Originally Posted by Captain_caveman

Gday
I'm gonna rip the bilge pump out of my boat and get to work on my trolley 800gph
thanks caveman

Originally Posted by zigparacingtadpole

Sean

As promised, a diagram for controlling the pump with DC is attached below.

To briefly explain.
Brown line is 240V AC Active
Blue line is 240V AC Neutral
Green Line is Earth
Red Line is 12V DC Positive
Black line is 12V DC Negative

The Active is connected to the 12Volt plugpack and one side of the switch contacts on the relay. The other side of the switch contacts go to the pump.
The Neutral is common to the plugpack and pump, and not switched at all.
The Earth is connected to the pump (but should also be connected to the plugpack if it needs one and the enclosure you use if its metal)
The 12VDC positive exits the plugpack and goes to one side of the relay coil via the switch on the bowser handle.
The 12V DC Negative is attached to the other side of the relay coil.

Plug your control box in and the plugpack makes 12VDC, pull the handle to activate the switch and the relay coil will energise and pull the switch contacts close to complete the 240V Active to the pump which in turn starts up and pumps your fuel.

Ideally the switch will be a momentary push button type mounted in such a way that its actuated by pulling on the bowser handle. Jaycar have a multitude that would be suitable.
The Plug pack can be the smallest one you can find, its only powering a relay coil that needs about 30mA (.03 of an amp) to energise fully.
This one from Jaycar would be more than adequate.
Jaycar Part No MP3011
The relay needs to have a 12VDC coil and a contacts heavy enough to switch the inrush current of a pump. Dont stuff around, get one with 10A contacts. The one below is what I used 2 of on my reactor to switch the pump and the 2Kw heater.
Jaycar Part No SY4065

Apologies if I have provided too much information and over simplified it.
Be careful with the 240V stuff, good luck with it.

Originally Posted by pangit

That's awesome Zig, thanks a lot. That's probably what I'll go for as I tried David's inverter suggestion but mine isn't powerful enough to start the pump.

I've looked at momentary switches and I reckon one of the small normally closed ones mounted under my handle will do the trick nicely.

Looks like a trip down to Jaycar for me then.

Originally Posted by zigparacingtadpole

Happy to be of some help. Have fun with the experiment and please be careful with the 240V stuff.
Let us know what the end result looks like.

Originally Posted by David

Well Done Sean! Very impressive. I can see you going for lots of drives around the block just to burn off fuel so you have a chance to use your pump.

If I could offer one small suggestion, I would encourage you to put some sort of strain relief on the wres coming out of your box. This will stop them being pulled out should they get caught on anything or pulled on.
The benifit of this apart from the physical damage to your wiring is that it also avoids the potential for you high and low voltage wires to make contact and you get a horrible boot from your filling nozzle.

A couple of plastic saddle's over the leads and mounted tightly to the boards should suffice and IMHO, add a fair amount of saftey to your setup.
Strain relief is a saftey design requirement of all mainss powered appliances and while some of these things are a bit over the top, I think this one is well worthwhile.

It seems people come up with a lot of worth while inventions and setups like this which I think would be a more accessible in an " an inventions and gadgets" section where they wouldn't get as lost as they do in the normal sections.

Great project Sean and Adam.
Almost makes me want to put the fuel tank back in my own car just so I can play "Service Station"!

Now all you need to do is wire it to a flow meter and into a Point of sale system on your computer with a credit card reader and the Mrs can start pumping her own fuel!

Originally Posted by MB300D81

Sean n' Adam,

Well done guys. Very neat indeed.

Originally Posted by zigparacingtadpole

I'm impressed. Nice job!!!!!!
The idea David has put forth about strain relief is a very valid one. Plastic P clips as David suggested, or drill a hole either side of the cables and cable tie the wires to the timber using the holes, or cut a small piece of timber a bit wider than the cables and screw this over the cables as a clamp (careful not to crush the cables), and the list goes on.
Hope you are happy with it, if not you should be.

OH and I may be in Sydney for a couple of days next month, and I reckon I heard someone mention beer!!!

Originally Posted by MB300D81

Your beer is on me Adam - It would be great to get together mate. I am sure All Sydney members will make sure you are warm welcomed too.

Originally Posted by pangit

Thanks for the comments guys. Yes I'm aware of the lack of strain relief on the mains wires, but I couldn't find anything at home to do the job properly at midnight last night (way past my bedtime! ).

So what I did was cut the hole in the side of the lid where the wires come through just a little bit too small, so when I screwed the lid on it clamped the wires in place. Not perfect I know, so I'll have a look at doing it properly as per your suggestions. I'll probably do it with the 12V wire too, just to make it neater and so it can't get pulled out.

As for the beer idea, I think it's time we planned another get together, no? Some time during November would be ideal, otherwise Christmas will start to get in the way and blow it out to Jan/Feb. What dates are you around Adam?

Originally Posted by [FONT=Comic Sans MS

HDJ80[/FONT]]That is choice... Mine is air operated I use the same principle to move the methanol from a 44 to 20litre drums. I have a car valve in a 3/4" plug which screws into the 3/4" bung hole and the hose has a pipe which screws into the 2"hole to the bottom. Works with the shop compressor and my small 4x4 compressor. I have since removed the filter as the fuel is filtered before going into this drum and there was a risk of the filter blocking and using air pressure was a concern, but not now....

Originally Posted by pangit

Nice and simple, HD. No plugs or wires needed. I've seen those photos ages ago, so you've obviously been using that method for a while!

Originally Posted by bj4408

Pangit
Why not try a bypass line on your fuel outlet hose. Just put a T on the pump outlet, have your fill hose on one side and a gate valve with a return line to your drum on the other.
Adjust the gate valve so it is letting some Bio to go back to the drum when you have your nozzle shut but still getting an ample flow for filling your car. Once you get it adjusted right you can leave it alone. A pressure relief valve would be better but more $.
regards
bj4408