I would like to drain the fuel from my Just Escapade EAB Light Sport. It's a high wing, fabric over welded steel tube construction, with fiberglass fuel tanks in each wing. The tanks rest between fore and aft spars made of aluminum tubing, and are glued to the spars with epoxy.

The two tanks each feed a single aluminum header tank located behind the seats. There is a metal push-to-open drain valve at the bottom of the header tank, which I use to sample the fuel for water contamination. All the connections are by way of rubber fuel hose.

To drain the fuel down to the "minimum usable" level, I plan to lock the drain valve open and let the fuel run into a plastic funnel and into a plastic fuel can. Next, I'll re-weigh the plane, then calibrate my fuel tank dip stick as I return fuel to each wing tank through the filler port on top of the wing. I'd like to complete the whole procedure in my hangar, which is well ventilated, but has other airplanes in it.

Here are my questions for the forum:

1. Is there a risk in this procedure that a static charge could build up somewhere and create a spark that would result in a bad day for all concerned?

2. Should I run some kind of an electrical ground lead to prevent the spark?

3. If so, where should each end of this lead be connected?

4. Should this lead be heavy or light gage? Something in between? Does wire gage matter?

Thanks for your help on this.

John Smoyer
mox499@yahoo.com
N280MJ at N57