kg wrote:
Draining the tank can be dangerous.... don't do it in an enclosed hangar!

A friend who managed the flight school at the time, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, told me about a mechanic at Bowers Field (Ellensburg) WA who was draining the fuel tank of a high wing aircraft inside a hangar. The hangar door was open. A static spark from a dropped cloth was all it took to toast multiple aircraft and a hangar or two.

Maybe pulling your plane out of the hangar might be something to consider.

I have that filler neck kit on my 170 that MTV referenced. It is a must have. Seems like it would be easy enough to make yourself. I'll look for some pictures

PapernScissors wrote:

kg wrote:
Draining the tank can be dangerous.... don't do it in an enclosed hangar!

A friend who managed the flight school at the time, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, told me about a mechanic at Bowers Field (Ellensburg) WA who was draining the fuel tank of a high wing aircraft inside a hangar. The hangar door was open. A static spark from a dropped cloth was all it took to toast multiple aircraft and a hangar or two.

Maybe pulling your plane out of the hangar might be something to consider.

First, drain fuel via the gascolator. Second, best to do outside. Third, best to do via a piece of tubing to avoid slop. And finally, connect the airplane at the gascolator to the bucket (you are using a metal bucket, right?) with a bonding wire.

MTV

Or make sure the tube is submerged in the fuel in the bucket.

Here’s a picture of this type filler with the mod:



Note that the “moat around the filler is covered. No little storage container to contaminate fuel. This would be relatively easy to fabricate, and should be a minor mod.

MTV