REFLECTOR: Water in the ducts & firewall integrity

[Keith Hallsten]

The standard firewall penetration for light aircraft involves a SS fitting
and firesleeve.  See
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/Firewall_Penetration/firewall.html

Kits are available from http://www.epm-avcorp.com/tubeseal.html 

However, it's hard to install these right at the edge of the firewall and
get a gas-tight seal.  We would probably be better off if the ducts ended
just short of the firewall, and the firewall penetrations were done
separately.

Keith Hallsten


-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Scott Derrick
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 8:14 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Water in the ducts & firewall integrity

The problem I see with using RTV to seal the duct opening in the 
firewall as some have suggested is you have a huge mess to contend with 
if you need to access the duct.  Which I have on occasion.

Theres got to be a better way? Thats clean, neat, and fluid resistant.

Scott


Keith Hallsten wrote:

>Jeff,
>
>I installed the fiberfrax and SS sheet on the firewall today, and I intend
>to seal all around the perimeter of the SS with RTV (or something similar)
>to try to keep all liquids from contaminating the fiberfrax.
>
>I'm not a big fan of the duct arrangement in the Velocity, both from the
>wash water/rainwater/fuel leak point of view as well as the serious
>compromise to the integrity of the firewall.  I think I'll put in some
small
>drains, but I'll also make a serious attempt to seal up the ducts at the
>firewall, around the tubes and wire bundles.  It remains to be seen how
much
>success I'll have with that effort!
>
>Keith Hallsten, XLFG
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>Behalf Of Jeffrey Clough
>Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 12:50 AM
>To: reflector at awpi.com
>Subject: REFLECTOR: Water in the ducts....
>
>OK...I have read all the posts about water in the ducts.....There is a 
>BIG question I have: Perhaps y'all read my posts about filling my tanks 
>with green water and finding leaks all through my floor boards.......if 
>water collects in your ducts it could /*as easily */collect in the foam 
>of *YOUR* floor.......WHAT happens when it FREEZES?   Delamination? I 
>would expect so.....
>  I put heat lamps on my floor boards for a WEEK and tonight drilled 
>test holes and found WATER.(I finally found the source of my leak was a 
>vent line I had to put in to the right tank as a retrofit for the newer 
>sump tank and vent system...).....I finally drilled a HUNDRED holes 
>through the fuselage to let water out and it WAS coming out...of a LOT 
>of the holes...now I plan on letting the lights shine for some time 
>before sealing all of the holes AND putting holes in the ducts where I 
>can....I think it would be a GREAT idea to paint the area under your 
>ducts (before assembly) AND put drains in SEVERAL spots BEFORE glassing 
>the ducts in!!!!  Does this make anyone else sweat a little?     J 
>Clough      173 RG clamshell
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