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Proper way to drain fuel


r0ckst4r

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I am the new proud owner of an M20R Ovation.  It is equipped with long range Monroy tanks that hold quite a bit of fuel (and weight).  If I was to drain fuel to make room for passengers or cargo could this be done through the gascolator drain or should I be siphoning it out with other methods?

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Hey!

Let me be the first to welcome you to the O club!

I have gone with don’t over fill it all the time... 100 gallons gets me to Florida from NJ...

Handling fuel and sparks is something I like to avoid...

Other people have held the drain open, but that puts the fuel low to the ground... aiming for a bucket...

There are some siphon devices for fuel... available through amazon...

If you go this way... use some intelligent ways of grounding everything...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Fuel siphon&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and

:)

-a-

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I would think the best way to drain the fuel and the most fun way to drain it and possibly the safer way would be go fly the airplane until you are down to the level you want to be. :)  I sort of say this half jokingly because I understand the need to remove some fuel to make room for passengers etc...  And if you don't have the time to fly it then there is the need to drain it while on the ground.  Just be careful as stated before to ground everything.  One little bit of static could ruin a good day.  Fuel trucks are grounded when they fuel airplanes, airplanes are grounded when we fuel them.  I even saw on a little sign at a gas station that when filling a container with gas, make sure you keep the nozzle in contact with the container at all times effectively grounding everything.

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Congrats on the Ovation! You have a great bird!
 

More than 10 years of ownership and I have never drained fuel to add passengers. If I had to, I would plan a flight to burn off excess fuel. Draining and storing fuel seems like an unnecessary risk. And how to dispose of it? Or would you plan on reusing it? A little planning and regular use should avoid the need to take this risk. I only fill my tanks before long trips and typically fly around with 50-60 gals. 

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3 hours ago, PMcClure said:

Congrats on the Ovation! You have a great bird!
 

More than 10 years of ownership and I have never drained fuel to add passengers. If I had to, I would plan a flight to burn off excess fuel. Draining and storing fuel seems like an unnecessary risk. And how to dispose of it? Or would you plan on reusing it? A little planning and regular use should avoid the need to take this risk. I only fill my tanks before long trips and typically fly around with 50-60 gals. 

Last year I went for a short flight for fun and stopped at a nearby airport to top off the tanks (cheaper fuel than home base) knowing that I was taking my wife and a couple youth from church to the Camarillo Airshow that weekend. It would put us near gross taking off, but not over. Well, the ones that were going to go couldn't and the others that we were going to take were a bit heavier so I told my wife I would "have to" go fly and burn some fuel off. It was terrible just going up to burn fuel, but I suffered through the flight knowing that it was being done for the greater good! :D

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Ok another airplane story.

About 30 years ago I was hanging out at the repair shop when this guy with a 310 was going to work on his fuel bladders. They were trying to figure out what to do with the fuel in his tanks. I asked if he wanted it back? He said no, he just wanted it out of the plane. WellI went and got the Mooney. He was super thankful for the help, I was super thankful for the fuel! (40 gal)

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Thank you everyone for the welcome and the information.  Yes, I don't plan on doing this regularly or at all if I can help it but I would just like to be prepared in the event that I would need to.  It seems that the consensus is that I should use a siphon and not drain through the gascolator.  And yes, proper care and grounding of course.  Culver LFA I checked out that siphon and it looks almost like a magic trick.  I have done a lot of automotive work and usually see the ones with the little ball you squeeze.

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1 hour ago, r0ckst4r said:

Thank you everyone for the welcome and the information.  Yes, I don't plan on doing this regularly or at all if I can help it but I would just like to be prepared in the event that I would need to.  It seems that the consensus is that I should use a siphon and not drain through the gascolator.  And yes, proper care and grounding of course.  Culver LFA I checked out that siphon and it looks almost like a magic trick.  I have done a lot of automotive work and usually see the ones with the little ball you squeeze.

Get one, you won't be disappointed. 

That siphon hose and 4 - 5 gallon gas cans does the trick for me.  I do not have fuel on field so I fill and drain on a regular basis depending on need.  My tractor enjoys the 100LL as well and the 100LL exhaust smell makes me happy when I mow my grass.

(bonus if you can find real vented gas cans, not the environmentally non-vented gas cans)

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