REFLECTOR: Reflector Digest, Vol 75, Issue 37 - Sight gauge trim and marking

Wed Jun 8 17:52:52 CDT 2011

I used the factory elbows for the fuel gauges on my first plane. I ordered orange float balls from Fletchair and put small pieces of stainless screen left over from the fuel inlet screens from my fuel tanks into the elbows so that the balls couldn't float out. I put a piece of flourescent tagboard behind the sight gauge. I made a trim piece that covered the wall and tube. The trim piece had a rectangular hole with a sheet of thin, clear Lexan plastic over the sight gauge. 
When I calibrated the tanks, I used vinyl markings on the Lexan to mark the fuel level in 5 gallon increments. It looked great. 
On Jun 8, 2011, at 5:43 PM, reflector-request at tvbf.org wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Re:  Fuel Sight Gauges ( Brett Ferrell )
>   2. Re:  Fuel Sight Gauges (vance atkinson)
>   3. Re:  Fuel Sight Gauges (Jim Agnew)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:24:04 -0500
> From: " Brett Ferrell " <reflector at velocityxl.com>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 	<reflector at tvbf.org>
> Message-ID: <20110608212404.19570.qmail at server289.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> We're using Blue LEDs to go with the exterior blue of the paint, I've got
> an blue inset logo/registration number and LED backlighting on my overhead
> switch panel as well as soft blue EL lights on my backup 2 1/4" round
> gauges and glareshield.
> 
> 
> Brett
> 
> 
> 	-------Original Message-------
>  From: Alex Balic
>  To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
>  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
>  Sent: 08 Jun '11 15:47
> 
> 
> Are you guys using blue LED?s or is the  glow blue because of the fuel
> color? I wonder what would give the most contrast  lighting ?wise with the
> blue fuel?
> 
> 
>          --------------------
> 
> 
> FROM: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org  [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] ON
> BEHALF  OF Dennis Martin
>  SENT: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 10:27  PM
>  TO: Velocity Aircraft Owners and  Builders list
>  SUBJECT: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight  Gauges
> 
> 
> I followed Jim Agnew's  idea with LED lights behind the fuel gauge. (See
> attached photo). Makes it very  easy to see fuel levels. Here are a few
> details about my install:
> 
>  1. Install power line for the LEDs. I'll try to find the web site where I
> bought them if you're interested.
>  2. Remove the plastic tube before upholstery. It's rather easy to make a
> small  slit in your carpet/leather for the two brass fixtures to pop
> through. Plug the  brass fixtures to make sure no trash gets in.
>  3. My factory supplied tube turned yellow. I found a 5 foot length of
> fuel-proof plastic tubing at Home Depot (Plumbing Section). It's labeled
> FUEL  PROOF or gasoline proof. I had enough material to cut the piece to
> size several  times to get a perfect fit and to stretch the tube to make it
> remain straight.
>  4. I bought two small fuel-proof floating balls that go inside my sight
> gauges.  Very easy to see fuel level with these floats. See pg. 8 on this
> web site for  photo of the orange balls: [LINK:
> http://online.simmarket.com/aerosoft/SCUB/manual.pdf]
> http://online.simmarket.com/aerosoft/SCUB/manual.pdf
>  5. I ordered the orange sight balls a few years ago - I'm sure you can
> find out  how to get them from this web site. Caution: balls are too small
> for the  orifice in my brass tube - they will float away. I drilled a small
> hole in an  aluminum slug before wedging it into the brass fixture. Works
> great.
> 
>  Good luck,
> 
>  Dennis
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 8:53 AM, Tom Falls  <[LINK:
> mailto:tomfalls6 at gmail.com] tomfalls6 at gmail.com>  wrote:
> 
> I guess I missed that. I do plan on using auto fuel, so it's the  factory
> design for me.
> 
> 
> For those with the factory style sight gauges, could please send  pictures
> of how you did the interior around them to make them more pleasing to  the
> eye?
> 
> 
> Thanks much,
> 
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jun 6, 2011 at 5:00 PM, vance atkinson <[LINK:
> mailto:nostromo56 at tx.rr.com] nostromo56 at tx.rr.com>  wrote:
> 
> 
> On 6/5/2011 12:45 AM, Al Gietzen wrote:
> 
> 
> As I?ve mentioned previously; if you intend to use auto fuels,  don?t use
> the Atkinson gauge. The white plastic background material is not
> compatible ? unless it has been changed within the past couple of years.
> 
> 
> Al
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
>  FROM: [LINK: mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]
> reflector-bounces at tvbf.org  [[LINK: mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]
> mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]  ON BEHALF OF Tom Falls
>  SENT: Saturday, June 04, 2011 6:11  AM
>  TO: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and  Builders list'
>  SUBJECT: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight  Gauges
> 
> 
> On the topic of sight gauges (from Low fuel  warning thread), I've heard
> rumblings of issues with the Atkinson gauges. I'm  getting ready to install
> them. What are the watch-outs and/or improvements to  make sure they remain
> effective and useful for the life of the plane? Or is it  a matter of
> avoiding certain fuels?
> 
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> They are not approved for auto fuel anymore and for the past several  years
> the mfgs have been putting things in the fuel (and not telling the  public)
> that can make the gauges crack and also soften.  The gauges   are certainly
> NOT to be used with ethanol.  I just use Av gas in my COZY,  and for 25
> years have had NO problems.
> 
>  I usually tell builders if you HAVE  to use auto fuel (no ethanol in it)
> then put it the tank and use it up right away on your flight.  don't let
> it sit there for a month.
> 
>  Vance Atkinson
>  EAA Tech and Flt Advisor
> 
> 
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>  --
>  All the best,
>  Dennis
>          --------------------
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> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:32:54 -0500
> From: vance atkinson <nostromo56 at tx.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
> To: Brett Ferrell <reflector at velocityxl.com>,	Velocity Aircraft Owners
> 	and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Message-ID: <4DEFEA86.6050308 at tx.rr.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
> On 6/8/2011 4:24 PM, Brett Ferrell wrote:
>> We're using Blue LEDs to go with the exterior blue of the paint, I've 
>> got an blue inset logo/registration number and LED backlighting on my 
>> overhead switch panel as well as soft blue EL lights on my backup 2 
>> 1/4" round gauges and glareshield.
>> 
>> 
> Verry very nice...  Looks like some of the jets I flew.
> 
> Vance Atkinson
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2011 14:42:53 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Jim Agnew <jim_agnew_2 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
> To: Brett Ferrell <reflector at velocityxl.com>,	Velocity Aircraft Owners
> 	and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Message-ID: <77888.65263.qm at web30805.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Your choice I just hope no one accidentally pulls the tubing off the fittings and you have to get to them in a hurry only to find them buried.
> ?
> Jim
> 
> James F. Agnew
> Jim_Agnew_2 at Yahoo.Com
> Tampa, FL
> Velocity 173 Elite Aircraft Completed & Flying
> 
> From: Brett Ferrell <reflector at velocityxl.com>
>> To: reflector <reflector at tvbf.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 1:53 PM
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
>> 
>> 
>> Thus the "my opinion" part of my posting..... I have a lot more marks than I have LEDs, so there is no correlation for me, and I find the softer diffused light makes it easier to see my actually markings.? I also never liked the 'tube-sticking-out-from-the-bulkhead-on-elbows' gauge, and would not use it just to get the lights behind it, but if that weren't an issue for you I'm sure it works very well.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -
>> Brett Ferrell
>> bferrell at fastmail.fm 
>> 
>> 
>> On Wed, 08 Jun 2011 07:08 -0700, "Jim Agnew" <jim_agnew_2 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Actually Brett I was the first one that came up with the LED light strips behind the tubing and one good reason is the lights give you?evenly spaced markers that make reading the level easier.? In my case the lights are actually about the same as my fuel markings.
>>> 
>>> Jim? 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> James F. Agnew
>>> Jim_Agnew_2 at Yahoo.Com
>>> Tampa, FL
>>> Velocity 173 Elite Aircraft Completed & Flying
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> From: Brett Ferrell <reflector at velocityxl.com>
>>>> To: reflector <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:38 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel Sight Gauges
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Lighting the gauges is great, but you really don't need to be behind the gauge in my opinion.? I used these LED lights, and I think they look great.? Mine are on a dimmer? so you can get the right amount of lighting day or night.? The 12" light strips nestle into the curve of the Atkinson gauges, so I made a fiberglass cover to hide the back of the strip, and Dave Spano covered it in my interior fabric for me.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
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> End of Reflector Digest, Vol 75, Issue 37
> *****************************************