Narrative:

We were relatively light with only 34 passenger on board; but had 10 mins hold fuel plus sea alternate fuel for just over 20000 before departure. Shortly after passing 10000 ft (probably at +/-12000 ft) as we were slowly accelerating to 300 KTS; we received a single chime and ECAM warning for a circuit breaker tripped on aft panel row j-m. I turned on the flood lights and turned in my seat to see that M23 (xfer valve #2 wing right) had tripped. We pulled up the ECAM fuel page and found the left outer xfer valve had opened and was draining into the inner tank. The right xfer valve indicated amber and in transit. But it was apparent that there was no fuel being xferred from the right outer to right inner tank. We had around 16000+ pounds of fuel at that time. We then received a tank low level warning due to the outer tank imbal of fuel. We also got an amber box around the right outer tank quantity because it might become unusable if the valve did not open. We realized that we were going to exceed the outer tank differential limitation of 1100 pounds very shortly. We ACARS'ed maintenance with the situation. They responded with the following message: 'copy; we recommend opening circuit breaker A11 for the #1 right xfer valve. This should drive allow fuel to xfer to right inner wing. Please note that this will require your emergency authority/authorized.' at this point; the left outer tank had completely drained and we still had the normal 1580 pounds in the right outer tank; exceeding the 1100 pound outer tank differential limitation. I decided that to eliminate the limitation exceedance; I would exercise my captain's emergency authority/authorized to get the fuel back in balance. Also; this would let us know if the fuel would be available now and not wait to see if (or if not) the right xfer valve would open at its normal low level value. Also; that 1580 pounds was well over 6% of our total original fuel load; so it was significant with the rainy WX we had in store for us at pdx. Since it was my leg; the first officer got out of his seat and pulled circuit breaker A11. All we got was another ECAM warning for a tripped circuit breaker. The fuel page showed no change. I instructed the first officer to close A11. At that time; the right xfer valve opened and fuel began xferring to the right inner tank. At about the same time; maintenance ACARS'ed us saying we would probably have to open; then close; A11 to get the xfer valve to open. We acknowledged maintenance and let them know that we had been successful in getting the fuel to xfer. I made a logbook entry for the premature opening of the left xfer valve and the associated trip of the M23 circuit breaker. The flight proceeded normally after that point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW HAS A FUEL XFER PROB DURING CLB AND CRUISE. COMS WITH MAINT SOLVES THE PROB AND THE FLT CONTINUES.

Narrative: WE WERE RELATIVELY LIGHT WITH ONLY 34 PAX ON BOARD; BUT HAD 10 MINS HOLD FUEL PLUS SEA ALTERNATE FUEL FOR JUST OVER 20000 BEFORE DEP. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING 10000 FT (PROBABLY AT +/-12000 FT) AS WE WERE SLOWLY ACCELERATING TO 300 KTS; WE RECEIVED A SINGLE CHIME AND ECAM WARNING FOR A CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED ON AFT PANEL ROW J-M. I TURNED ON THE FLOOD LIGHTS AND TURNED IN MY SEAT TO SEE THAT M23 (XFER VALVE #2 WING R) HAD TRIPPED. WE PULLED UP THE ECAM FUEL PAGE AND FOUND THE L OUTER XFER VALVE HAD OPENED AND WAS DRAINING INTO THE INNER TANK. THE R XFER VALVE INDICATED AMBER AND IN TRANSIT. BUT IT WAS APPARENT THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL BEING XFERRED FROM THE R OUTER TO R INNER TANK. WE HAD AROUND 16000+ LBS OF FUEL AT THAT TIME. WE THEN RECEIVED A TANK LOW LEVEL WARNING DUE TO THE OUTER TANK IMBAL OF FUEL. WE ALSO GOT AN AMBER BOX AROUND THE R OUTER TANK QUANTITY BECAUSE IT MIGHT BECOME UNUSABLE IF THE VALVE DID NOT OPEN. WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE GOING TO EXCEED THE OUTER TANK DIFFERENTIAL LIMITATION OF 1100 LBS VERY SHORTLY. WE ACARS'ED MAINT WITH THE SITUATION. THEY RESPONDED WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: 'COPY; WE RECOMMEND OPENING CIRCUIT BREAKER A11 FOR THE #1 R XFER VALVE. THIS SHOULD DRIVE ALLOW FUEL TO XFER TO R INNER WING. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WILL REQUIRE YOUR EMER AUTH.' AT THIS POINT; THE L OUTER TANK HAD COMPLETELY DRAINED AND WE STILL HAD THE NORMAL 1580 LBS IN THE R OUTER TANK; EXCEEDING THE 1100 LB OUTER TANK DIFFERENTIAL LIMITATION. I DECIDED THAT TO ELIMINATE THE LIMITATION EXCEEDANCE; I WOULD EXERCISE MY CAPT'S EMER AUTH TO GET THE FUEL BACK IN BAL. ALSO; THIS WOULD LET US KNOW IF THE FUEL WOULD BE AVAILABLE NOW AND NOT WAIT TO SEE IF (OR IF NOT) THE R XFER VALVE WOULD OPEN AT ITS NORMAL LOW LEVEL VALUE. ALSO; THAT 1580 LBS WAS WELL OVER 6% OF OUR TOTAL ORIGINAL FUEL LOAD; SO IT WAS SIGNIFICANT WITH THE RAINY WX WE HAD IN STORE FOR US AT PDX. SINCE IT WAS MY LEG; THE FO GOT OUT OF HIS SEAT AND PULLED CIRCUIT BREAKER A11. ALL WE GOT WAS ANOTHER ECAM WARNING FOR A TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE FUEL PAGE SHOWED NO CHANGE. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CLOSE A11. AT THAT TIME; THE R XFER VALVE OPENED AND FUEL BEGAN XFERRING TO THE R INNER TANK. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME; MAINT ACARS'ED US SAYING WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO OPEN; THEN CLOSE; A11 TO GET THE XFER VALVE TO OPEN. WE ACKNOWLEDGED MAINT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE FUEL TO XFER. I MADE A LOGBOOK ENTRY FOR THE PREMATURE OPENING OF THE L XFER VALVE AND THE ASSOCIATED TRIP OF THE M23 CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY AFTER THAT POINT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.