>I have been reading recent post and archives about removing the engine driven fuel pump and going with dual electric pumps. I'm also considering not using my header tank and using only wing tanks. My question is will the firewall mounted electric pumps pull fuel from the wings or do I need another pump to boost the fuel from the wings to the firewall? I have looked over WW's 601 and did not see any pumps except the firewall pumps. >Jack Cooper ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My KR has wing tanks only in the outer wing panels. I'm using two Facet electric pumps that are mounted on the floor immediately in front of the forward spar. My fuel lines come in the cockpit between the two spars, cross over the forward spar to the fuel selector valves and then down to the pumps (in parallel). From there they route forward to the pressure regulator, firewall, gascolator, and on to the carb. I have never had a problem with them priming, even when starting from empty tanks. Keep in mind that if you go that route and lose your electrical system it won't be long before you go into glide mode. Because of that, I installed a very small backup battery with separate buss, emergency fuel pump switches, etc. At the 12 hour point I suffered an intermittent/open connection in the master switch circuit that droped out my main buss. I noticed all my electric powered instruments flipping back and forth and finally going dead. I simply flipped on the emergency switches and continued on to the nearest airport which was my intended destination. Without the backup the engine would have only run till it used up the fuel in the carb. NOT GOOD !! Before each engine start, I check the condition of the backup battery with the switchable volt meter on my panel and run the pumps with the emergency switches to check for fuel pressure. That done, I shut them off and do a normal startup. I can also tie my alternator output to my backup battery with another switch on my emergency panel which activates a relay. I do that occasionally while flying to keep the battery charged. My backup buss is also tied to my one gyro instrument using diodes so if I have it turned on for use and lose my master it will continue to operate. Ninety five percent of the time I fly with it turned off anyway. 136 hours and the system has worked fine for me. As always, your results may vary. :-) Larry Flesner
