Fuel Lift Pump Backup

[Seajet]

I'd have thought the additional pump the OP refers to would be known as a booster pump, that's what aviators would call it anyway; usually selectable.

[greenalien]

What nobody's pointed out so far is that you don't need a back-up!

Lift pumps are generally reliable, and should last a long time, but they certainly can fail - broken rivets, ruptured diaphragm, broken cam-arm - so having a back-up is by no means a waste of time.

[pvb]

Lift pumps are generally reliable, and should last a long time, but they certainly can fail - broken rivets, ruptured diaphragm, broken cam-arm - so having a back-up is by no means a waste of time.

But you're presumably talking about a spare pump; other people were talking about a primer bulb.

[greenalien]

But you're presumably talking about a spare pump; other people were talking about a primer bulb

No, not really - having an electric lift pump set up in parallel with the mechanical one can both act as a primer, and as an instant spare if the mechanical one packs up - could make more sense than just having an (expensive!) spare mechanical lift pump sat in a box somewhere in your spares locker, where it may never get used.

[sjdtuk]

Inline electric pump is a great back up

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=220806028459

I had a problem where my lift pump failed partially failed and was able to continue simply by turning on the pump.


Also makes bleeding the engine a doddle.

[greenalien]

sjdtuk - that looks like a very useful pump, at a good price - much better than the £120 I was quoted for a spare mechanical pump. Did you mount it in line with your mechanical lift pump, or in parallel with it, and has anyone else used a similar device?

[Leighb]

When I re-engined my Halmatic 30 with a Beta 20, the installation instructions very specifically said that

"The mechanical fuel lift pump is fitted to all engines as standard, but if a suction head of 0.25m or more is required, then an electric fuel lift pump must be fitted"

As the bottom of our fule tank was more like 1.0m below the fuel inlet an electric pump was installed in-line, this works fine and makes bleeding a doddle.

[maxi]

I'm with skipper-stu, a small manual pump fitting to the inlet side of the CAV filter, pumps fuel right through the system in no time. Available from ASAP Supplies and just 10 mins fitting time.

[sjdtuk]

The pump is inline quite close to the tank.

Order is.

Tank - Strainer - inline pump - water separater/filter - engine lift pump

Switched off for normal operation