Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #13041
From: Russell Duffy <13brv3@bellsouth.net>
Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] inflight fuel transfer (was Re: how do you carry, and measure oil?)
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 09:00:06 -0600
To: 'Rotary motors in aircraft' <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Message
Turning on the fuel pump for a little while is probably also a great way to mix any oil at the bottom of the tank.
 
Dave Leonard 
 
That works great for the right tank, but the left tank only transfers to the right, and doesn't have a return.  
 
Speaking of fuel transfer, my system is like Tracy's, in that I feed from only one tank, and use the other to transfer to the feed tank.  The transfer pump is a lowly Facet 5-6 psi pump.  The feed tank has two high pressure EFI pumps, and one AN-6 return line from the regulator.  My transfer pump Tees into the return line from the regulator. 
 
A while back, someone asked if the return from the regulator would overpower the Facet pump, and keep fuel from being transferred to the feed tank.  The answer is that it can be a problem if you're running both EFI pumps.  My normal flight mode is to run both EFI pumps at all times.  I test them individually on pre-flight, and would turn one off if I lost an alternator, but normally, they stay on.  I found that this causes so much flow in the return line that it does overpower the Facet pump.  I bet I could leave the Facet on all the time, and it MIGHT transfer enough to make up for what I burn.   In other words, the transfer is very slow.  Turning off one of the EFI pumps improves this considerably.  If I were doing this over, I'd have separate fittings for return fuel from the regulator, and for transfer fuel from the non-feed tank. 
 
Cheers,
Rusty (fresh out of comments)
 
Subscribe (FEED) Subscribe (DIGEST) Subscribe (INDEX) Unsubscribe Mail to Listmaster