Pumping Methanol Foaming Brush from a 55 Gallon Drum

[Buzzie8]

I bought a 55 gallon drum of methanol winter foaming brush from KR for the cost savings. It works great but is kind of a pain to handle. I use the same drum to supply another wash I own. I have gone through two hand pumps from Harbor Freight to pump it into 5 gallon containers to transport. One failed immediately and a large red hand pump they sell failed after it seized up when I failed to clean it after use from last winter. I want to get an electric pump but wasn't sure if it would be suitable or safe for pumping methanol based solution. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wally]

A few years ago I was buying it in 55 gal drums and the distributor would pump it into my 5 gallon container when he got to my place. He used a small plastic hand pump and it went pretty fast. I wouldn't want to use an electric pump because of getting blown to hell and back. The grading contractors that have a diesel tank sitting in the back of their pick-up have and electric pump in their tank. I suppose it runs on DC power. Might be little pricey for a once a year use.

 

[lag]

We just use a flojet air pump. We just flush it out between pumpings.

 

[Earl Weiss]

You could just hook an air line to a flo jet for this.

 

[Buzzie8]

Thanks guys, that's what I love about this site. I think I have an old Graco air pump laying around that was leaking a little bit before i replaced it with a Flojet. I will run some air to it tomorrow and see if that works as a $0 cost solution.

 

[MEP001]

I also use a FloJet as a transfer pump. I use the same pump for that as the others at the wash, so it's also an extra backup in case I need it (and I did about a month ago - I had used the one on the shelf and forgot to order a replacement).

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I was too cheap to use a new Flojet. I waited until one starts leaking air out the muffler. I install a new one in place of the leaker and use the leaker for the transfer pump.

 

[MEP001]

I was too cheap to use a new Flojet. I waited until one starts leaking air out the muffler. I install a new one in place of the leaker and use the leaker for the transfer pump.

I had done that at first - I had a used Yamada pump that had been replaced because it would stall occasionally, but it failed abruptly and completely in the middle of transfering 60 gallons of presoak. It was especially irritating because I had just loaned my spare FloJet to someone the day before.

 

[mjwalsh]

Our Experience

I bought a 55 gallon drum of methanol winter foaming brush from KR for the cost savings. It works great but is kind of a pain to handle. I use the same drum to supply another wash I own. I have gone through two hand pumps from Harbor Freight to pump it into 5 gallon containers to transport. One failed immediately and a large red hand pump they sell failed after it seized up when I failed to clean it after use from last winter. I want to get an electric pump but wasn't sure if it would be suitable or safe for pumping methanol based solution. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Buzzie8,

For over 15 years we successfully used a set up that mounted a 0-5 psi gauge with a 0-5 psi regulator with the right drum fitting on the drum & tube for the chemical going to the bottom of the drum. This was to tranfer different chemicals to a 5 gallon pail. As the air pressure showed on the gauge some --- it would flow at a nice safe rate of flow. You had to be make sure you turned the 3 way valve off to both stop new air & relieve existing air as it filled. The only reason we discontinued doing this is because we started using 5 gallon microdrums from Warsaw a few years ago. Unless there is a viscosity issue ---I am not sure if Methanol would be different or any more hazardous utilizing the same approach. We had quick disconnects & there was no cross contamination with the setup because only air went through it slightly pressurizing the drum as needed.

MJ

 

[Dirt]

We put the drum on a drum dolly. It looks like this:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-Drum-Cradle-3BA27?Pid=search

You can fit a 7 gallon container under it. Thats what we use to mix our own methanol and soap.
The spout is a 3/4 inch street elbow and ball valve from Lowes. I also run a length of hose into the container so the mixture don't bubble up.

Maby you can use this method as an alternative to pumping.

 

[Buzzie8]

We put the drum on a drum dolly. It looks like this:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-Drum-Cradle-3BA27?Pid=search

You can fit a 7 gallon container under it. Thats what we use to mix our own methanol and soap.
The spout is a 3/4 inch street elbow and ball valve from Lowes. I also run a length of hose into the container so the mixture don't bubble up.

Maby you can use this method as an alternative to pumping.

Dirt,
Where are you inserting the street elbow? I am assuming you drill through the bottom of the barrel and insert. If so, how do you keep the spout from leaking? Thanks,
Buzzie

 

[Dirt]

Buzzie8 and fellow pa resident,
I'll post a pic this afternoon so you see what it looks like.
On a plastic drum, there should be a knock out in the middle of the caps. oh, if I remember right, that would leak. You could get a pipe nipple the same size as the cap and reduce down to 3/4", or 1".

 

[bigleo48]

I must have 5 or 6 old flojets I swapped out that leak a bit of air. Perfect for pumping out a 55 gal tank. No issue with Methanol as no power is applied.

Attached a 4ft plastic pipe to the inlet hose with a jagged end (so it doesn't seal to the bottom of the drum). It drops in nice, stays strait and will allow the pump to suck every drop out of the drum. My attendant came up with that. At 80PSI, it only takes a few minutes to empty a 55 gal drum.

Big

 

[Kevin James]

I think there are some Safety concerns with using an air operated pump with a volatile liquid like Methanol. Why does the Flojet pump have a sticker on the pump that says “Do not pump Gasoline”? Could it be that the pump builds up static electricity as it pumps? If any of our employees were to use an air operated pump to transfer anything other than soap it would be there last day. We take Safety very seriously.

 

[Buzzie8]

I think there are some Safety concerns with using an air operated pump with a volatile liquid like Methanol. Why does the Flojet pump have a sticker on the pump that says “Do not pump Gasoline”? Could it be that the pump builds up static electricity as it pumps? If any of our employees were to use an air operated pump to transfer anything other than soap it would be there last day. We take Safety very seriously.

Interesting, I think I am going to take a cup of this outside tomorrow and light it on fire. I'm assuming it is not very volatile when mixed with soap. I'll let you know what I find out. Hopefully not from a hospital bed!

 

[Earl Weiss]

I think there are some Safety concerns with using an air operated pump with a volatile liquid like Methanol. Why does the Flojet pump have a sticker on the pump that says “Do not pump Gasoline”? Could it be that the pump builds up static electricity as it pumps? If any of our employees were to use an air operated pump to transfer anything other than soap it would be there last day. We take Safety very seriously.

Is your policy based on anything other than speculation?

 

[bigleo48]

Gasoline and methanol are very different. Gasoline is explosive while methanol is flammable.

Try it with an oz of each and a blow torch.

 

[MEP001]

Is your policy based on anything other than speculation?

Based on some of his past statements, I'd say his policy is based on the opportunity to tell us how stupid he thinks we are.

 

[pitzerwm]

It wouldn't hurt to "ground" the pump with a static line.

 

[soapy]

I just use a plastic siphon pump and transfer it to 5 or 15 gallon containers that are easy to lift.