As it goes
into the material, pick the size you need
and stop there. It works great on thin sheet
metal and plastic sheets and will be useful
in your shop later.
Insert a 1-inch length of 5/32-inch-diameter
brass tubing in one end of a Festo bulkhead
fitting. Place a length of fuel line on the
brass tube, along with a weighted clunk
on the other end, that is long enough to
Fred Glance did all the research for and assembled the Fabulous Fuel Filler. He
spent hours looking at various products to determine which were the best.
January 2009 61
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
Placing switch
covers over the
switches is an added
safety measure. The
battery charging
port is just below.
Festo straight-line fittings can be used to
connect two lines. Quick-disconnect
fittings are on each end.
The Festo in-line filter can be connected
in line with secure, no-leak fittings on
each end.
A Festo bulkhead fitting is beneficial when
you must attach a line on both sides of a
bulkhead or wall with fuel or air lines. Lines
can be easily removed.
Aerotrend’s Coiler keeps lines neat. You
can stretch it 6 feet, and it’s good for
glow, gas, and kerosene. EasyFlex tubing is
used for the down line in the tank and
filter outlet connection.
The
filler cap
on the FFF is
free of tubing
and more accessible.
With added line, the little loop of
tubing on top can be hooked into your model’s fuel-tank vent line
to catch overflow.
Above: Sig’s Gas Passer fuel
pump can be used to reduce
project costs. It is good for glow,
gas, and diesel fuels. A mounting
bracket and fittings are included.
Left: Bonded-neoprene metal
washers are required to seal the
fuel-tank fittings. You can find
them in The Home Depot’s
hardware department.
The Jersey Modeler fuel pump is top of the line. Expect
robust pumping action that delivers 78 ounces per minute
and many other good features.
Photos by the author
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 62
January 2009 63
Materials
21/2-gallon fuel tank
12-volt Refueling Pump
(part 400200)
4mm Festo bulkhead
fittings (two to four
required)
6mm Festo Inline Fuel
Filter (part 800134)
The Coiler (part 1089)
2 feet of EasyFlex fuel
tubing (part 1073)
Two Skycraft switches
and two switch covers
(red and green)
3 x 6 x 21/8-inch plastic
box with cover
3 feet of 18-gauge
stranded wire
Two AtlantaHobby.com
2500 mAh, five-cell
Another Fabulous Filler—Already Built
A problem with glow-fuel field boxes is
that they are always made from some
material that can rot or sustain damage from
exposure to model airplane fuel. The result is
that whatever container you use to transport
field equipment will eventually need to be
replaced or, if nothing else, serious
maintenance. What’s worse is that a poor
carrier of expensive field equipment does
damage to those valuables too.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King is the ultimate
in glow-fuel support equipment. It’s a smartly
designed, all-in-one package with almost
everything model airplane pilots would need
at the field to start and maintain their glowpowered
fleet.
The system is centered around a 21/2-
gallon, thick-walled container that has large,
gasket-sealed openings on the top of either
end. These openings are more than twice the
size of the average glow-fuel bottle opening,
so there’s little need for a funnel to transfer
fuel.
The footprint of the system’s no-spill
container is 71/2 x 10 inches, so it’s steady. It
stands nearly 11 inches tall and has a
comfortable carrying handle molded into the
top.
Sturdy aluminum brackets hang from the
container openings and have silicone gaskets
that fit tightly around the neck to prevent
chafing. The 1/16-inch-diameter aluminum is
bent to shape around the container and held
in place at the bottom with Velcro. These
brackets are what turn this otherwise
ordinary fuel jug into an elite utility
management system.
The Glow King is adorned with top-ofthe-
line accessories. On one end is the
equipment box that encloses the 12-volt, 4.5-
amp battery. The battery supplies power to
the Hobbico Accu-Glo Mk II power panel,
and the prize of the system is the peristaltic
fuel pump. It has been rigorously tested for
efficiency and long life.
Besides the Glow King, more simple
variations and containers specific to fuel
choice are available. These are ready-made
fuel containers much like the Fabulous Fuel
Filler, and they come with the long-life fuel
pump similar to the one used in the FFF
article. Visit Abell Hobby to check out Hahn’s
Hangar model accessories. MA
—MA Staff
Sources:
Abell Hobby
(406) 259-4882
www.abellrc.com
FFF Materials and Sources
Step drills take the place of many drill bits
but are limited to material thickness. They
are handy additions to any workshop.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King comes with
everything shown, less the optional field
charger.
A special lock and bracket hold the
Hobbico TorqMaster electric starter to
the 21/2-gallon container. Handle balance
is comfortable.
The only thing missing from the Glow
King is a tool drawer, but snap brackets
are included for one screwdriver and a
glow-plug wrench.
NiMH flat packs
3 x 15-inch sheet of
metal (18-gauge
aluminum or steel)
Commercial-grade Velcro
5/32-inch-outsidediameter
brass tubing
Items Used in Article
Fuel tank:
The Home Depot
(800) 430-3376
www.homedepot.com
Lowe’s
(800) 445-6937
www.lowes.com
Fuel pump, Festo fittings,
filter:
Jetpower.at
(239) 243-9952
www.jetpower-usa.com
Gas Passer (part
SIGSH833):
Sig Manufacturing
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
Fuel tubing, The Coiler:
Aerotrend
(203) 734-5634
www.aerotrend.com
Switches, switch covers:
Skycraft Parts & Surplus
(407) 628-5634
www.skycraftsurplus.com
6.0V flat NiMH battery
pack:
AtlantaHobby.com
(678) 513-4450
www.atlantahobby.com MA
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:35 PM Page 63
reach to the bottom of the tank. Remove
the nut from the far side of the fitting, and
place the assembly inside the tank,
reaching through the fuel spout, into the
hole provided for it.
Holding it in place, install a bonded
neoprene/metal washer and nut, and
tighten the fitting in place until it makes a
seal. Push another 1-inch length of brass
tubing into the fitting, which completes the
assembly.
Install another Festo bulkhead fitting
the same way, but with no down-line or
brass tubing inside. Place a 1-inch length
of brass tubing in the fitting. Connect the
Aerotrend fuel Coiler between the two
extending tubes. The one end provides a
place to store one end of The Coiler. It can
64 MODEL AVIATION
be removed by pushing down on the blue
ring on the Festo fitting.
The small loop of tubing on the far side
of the filler coil is to hook up to the
overflow vent line on your model tank; it
is there for added convenience only.
Leaving it off would save two Festo
bulkhead fittings and some fuel line.
A special tool is needed to hold the nuts
on the Festo fittings inside the tank. Fred
bent some inexpensive end wrenches. To
bend the wrenches as shown, put them in a
vise and hit them with a hammer.
Don’t put sharp bends in the wrench—
make large radiuses a little at a time—or
they will break. Heating the wrenches with
a torch to make them easier to bend is
helpful. You might find other ways of
holding the nuts, depending on where you
locate the bulkhead fittings in the tank.
The original sheet-metal bracket was
made from 18-gauge diamond-plate sheet
stock for good looks. You can use steel or
aluminum; 6061-T6 aluminum is easier to
bend in the vise.
The metal was procured from a local
sheet-metal shop; it was possibly scrap.
Look for scrap before you buy. The size
required is 3 x 14 inches; the shop might
cut it for you.
Two bends are required: one at the top
and one at the bottom. Allow enough of a
flange near the top bend to accommodate a
hole to slip over the tank spout. The
bottom bend is 90° and should end up
flush with the bottom of the container tank
as a stability foot.
The plastic battery box is 3 x 6 x 21/8
inches and has a metal top. The batteries
are held in place inside the container with
Velcro. The pump was screwed to the
bottom end of the box. Fred used the step
drill to make the holes for the switches.
After finishing wiring the switches to the
batteries and pump motor, the box is
bolted to the metal bracket.
Don’t forget to include a charging
jack in the box for the battery. The hole
in the metal-bracket top flange slips over
the fuel-can spout and is held in place
against the tank with commercial Velcro,
making it completely removable. The
hole can be made with a metal-cutting bit
on a motor tool.
It costs roughly $160 to build the FFF.
Some of the market-ready filling stations
are $200 and more. You can reduce the
cost $20 more by using the lesser-quality
Gas Passer fuel pump that is marketed by
Sig Manufacturing. You can further reduce
the cost by eliminating the fuel-tank
overflow catch.
Fred found that using a double-throw,
double-pole switch that is pushed up to fuel
and down to defuel, with off in the center,
instead of the two single-pole switches,
made the wiring less complicated and
provided more convenience for the user
when fueling and defueling.
Good luck in building your Fabulous
Fuel Filler! MA
Jerry Smith
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 61,62,63,64
Build this fuel
pump for the
long haul
Fabulous
Fuel Filler
by
Jerry
Smith
MANY OF US have different needs and
wants when it comes to model airplane
ground-support equipment. Some are
satisfied with the bare essentials, and others
want to go first-class. When choosing the
latter, you usually end up with more
reliable equipment. You get what you pay
for—most of the time.
But then there is the word
“affordability” and being able to justify a
purchase. That’s why there are so many
options on the market to satisfy our needs.
My good friend, Fred Glance of
Alpharetta, Georgia, falls into the “gotta
have first-class” category and does a lot of
research looking for the best products; he’ll
pay the price if he thinks it is the best.
In fact, he usually buys two—one for a
backup, just in case. It sounds like in spite
of all his research, he still doesn’t trust the
product. To each his own.
Fred recently brought his latest and
greatest ground-support item to the flying
field; this fuel container was the envy of all
who saw it. Looking it over, I began asking
Fred some questions. I thought it was
interesting enough to pass on to MA, since
he had done all the research work. I named
it the “Fabulous Fuel Filler” (FFF).
Fred’s goal was to come up with a fuel
container that was completely reliable,
wouldn’t leak if accidentally tipped over,
would quickly pump fuel into the tank, and
would provide all the convenience one
would need when fueling a model—
providing you kept the battery fully
charged. Right, Fred?
The FFF began with choosing between
three fuel containers from The Home Depot
or Lowe’s. Capacity and form were prime
considerations. Fred selected a 21/2-gallon
variety, because larger airplanes with
bigger fuel tanks require more fuel.
He began research to find a good,
reliable fuel pump: the heart of the FFF.
Looking at many and what they had to
offer, he chose a pump from Jetpower.at
(also known as Jetpower-USA). The Jersey
Modeler 12-volt, Model PQ-12 DC,
weighed only 10 ounces. The PQ-12 and
PQ-24 perform impressively compared to
larger, more expensive gear pumps.
The PQ comes with either a 12-volt DC
or 24-volt DC motor. That motor with heatradiating
fins drives the chemical-resistant
liquid pump. The materials that come in
contact with the liquids being pumped are
the molded Delrin pump body, the
stainless-steel shafting, a Teflon
diaphragm, and a rubber Elastomer seal.
A variety of Elastomers are available,
such as Buna-N, AFLAS, EPDM, and
Viton. The PQ can be used with glow, gas,
or jet fuel, with the Viton Elastomeric seal
in place. It pumps 78 ounces per minute.
To power the pump, two Sanyo 6-volt
(five-cell), 2500 mAh NiMH flat packs
from AtlantaHobby.com were wired in
series to provide 12 volts and 2.5 amps of
capacity. Fred placed the batteries in a
plastic box with a metal lid that he
purchased from a local electronics store.
Fred built a charging port into the side
of the box, to rejuvenate the batteries. He
also installed two single-pole, single-throw
switches (one for fueling and the other for
defueling) with different-color covers, to
identify their purposes. The covers also
protect the switches from accidental
activation. The switches and covers were
from Skycraft Parts & Surplus.
Fred used Aerotrend fuel line
throughout. The 6-foot Coiler fuel-filler
setup, EasyFlex 6mm fuel line, and a 6mm
Festo Inline Fuel Filter completed the
plumbing. Festo filters and fittings for
tubing connections to the tank facilitated
the connection and removal of tubing to the
tank itself.
When employing the Festo bulkhead
fittings on the tank, use bonded-neoprene/
metal washers, available at The Home
Depot, to seal them. Festo fittings are used
extensively in turbine-powered model jets
and are a great convenience when coupling
and uncoupling fuel lines. Festo fittings are
available from Jetpower-USA.
Although you can buy fuel containers
with battery-powered pumps that are
completely fitted with lines and filters
ready to go, they come at a high price. (See
sidebar.) Building the FFF will save bucks,
and you will end up with high-quality
components, great performance, and the
fun of doing it.
I had been using my 1-gallon fuel can
with a Du-Bro hand-crank pump attached.
Now I have something better and more
convenient.
Construction: If the FFF looks like
something you want, gather all the
required parts before you begin. That way,
you will have everything you need to
assemble the project from the start to
finish.
Begin by picking out the fuel container.
Many sizes and shapes are available, but
Fred chose the 21/2-gallon capacity. Look
for a wider base for better stability.
Remove the filler cap and locate the holes
for the Festo bulkhead fittings so that they
are close to and accessible through the
pouring-spout opening.
Make holes for the bulkhead fittings
using a step drill. This tool is shaped like
an inverted Christmas tree, with hole sizes
that get progressively larger. As it goes
into the material, pick the size you need
and stop there. It works great on thin sheet
metal and plastic sheets and will be useful
in your shop later.
Insert a 1-inch length of 5/32-inch-diameter
brass tubing in one end of a Festo bulkhead
fitting. Place a length of fuel line on the
brass tube, along with a weighted clunk
on the other end, that is long enough to
Fred Glance did all the research for and assembled the Fabulous Fuel Filler. He
spent hours looking at various products to determine which were the best.
January 2009 61
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 61
62 MODEL AVIATION
Placing switch
covers over the
switches is an added
safety measure. The
battery charging
port is just below.
Festo straight-line fittings can be used to
connect two lines. Quick-disconnect
fittings are on each end.
The Festo in-line filter can be connected
in line with secure, no-leak fittings on
each end.
A Festo bulkhead fitting is beneficial when
you must attach a line on both sides of a
bulkhead or wall with fuel or air lines. Lines
can be easily removed.
Aerotrend’s Coiler keeps lines neat. You
can stretch it 6 feet, and it’s good for
glow, gas, and kerosene. EasyFlex tubing is
used for the down line in the tank and
filter outlet connection.
The
filler cap
on the FFF is
free of tubing
and more accessible.
With added line, the little loop of
tubing on top can be hooked into your model’s fuel-tank vent line
to catch overflow.
Above: Sig’s Gas Passer fuel
pump can be used to reduce
project costs. It is good for glow,
gas, and diesel fuels. A mounting
bracket and fittings are included.
Left: Bonded-neoprene metal
washers are required to seal the
fuel-tank fittings. You can find
them in The Home Depot’s
hardware department.
The Jersey Modeler fuel pump is top of the line. Expect
robust pumping action that delivers 78 ounces per minute
and many other good features.
Photos by the author
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:34 PM Page 62
January 2009 63
Materials
21/2-gallon fuel tank
12-volt Refueling Pump
(part 400200)
4mm Festo bulkhead
fittings (two to four
required)
6mm Festo Inline Fuel
Filter (part 800134)
The Coiler (part 1089)
2 feet of EasyFlex fuel
tubing (part 1073)
Two Skycraft switches
and two switch covers
(red and green)
3 x 6 x 21/8-inch plastic
box with cover
3 feet of 18-gauge
stranded wire
Two AtlantaHobby.com
2500 mAh, five-cell
Another Fabulous Filler—Already Built
A problem with glow-fuel field boxes is
that they are always made from some
material that can rot or sustain damage from
exposure to model airplane fuel. The result is
that whatever container you use to transport
field equipment will eventually need to be
replaced or, if nothing else, serious
maintenance. What’s worse is that a poor
carrier of expensive field equipment does
damage to those valuables too.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King is the ultimate
in glow-fuel support equipment. It’s a smartly
designed, all-in-one package with almost
everything model airplane pilots would need
at the field to start and maintain their glowpowered
fleet.
The system is centered around a 21/2-
gallon, thick-walled container that has large,
gasket-sealed openings on the top of either
end. These openings are more than twice the
size of the average glow-fuel bottle opening,
so there’s little need for a funnel to transfer
fuel.
The footprint of the system’s no-spill
container is 71/2 x 10 inches, so it’s steady. It
stands nearly 11 inches tall and has a
comfortable carrying handle molded into the
top.
Sturdy aluminum brackets hang from the
container openings and have silicone gaskets
that fit tightly around the neck to prevent
chafing. The 1/16-inch-diameter aluminum is
bent to shape around the container and held
in place at the bottom with Velcro. These
brackets are what turn this otherwise
ordinary fuel jug into an elite utility
management system.
The Glow King is adorned with top-ofthe-
line accessories. On one end is the
equipment box that encloses the 12-volt, 4.5-
amp battery. The battery supplies power to
the Hobbico Accu-Glo Mk II power panel,
and the prize of the system is the peristaltic
fuel pump. It has been rigorously tested for
efficiency and long life.
Besides the Glow King, more simple
variations and containers specific to fuel
choice are available. These are ready-made
fuel containers much like the Fabulous Fuel
Filler, and they come with the long-life fuel
pump similar to the one used in the FFF
article. Visit Abell Hobby to check out Hahn’s
Hangar model accessories. MA
—MA Staff
Sources:
Abell Hobby
(406) 259-4882
www.abellrc.com
FFF Materials and Sources
Step drills take the place of many drill bits
but are limited to material thickness. They
are handy additions to any workshop.
Hahn’s Hangar Glow King comes with
everything shown, less the optional field
charger.
A special lock and bracket hold the
Hobbico TorqMaster electric starter to
the 21/2-gallon container. Handle balance
is comfortable.
The only thing missing from the Glow
King is a tool drawer, but snap brackets
are included for one screwdriver and a
glow-plug wrench.
NiMH flat packs
3 x 15-inch sheet of
metal (18-gauge
aluminum or steel)
Commercial-grade Velcro
5/32-inch-outsidediameter
brass tubing
Items Used in Article
Fuel tank:
The Home Depot
(800) 430-3376
www.homedepot.com
Lowe’s
(800) 445-6937
www.lowes.com
Fuel pump, Festo fittings,
filter:
Jetpower.at
(239) 243-9952
www.jetpower-usa.com
Gas Passer (part
SIGSH833):
Sig Manufacturing
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
Fuel tubing, The Coiler:
Aerotrend
(203) 734-5634
www.aerotrend.com
Switches, switch covers:
Skycraft Parts & Surplus
(407) 628-5634
www.skycraftsurplus.com
6.0V flat NiMH battery
pack:
AtlantaHobby.com
(678) 513-4450
www.atlantahobby.com MA
01sig2.QXD 11/21/08 3:35 PM Page 63
reach to the bottom of the tank. Remove
the nut from the far side of the fitting, and
place the assembly inside the tank,
reaching through the fuel spout, into the
hole provided for it.
Holding it in place, install a bonded
neoprene/metal washer and nut, and
tighten the fitting in place until it makes a
seal. Push another 1-inch length of brass
tubing into the fitting, which completes the
assembly.
Install another Festo bulkhead fitting
the same way, but with no down-line or
brass tubing inside. Place a 1-inch length
of brass tubing in the fitting. Connect the
Aerotrend fuel Coiler between the two
extending tubes. The one end provides a
place to store one end of The Coiler. It can
64 MODEL AVIATION
be removed by pushing down on the blue
ring on the Festo fitting.
The small loop of tubing on the far side
of the filler coil is to hook up to the
overflow vent line on your model tank; it
is there for added convenience only.
Leaving it off would save two Festo
bulkhead fittings and some fuel line.
A special tool is needed to hold the nuts
on the Festo fittings inside the tank. Fred
bent some inexpensive end wrenches. To
bend the wrenches as shown, put them in a
vise and hit them with a hammer.
Don’t put sharp bends in the wrench—
make large radiuses a little at a time—or
they will break. Heating the wrenches with
a torch to make them easier to bend is
helpful. You might find other ways of
holding the nuts, depending on where you
locate the bulkhead fittings in the tank.
The original sheet-metal bracket was
made from 18-gauge diamond-plate sheet
stock for good looks. You can use steel or
aluminum; 6061-T6 aluminum is easier to
bend in the vise.
The metal was procured from a local
sheet-metal shop; it was possibly scrap.
Look for scrap before you buy. The size
required is 3 x 14 inches; the shop might
cut it for you.
Two bends are required: one at the top
and one at the bottom. Allow enough of a
flange near the top bend to accommodate a
hole to slip over the tank spout. The
bottom bend is 90° and should end up
flush with the bottom of the container tank
as a stability foot.
The plastic battery box is 3 x 6 x 21/8
inches and has a metal top. The batteries
are held in place inside the container with
Velcro. The pump was screwed to the
bottom end of the box. Fred used the step
drill to make the holes for the switches.
After finishing wiring the switches to the
batteries and pump motor, the box is
bolted to the metal bracket.
Don’t forget to include a charging
jack in the box for the battery. The hole
in the metal-bracket top flange slips over
the fuel-can spout and is held in place
against the tank with commercial Velcro,
making it completely removable. The
hole can be made with a metal-cutting bit
on a motor tool.
It costs roughly $160 to build the FFF.
Some of the market-ready filling stations
are $200 and more. You can reduce the
cost $20 more by using the lesser-quality
Gas Passer fuel pump that is marketed by
Sig Manufacturing. You can further reduce
the cost by eliminating the fuel-tank
overflow catch.
Fred found that using a double-throw,
double-pole switch that is pushed up to fuel
and down to defuel, with off in the center,
instead of the two single-pole switches,
made the wiring less complicated and
provided more convenience for the user
when fueling and defueling.
Good luck in building your Fabulous
Fuel Filler! MA
Jerry Smith
[email protected]