Thread: Diesel transfer pump

Anyone out there with positive experience with a reliable diesel transfer pump? Looking to pump diesel out of a tank on the trailer or a 44 on the ground. I know there are $99 Chinese cheapies out there, but would prefer to buy once cry once.

TIA

The actual pump and tank setup isn't that important apart from the reliability issues - I have a cheap cheerful chinese plastic vane special here that does the job - I had to fab up some new vanes out of teflon engineering plastic sheet when the original moulded ones shattered.

And there is the point I want to bring up - filtration! On the intake or suction side of the pump. This is to protect your pump for one, and two take out any water or contaminants as transfer tanking is your best way to feed something contaminated diesel. I would recommend a decent 1- or 2- micron marine type filter with a clear bowl on the bottom to allow easy viewing of what is in there. Cummins have a few sizes that would do as a spin-on can type with a clear bowl on the bottom, or one of the marine Racor-style ones. You need a decent one though, 1" inlet and outlet ports as a minimum and if it's not permanently mounted a decent protective frame on it with a rain lid and leak tray.

The other thing I have found is a lot of transfer tanks are set up like vehicle fuel tanks with a 'dead space' at the bottom to trap any crud or water and prevent you transferring it - these are in practice an utter arse and all they achieve is trapping the crap in a perfect diesel bug breeding environment. Fit a real filter on the suction side and set the tank up to be able to fully pump it dry and empty everything out of it - it will save you hours of work when you end up with it contaminated. Worse case is pumping the contents out to a 205L drum and sending it away for disposal, then giving the inside of the tank (through the big bolt off access hatch in the top of your tank that you specc'd to save yourself a major hassle) a clean out and inspection. The filter can will be buggered at this point, so it will serve it's last run protecting your pump from ingesting any chunkies.

As far as the pump, get one that you can get parts kits for easily close to where you are. A lot of the chinese ones are basically chuck away, which can be good as it's quick to get the system up and running again with that plan. Fit camlock connections, lets you click old pump out and new one in and have a spare on the shelf haha...

The thing about the transfer tanks - the plastic rotomoulded ones are usually set up with the dead space at the bottom, I really don't like them. Too hard to clean for what they cost. At the rate we get dirty fuel in NZ you're going to wear a tankfull of crap inside five years if you have enough throughput to make a transfer tank worthwhile.

This as an aside is more like what the fuel tanker trucks on the road delivering bulk fuel are set up like, fully emptied after each pot full is delivered.

Originally Posted by XR500

Anyone out there with positive experience with a reliable diesel transfer pump? Looking to pump diesel out of a tank on the trailer or a 44 on the ground. I know there are $99 Chinese cheapies out there, but would prefer to buy once cry once.

TIA

HCD at the Mount, ask for John and see if he can remember my name, he’ll look after you

HCD - 12 volt pump, hose and nozzle, and away you go.
All our excavators are fitted with similar setups where we just pull alongside with our truck and refill from the truck fuel tank if mini tankers are slow to get to us.

Yeah, I saw that setup on a digger working on our farm a couple of years ago and thought it was a brilliant setup.

I've looked up the HCD website. Will give them a ring in the morning. Thanks guys.

Yeah John is bloody good, he will sort ya.

I've got a rotary hand pump, probably Chinese.
Took the handle off, hammered a socket on to the shaft. Run it with 3/8 drive in a battery drill.
Works great. Empty a 44 of diesel in about three or four minutes.

Hahaha, red neck upgrade - hammer and socket too

Or if you want to pump at a great rate of knots, use a trash pump.

Originally Posted by No.3

Hahaha, red neck upgrade - hammer and socket too

I oready had all the bits Bro.

Originally Posted by 300winmag

Or if you want to pump at a great rate of knots, use a trash pump.

Yeah that's great........until the pipe gets away from where is supposed to be.