REFLECTOR:First flight N14B - Low fuel light
Rene Dugas
reflector@tvbf.org
Tue, 25 May 2004 12:09:17 -0500
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I believe the low fuel light activation is fuel flow turbulence near the
float switch. When fuel flow increases the flow is making the float bob
enough to flicker the light. I plan to level my wings more this weekend
to see if this goes away. My fuel caps seal well. My right tank feeds
first. Only after flow starts from the left wing tank does the light
flicker. Lowering the switch position might fix the problem or a
fiberglass shelf inside the sump during construction might fix the
problem. If leveling the wings actually makes flow from the left wing
occur earlier then the light should come on sooner and I'll probably
re-tap my hard point for one of the fuel inlets into the sump. My light
almost never comes on at low altitude but I am rarely flying level for
prolonged periods at low altitudes. I'm just playing.
Rene' Dugas 170 hours flying.
-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of John Dibble
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 9:05 AM
To: reflector@tvbf.org
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:First flight N14B - Low fuel light
Congratualtions on first flight! I'm not sure why, but putting fuel
resistant grease on the fuel cap o-rings (reducing/eliminating air
leaking into the fuel tank) stopped my low fuel light "problem". At
7500-11500 ft the low fuel light was on almost continuously and the fuel
in the tanks was uneven by 10-12 gallons. Below 6000 ft the fuel was
even and the light came on only intermittently.
On a related issue, I notice some paint on the inside of my fuel opening
(where the o-ring makes contact) is coming off. Maybe paint there is
not a good idea as it will end up in the fuel.
John
PUSHERPILOT@wmconnect.com wrote:
My Standard RG Velocity made its first flight yesterday with test pilot
Steve Murphree at the controls. The flight was great and Steve reports
that the airplane flies hands off. My "experimental" downdraft cooling
system with the NACA ducts in the top cowl worked well. It was a cool
day in Tucson with a high of only 90 and the temperatures were in the
normal range for a new engine. It only took me eleven years to
complete.
The low fuel light in the sump tank was flashing once in a while. This
was discussed on the reflector before but I can't recall what the cause
was.
Mel Bina
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I believe the low fuel light =
activation is
fuel flow turbulence near the float switch. When fuel flow =
increases the
flow is making the float bob enough to flicker the light. I plan =
to level
my wings more this weekend to see if this goes away. My fuel caps =
seal
well. My right tank feeds first. </span></font><font =
size=3D2
color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>On</span></font><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>ly after flow =
starts from
the left wing tank does the light flicker. Lowering the switch =
position
might fix the problem or a fiberglass shelf inside the sump during =
construction
might fix the problem. If leveling the wings actually makes flow =
from the
left wing occur earlier then the light should come on sooner and =
I’ll
probably re-tap my hard point for one of the fuel inlets into the =
sump.
My light almost never comes on at low altitude but I am rarely flying =
level for
prolonged periods at low altitudes. I’m just =
playing.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Rene’ Dugas 170 hours =
flying.</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D2 =
face=3DTahoma><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original =
Message-----<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> =
reflector-admin@tvbf.org
[mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org] <b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>On =
Behalf
Of </span></b>John Dibble<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, May 24, =
2004 9:05 AM<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> =
reflector@tvbf.org<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: =
REFLECTOR:First
flight N14B - Low fuel light</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 =
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 =
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>Congratualtions on first flight! I'm =
not sure
why, but putting fuel resistant grease on the fuel cap o-rings
(reducing/eliminating air leaking into the fuel tank) stopped my low =
fuel light
"problem". At 7500-11500 ft the low fuel light was on =
almost
continuously and the fuel in the tanks was uneven by 10-12 =
gallons. Below
6000 ft the fuel was even and the light came on only intermittently. =
<br>
On a related issue, I notice some paint on the inside of my fuel opening =
(where
the o-ring makes contact) is coming off. Maybe paint there is not =
a good
idea as it will end up in the fuel. </span></font></p>
<p style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>John </span></font></p>
<p style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>PUSHERPILOT@wmconnect.com wrote: =
</span></font></p>
<blockquote style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' TYPE=3DCITE>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>My Standard RG Velocity =
made its
first flight yesterday with test pilot Steve Murphree at the =
controls. The
flight was great and Steve reports that the airplane flies hands =
off. My
"experimental" downdraft cooling system with the NACA ducts in =
the
top cowl worked well. It was a cool day in Tucson with a high of =
only 90
and the temperatures were in the normal range for a new engine. It =
only
took me eleven years to complete.</span></font> </p>
<p style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The low fuel light in the sump tank was =
flashing once
in a while. This was discussed on the reflector before but I can't =
recall
what the cause was.</span></font> </p>
<p style=3D'margin-left:.5in'><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Mel Bina</span></font> <br>
</p>
</blockquote>
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