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Fuel level sender repair?

 
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jason(at)hills.org
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:37 pm    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

Last night I tracked down problems with my left fuel level to the sender in the tank. The sender is a Westach 395-5S (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/westfuelqty2.php) or similar. I've confirmed the wiring to it is good, but the output resistance "never" changes as the fuel level changes (it is known to work intermittently actually, and based on the reading I'm seeing, I suspect that the probe is shorting out when it stops working).

So, not having built this plane, I don't really know if replacement is realistic or not... I suspect the probe is secured inside the wing/tank towards the inboard end of the tank, plus the head is bolted to the outboard end of the tank (accessible through an inspection plate). My best guess is that the top of the wing would have to be cut into to gain access to the far end and then the top of the wing would have to be re-glassed and painted. Yikes!

I'm not about to do this myself, but conceivably I could have my A&P who worked at Glassair in the past do it (i.e. he's pretty good with glasswork, even if he prefers working on RV's).

I've lived with this issue for a long time, but having just installed a new engine monitor (JPI EDM 740) getting the fuel probes setup and working was a major ordeal, and now I should be able to get fairly accurate tank readings compared to the old analog gauge which was basically only really good for "full", "empty" or "somewhere in between". I finally got the EDM talking to the right tank last night and confirmed that the left tank was not behaving the same as the right as I added/removed fuel.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!
..Jason


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richard_trickel(at)yahoo.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:36 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

Jason
The outboard end of the probe is probably not secured. I would unbolt it at the root and try to pull it out before mas surgury.
The big problem is replacing the probe in to the holes through the ribs. this really bepends on how long your probe is.
Rich

--- On Wed, 11/10/10, Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org> wrote:

Quote:

From: Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org>
Subject: Fuel level sender repair?
To: kis-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 7:25 AM

--> KIS-List message posted by: Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)>

Last night I tracked down problems with my left fuel level to the sender in the tank. The sender is a Westach 395-5S (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/westfuelqty2.php) or similar. I've confirmed the wiring to it is good, but the output resistance "never" changes as the fuel level changes (it is known to work intermittently actually, and based on the reading I'm seeing, I suspect that the probe is shorting out when it stops working).

So, not having built this plane, I don't really know if replacement is realistic or not... I suspect the probe is secured inside the wing/tank towards the inboard end of the tank, plus the head is bolted to the outboard end of the tank (accessible through an inspection plate). My best guess is that the top of the wing would have to be cut into to gain access to the far end and then the top of the wing would have to be re-glassed and painted. Yikes!

I'm not about to do this myself, but conceivably I could have my A&P who worked at Glassair in the past do it (i.e. he's pretty good with glasswork, even if he prefers working on RV's).

I've lived with this issue for a long time, but having just installed a new engine monitor (JPI EDM 740) getting the fuel probes setup and working was a major ordeal, and now I should be able to get fairly accurate tank readings compared to the old analog gauge which was basically only really good for "full", "empty" or "somewhere in between". I finally got the EDM talking to the right tank last night and confirmed that the left tank was not behaving the same as the right as I added/removed fuel.

Any = this year's Terrific Free Incentive Gifts provided
Quote:
http:/bsp; --> h



[quote][b]


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fredorosa(at)gmail.com
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:50 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

Jason,

If you have a capacitance fuel probe, the head is bolted to the outside of the innermost rib.  Take off the underneath wing/fuselage fairing and you will see it.
How far the actual probe goes through the wing was the option of the builder.  It could end anywhere along the length of the fuel tank.  Mine goes through the entire length of the tank.   Removing the probe is easy if the wing is off but I never tried it with the wing on.  Don't know if it's possible.  My probes were from Skysports and since my airplane isn't flying, I can't tell you how well it's working.  Hope this helps.


Al

On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 2:25 AM, Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)> wrote:
[quote] --> KIS-List message posted by: Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)>

Last night I tracked down problems with my left fuel level to the sender in the tank. The sender is a Westach 395-5S  (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/westfuelqty2.php) or similar. I've confirmed the wiring to it is good, but the output resistance "never" changes as the fuel level changes (it is known to work intermittently actually, and based on the reading I'm seeing, I suspect that the probe is shorting out when it stops working).

So, not having built this plane, I don't really know if replacement is realistic or not... I suspect the probe is secured inside the wing/tank towards the inboard end of the tank, plus the head is bolted to the outboard end of the tank (accessible through an inspection plate). My best guess is that the top of the wing would have to be cut into to gain access to the far end and then the top of the wing would have to be re-glassed and painted. Yikes!

I'm not about to do this myself, but conceivably I could have my A&P who worked at Glassair in the past do it (i.e. he's pretty good with glasswork, even if he prefers working on RV's).

I've lived with this issue for a long time, but having just installed a new engine monitor (JPI EDM 740) getting the fuel probes setup and working was a major ordeal, and now I should be able to get fairly accurate tank readings compared to the old analog gauge which was basically only really good for "full", "empty" or "somewhere in between". I finally got the EDM talking to the right tank last night and confirmed that the left tank was not behaving the same as the right as I added/removed fuel.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!
..Jason



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ooks.com" target="_blank">www.buildersbooks.com
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le, List Admin.
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Keith.Miller(at)esa.int
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:38 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

if the probes are installed from the inboard section going outwards then it
would be impossible to extract the long probes from the wing without
removing the wing first . The probes themselves are most likely not
straight since for the probes to work correctly they had to be bent
downwards so they touched the bottom of the wing then bent upwards so they
went to the top of the outboard section .
Much will depend on how the original builder installation was made ,but it
should be possible to remove them and bend new ones up and install . last
resort would be cut anything open
Keith


From: ALFRED ROSA <fredorosa(at)gmail.com>

To: kis-list(at)matronics.com

Date: 10/11/2010 15:52

Subject: Re: Fuel level sender repair?

Sent by: owner-kis-list-server(at)matronics.com


Jason,

If you have a capacitance fuel probe, the head is bolted to the outside of
the innermost rib.  Take off the underneath wing/fuselage fairing and you
will see it.
How far the actual probe goes through the wing was the option of the
builder.  It could end anywhere along the length of the fuel tank.  Mine goes
through the entire length of the tank.   Removing the probe is easy if the
wing is off but I never tried it with the wing on.  Don't know if it's
possible.  My probes were from Skysports and since my airplane isn't flying,
I can't tell you how well it's working.  Hope this helps.

Al

On Wed, Nov 10, 2010 at 2:25 AM, Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org> wrote:


Last night I tracked down problems with my left fuel level to the sender in
the tank. The sender is a Westach 395-5S  (
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/westfuelqty2.php) or similar.
I've confirmed the wiring to it is good, but the output resistance "never"
changes as the fuel level changes (it is known to work intermittently
actually, and based on the reading I'm seeing, I suspect that the probe is
shorting out when it stops working).

So, not having built this plane, I don't really know if replacement is
realistic or not... I suspect the probe is secured inside the wing/tank
towards the inboard end of the tank, plus the head is bolted to the
outboard end of the tank (accessible through an inspection plate). My best
guess is that the top of the wing would have to be cut into to gain access
to the far end and then the top of the wing would have to be re-glassed and
painted. Yikes!

I'm not about to do this myself, but conceivably I could have my A&P who
worked at Glassair in the past do it (i.e. he's pretty good with glasswork,
even if he prefers working on RV's).

I've lived with this issue for a long time, but having just installed a new
engine monitor (JPI EDM 740) getting the fuel probes setup and working was
a major ordeal, and now I should be able to get fairly accurate tank
readings compared to the old analog gauge which was basically only really
good for "full", "empty" or "somewhere in between". I finally got the EDM
talking to the right tank last night and confirmed that the left tank was
not behaving the same as the right as I added/removed fuel.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!
...Jason

===========
="_blank">www.aeroelectric.com
ooks.com" target="_blank">www.buildersbooks.com
et="_blank">www.homebuilthelp.com
="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
le, List Admin.
===========
rget="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?KIS-List
===========
http://forums.matronics.com
===========


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jason(at)hills.org
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:38 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

Thanks! I guess I had just assumed the far end would be clamped or bolted somehow to secure it. If it's "just" running through holes in the ribs maybe there is some tiny chance of a replacement without major surgery.
Mine must be setup a little oddly, as the head is on the outboard end, not at the wing root. Probably means the probe is both long and unlikely to be able to really indicate empty.
...Jason

On Nov 10, 2010, at 3:19 AM, Richard Trickel wrote:
[quote]Jason
The outboard end of the probe is probably not secured. I would unbolt it at the root and try to pull it out before mas surgury.
The big problem is replacing the probe in to the holes through the ribs. this really bepends on how long your probe is.
Rich

--- On Wed, 11/10/10, Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)> wrote:

Quote:

From: Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)>
Subject: Fuel level sender repair?
To: kis-list(at)matronics.com (kis-list(at)matronics.com)
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 7:25 AM

--> KIS-List message posted by: Jason Hills <jason(at)hills.org (jason(at)hills.org)>

Last night I tracked down problems with my left fuel level to the sender in the tank. The sender is a Westach 395-5S (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/westfuelqty2.php) or similar. I've confirmed the wiring to it is good, but the output resistance "never" changes as the fuel level changes (it is known to work intermittently actually, and based on the reading I'm seeing, I suspect that the probe is shorting out when it stops working).

So, not having built this plane, I don't really know if replacement is realistic or not... I suspect the probe is secured inside the wing/tank towards the inboard end of the tank, plus the head is bolted to the outboard end of the tank (accessible through an inspection plate). My best guess is that the top of the wing would have to be cut into to gain access to the far end and then the top of the wing would have to be re-glassed and painted. Yikes!

I'm not about to do this myself, but conceivably I could have my A&P who worked at Glassair in the past do it (i.e. he's pretty good with glasswork, even if he prefers working on RV's).

I've lived with this issue for a long time, but having just installed a new engine monitor (JPI EDM 740) getting the fuel probes setup and working was a major ordeal, and now I should be able to get fairly accurate tank readings compared to the old analog gauge which was basically only really good for "full", "empty" or "somewhere in between". I finally got the EDM talking to the right tank last night and confirmed that the left tank was not behaving the same as the right as I added/removed fuel.

Any = this year's Terrific Free Incentive Gifts provided
Quote:
http:/bsp; --> h


[/url]
[url=http://forums.matronics.com/]
Quote:


[b]


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ftyoder(at)yoderbuilt.com
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:24 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

As I recall, some did put them in the wing tip so they could be easily replaced. Maybe Rich did that. I think it was also described as a instillation option in the instructions. I believe they are touted as pretty reliable. I have had no trouble with mine in 12 years of use.

Tim
[quote] ---


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richard_trickel(at)yahoo.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:10 am    Post subject: Fuel level sender repair? Reply with quote

I put mine in the inboard rib close to the fuselage. In the three planes I built in the states they rarly worked right or at all. I hated them and praised the person who designed the clock since it was reliable.
Rich

--- On Wed, 11/10/10, F. Tim Yoder <ftyoder(at)yoderbuilt.com> wrote:

[quote]
From: F. Tim Yoder <ftyoder(at)yoderbuilt.com>
Subject: Re: Fuel level sender repair?
To: kis-list(at)matronics.com
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 5:14 PM

As I recall, some did put them in the wing tip so they could be easily replaced. Maybe Rich did that. I think it was also described as a instillation option in the instructions. I believe they are touted as pretty reliable. I have had no trouble with mine in 12 years of use.

Tim
[quote] ---


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