Transfer pump

[Eric_Phillips]

I picked up a hand transfer pump from Harbor Freight the other day to drain the gas out of some mowers. This is a cylinder type hand pump with a couple of check valves on one end. After I got it home I noticed it said not to use it to transfer gasoline. Should I really be worried about transfering at most about 1 gal of gas with a pump like this. Is there a better pump for this. I can't get enough height differance for a syphon to work.

Eric

 

[SkyPup]

Don't transfer any gasoline with any kind of pump that is not specifically certified for use with gasoline, your local burn ward doesn't need you as a patient.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Eric_Phillips]

So where can I get an inexpensive pump for gasoline? I did a search and the cheapest thing I could find was $130. I am looking for something to transfer about 1 gal a couple times a year. Where do people find these pumps that go on a drill?

Eric

 

[SkyPup]

I'm not sure where to get one, but make sure that it has an electrical ground connection between the pump and your receiving container to avoid any electrical spark, both units must be grounded prior to any pumping.

A certification by the national Factory Mutual Insurance Corp. is a must, they do laboratory tests on these sorts of things and their sticker certifying that the pump is safe to use is a must.

The reason gasoline transfer pumps are more expensive is for all the attorneys and medical liability insurance for all those burned and maimed while transferring gasoline.

 

[SailorBob]

For only a gallon why not use a simple hand siphon pump? Cheap and safe.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

I just passed the hand siphon pumps as not usable for my purpose until I started talking with a friend. Do these have check valves in them so you could actually pump with them or are they only good to start a siphon? I should probably take a closer look at them. If they have check valves then they would be perfect.

Eric

 

[Highbeam]

Just run the engine dry and then change the oil. You don't want the carb to gum up with old fuel and the siphon won't drain the carb.

 

[Eric_Phillips]

I run the carb dry after I remove the gas from the tank. That way in the winter I remove the gas from the mower to use in the snowblower and vise versa in the summer.

Eric

 

[Highbeam]

I would just use the pump you bought. Really, why not? It is all manual and about the worst thing that could happen is a static electricity spark and then fire.

All years unti now I have just not refilled the mower tank and managed to run it out just as I put it away for the year. I am now thinking that the seals and gaskets in the carburetor may dry out and shrink so I decided to leave the fuel tanks topped up this year since I always use sta-bil in all of my non-auto gasoline.

You could always borrow the turkey baster from the kitchen. I've used a turkey baster to suck out a gallon of power steering fluid. It is slow but works.

 

[SkyPup]

You could just run all the carbs dry, add Stabil to the tanks and forget about it until next year.