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Ron’s HeliProz South . Century Helicopter . MTA Hobbies

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Main Discussion > Fuel Pumps
 
 
Steve Campbell
Elite Veteran
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Okay; the flight box thread got me to thinking about this.

I've had my share of electric pumps; several SonicTronic Leak-a-Matics, the neat little MK self-contained (four internal AA cells) pump that lasted two years before it began leaking, and most recently a Hangar Nine pump with integral switch that lasted all of a month before dying- the motor (or switch) puked before it could start leaking, I suppose.

So I went back to the trusty manual crank pump I used for years. But seeing as I'm getting old and decrepit, and seeing as I have to lug a gel cell 12v battery around anyway to power my starter, it seems idiotic not to avail myself of an electric fuel pump. BTW, I had a self-contained starter, but the freebie gel cell I was given, a NIB starter I forgot I had, and the flight box my dad built for me convinced me not to spend the considerable amount of money to replace the wrap-around pack on my old starter. I don't like the current practice of hanging r/c car batteries off the bottom- makes it too clumsy for my tastes. So I'm back to a separate flight box.

I'm wide open for suggestions. I've seen guys using automobile windshield washer pumps. My two main preferences are durability and NO LEAKS!!! I wasn't realy surprised when that $14 H9 pump gave it up- I know better than to buy cheap crap like that. But my experiences with some of the more expensive offerings hasn't been so great, either.


Please provide details of this Boxer pump, and that Robbe pump that z11355 mentioned. Any other ideas will be gratefully considered.

Steve
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
KCorning
Senior Heliman
Location: Northern Lower Michigan

Pump It

Hi Steve,
I've got a seven year old son who's interested in R/C. I'm thinking when my SonicTronic electric poops out, I'll take him out with one of the six-shooters I've accumulated and let him earn his keep... Ok, so that wasn't much help was it? I could rent him out... cheap... Still no help, eh? Oh well...

-Kevin
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
JasonF
Senior Heliman
Location: Northern VA

Been there done that. You know that Hangar 9 pump does have a 2 year warranty. I had a magnum pump for 2 years, a Hobbico for a couple months, then I tried a universal automotive wiper pump. That seemed to stop moving fuel after a while so its back on the shelf and I havnt tried it recently. I agree with you, you cant expect much from a $14 pump, but so far my Hangar 9 has help up for about six months. The only reason I bought it was because of the warranty. If and when it dies I don't know what I will get. Seems like the slimline gets good reports, but it should for $50 or whatever they charge...

Jason
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Mavpro
Heliman
Location: Bodø, Norway

Windscreen washer pump

My first electric pump was a car windscreen washer pump, picked up at the local car scrap yard. The car was about 10 years old, and I believe the pump also was that old. Anyway, this pump lived for four years in my box, and had by then pumped some 300 - 400 litres of fuel for me. Next out was a new, same type "standard" pump, bought in the AutoParts shop. This last for four years also, pumping almost the same amount of fuel. I still stick to these, concidering they cost less than 20$. Just make sure the pump choosen is a tooth type pump, which is neccesary to be able to pump in either direction...

Finn
02-15-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Steve Campbell
Elite Veteran
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

<<...the Hangar 9 pump does have a two year warranty...>>

Yeah; but I cut the alligator clips off and hard-wired it into my battery. I'm pretty sure they would have told me "sin loi", because I 'modified' it. THAT would have given me a major case of the red ass, so I figured an all-around better option was simply to throw the thing away.

I hear ya, Ken. My seven-year-old grandson can serve the same purpose; but he's not with me all the time...

Steve
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Ron Cosby
Senior Heliman
Location: Shreveport, Louisiana

Steve, Chris and I both bought the Boxxer pumps and are having great luck with them. They are not that expensive for essentially a machined billet pump, similar to a blood pump with the roller cams. The information given on them in Heliproz's website covers them pretty well. I think they are going to outlast me, if not I can pump my blood instead of glo-fuel.

PS do you have many takers for the Funfly coming up soon?

Take Care!
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
SkyKing
Senior Heliman
Location: Belvidere, Ill

I like my boxxer by slimline it was not cheap but what in this hobby is. the Sonic-ltronics I had lasted for several months, a hanger 9 that lasted a couple of gallons, and a second (my bad) hanger 9 that lasted 1 funfly. My first Boxxer lasted over a year before it leaked and a $6.00 rebuild kit and 10 minutes time took care of that. The second one for the new flight box has not been used yet. I keep a hand crank pump in my flight box for a back up.
Terry
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
MHT Magazine
Heliman
Location: waukesha county, wi

Pump

I know it's pricey but the Slimline2000 is a nice piece.
The big flaw is knowing which way you are pumping when you throw the switch. Seems a drill bit dimple on the switch or somesuch ID so you know what direction you are pumping, is necessary.

I have a windshield washer bottle and motor assy out of a Honda Accord that holds a gallon and works and works and works and wor......

Hey Steve....uh...what happened to Campbell0 and Campbell1?
And are there any decimal placed Campbells?


!
02-15-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Ford Rollo
Senior Heliman
Location: Surprise, AZ

Slimline

Yo, Steve. The only electric I've used is the Slimline 2000. It's worked great for a few years and now it needs a rebuild. I understand the rebuild kit is cheap and it's on it's way from one of the model shops I send money to regularly.

Prior to that I used the hand pump Curtis and others sold with that mounting bracket that hangs on the neck of the gallon jug.

Guess what I'm using now while I'm waiting for the Slimline parts? (g)

Good luck finding one that will outlive you.

Ford

450 SE V2 and 600N Pro
02-15-2002 Over year old.
 
 
z11355
rrMaster
Location: 10000 is enough time wasted.

if you use a power panel, just solder a pair
of wires to the back where the pump jacks are
and hook those to the pump.

If not, a really handy thing to do is to get
a DPDT switch that is springloaded
on one side. That way, you MUST hold
the switch while the machine is filling
(preventing an overfill if you walkaway) but
an empty operation doesn't require you to
hold it.
02-15-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
ed vega
Key Veteran
Location: nyc, queens

steve, I've used those windshield wiper pumps for years and they work fine for a while until the fuel gets to it, as a backup I always kept a handcrank .. a while back I purchased the SL2000 too and it's great pump for the money.

if you get tired carrying the larger 12v gel batteries , I found that radio shack has this half size 12v 6amp battery that goes for $25 dollars but are much smaller and lighter than standard gel sizes.. the dimensions are 3.5"x2.5"x4" , used it for both starter and equip.

02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Steve Campbell
Elite Veteran
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Thanks for all the replies and info. Now, to choose...

Jeff, I have two accounts for two different computers- this one at home, and one at work. I wasn't aware that most of this BB software will allow one to have the same user name from two different computers; hence the "2" behind my name. Once I got a little smarter about computers, it just didn't seem worth the effort to change things.

Ron, we've got about 20 responses so far, not counting the local guys. If the weather is good, I would not be surprised to see 30 people there. The last two times I did this, there were well over 30 people. There are a few out-of-staters who will be there, so it should be a fun day.

I'm just hoping Ron Lund and Gordo show up; then we'll have a grudge drag race. It's a hoot watching those two go at it.

Z, thanks for the bit about the DPDT switch. I'm not using a power panel. This "box" is really compact; it's nothing more that a piece of marine ply sitting in a box just big enough to hold a metal gallon can and a 12v gel cell. The big piece of plywood rises from the center, and the starter hangs vertically over the battery- the fuel can is on the other side. There is NO extra room- or wasted space.The starter (and the pump) are hard-wired to the battery. If I don't get something with an integral switch, that will be a useful piece of information about the DPDT gadget.

Ford, Chris, Ron,

Is the Slimline 2000 the same as the Boxxer? They LOOK the same...

Steve
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
ed vega
Key Veteran
Location: nyc, queens

oh forgot to mention , if you really want the slickest go with the Shinwa super pumper box . it has everything , is all aluminum, houses the battery , has the glo driver and volt/amp meters with adjust ranges .. way many features .. looking for a pic here .. I bought one years back , cost me $200 .. the wierd thing is I forgot to store it in the blazer before I left the field and ran over it .. hehe
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Steve Campbell
Elite Veteran
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

Ed, I looked real hard at that box when it came out years ago. If it had come with a self-contained fuel cell, like the new TT rig, I'd have bought one for sure.

I've got this thing about dragging as little as possible along with me. For years, I've been carrying everything except fuel in a pretty nice gear bag I got at IRCHA (IOW, no flight box). When my custom starter battery pack finally began dying, the price for replacing it had gone up considerably. And then I found that brand-new, unused starter that I had been having for years and forgot about. So I went back to the flight box thing.

But I still have only one other thing to grab besides my models and gear bag. As forgetful as I'm becoming, that's a good thing...

Steve
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
z11355
rrMaster
Location: 10000 is enough time wasted.

Steve, so that custom PowerHouse starter pack croaked?

How much did Kerry want to re-do it?
02-16-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Ron Cosby
Senior Heliman
Location: Shreveport, Louisiana

Steve, the Slimline is the Boxxer,just made to go on a fuel jug, which you know is now a thing of the past. The Boxxer has an L bracket to let you mount it inside your flight box. I don't think you'll regret getting one.

I'm looking forward to the funfly, hope you can come up and fly with us when the WX gets a little warmer.
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Lapointe
Senior Heliman
Location: Enumclaw, Wash

Pump

Slimline fer me. I have 2 and they work like a heart pump No gaskets to eat up and the fuel never leaves the line. about every 2 years you need a cheap rebuild kit and you are in buisness again. they screw on top of the fuel jug and are easy to handle. Very nice.

Keith Lapointe
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
butch r
Senior Heliman
Location: Alma, Kansas

Steve, I've got the Slimline 2000 and it is a work of art. I also have the base. To bad they could not have added a charging jack to the base to incorporate the use of and ease of charging NiCd "AA" batteries and the direction of flow should be indicated on the switch also. Those items are kind of petty but since when did anyone in the heli hobby not try to improve on an idea. I don't think anyone here is happy with just leaving something alone. I like it because I tend to keep everything as a component. I don't use a flight box, something IMO is unnecessary. Sort of like a work bench, gathers more and more till you can't use it or lift it. LOL. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. Happy fuel'n.
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
Steve Campbell
Elite Veteran
Location: Baton Rouge, LA

So, the SlimLine is out of print, and the Boxxer has the L-bracket? That's what I need. But you say the switch is hard to use?

Z, correctomundo; it hasn't croaked yet, but the amperage is way down; it will hardly turn over the 61 SX, and WON'T on a cold day. I got five years out of it, so I can't complain. Replacing the ten cells, re-doing the harness, shipping both ways, etc, came to over $75. If I hadn't stumbled over that NIB starter in the closet, I would have coughed it up.

Steve
02-16-2002 Over year old.
 
 
rickc
Elite Veteran
Location: Creve Coeur IL. (Peoria Area)

I have a Boxer, Works great but takes its time. The best elecrtic pump I have seen is the Kavan sold by Hobby Lobby Int. Fast, powerful, and works for years. I think I have went though 3 in 22 years of modeling. I had to try a Slimline when they came out. Like I said it works great, seems to be a good design but it takes atleast twice as long as the Kavan I was use to.
http://www.hobby-lobby.com/fuelpump.htm

Rick
02-16-2002 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
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