REFLECTOR: Fuel venting issue

[Ron Brown]

I have had excellent fuel flows and venting on my 173.

I used 3/8" lines from the mains and the header tanks lines up to a couple 
of tees up high on the firewall.  Then there is a 3/8 line that runs all the 
way to the top of the fuselage then back down the firewall and out the 
bottom.  I also installed the factory recommended check valve in the left 
vent line coming from the tank.  I have never smelled fuel in the cabin.

My tanks stay equal on long flights - but this is very dependent on having 
fuel caps sealing well.  I put Vaseline or white lithium grease on the fuel 
cap O rings about every six months.  I did run my vent lines into the tank 
at the very top and made a run toward the filler cap.  I drilled several 
holes in this line inside the tank.  I also connected a ground wire from 
this vent line and it connects to the filler cap.  These vent lines are 
grounded through a 100 Kohm resistor to ship ground.  This reduces the 
amount of spark that would be generated if there was a static charge 
difference between the fuel hose and the filler caps.

Ronnie



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Staten" <Dastaten at earthlink.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel venting issue


>I will have to take another look at the plans, I dont recall us having
> our check valve set up in that manner.
> Thanks for the feedback.
>
> Dave
>
> Alex Balic wrote:
>
>>The check valve is located inside the plane and above the level of the 
>>fuel
>>in the tanks (right up at the roof- it T's into the vent system, so fi the
>>external vent fails, it will open and allow air into the tanks from the
>>cabin- but not let fuel/fumes out into the cabin.
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>>Behalf Of David Staten
>>Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2007 12:49 PM
>>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel venting issue
>>
>>If the check valve is on the same line that is theoretically blocked by
>>ice or mud, how is it able to prevent ANYTHING? An obstructed vent is an
>>obstructed vent.
>>
>>Dave
>>
>>Brett Ferrell wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>The check valve is actually there to prevent tank collapse should the
>>>vent line become blocked (by say a mud-dauber or ice accumulation).
>>>I've seen a 15,000 gallon steel tank collapse by a plugged vent, and
>>>it's not pretty...
>>>
>>>B
>>>
>>>Scott Derrick wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hmmm...
>>>>
>>>>{snip}
>>>>
>>>>Just recently  I noticed a one way valve had been added to the single
>>>>line running out of the block to prevent flow out of the vent line and
>>>>thus only allow air to flow in.   I don't have this one way valve and
>>>>wondered why I would need it?  I guess this scenario answers my 
>>>>question.
>>>>
>>>>{snip}
>>>>
>>>>Scott
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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