Today's Message Index:
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1. 08:04 AM - Re: Pulsar-List Digest: 8 Msgs - 03/08/11 (Bob Hartunian)
2. 07:56 PM - My Houston visit (Tom Gibbons)
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| Subject: | Re: Pulsar-List Digest: 8 Msgs - 03/08/11 |
Brian;
I had similar issues and finally decided to pull the capacitance system and
install JC Whitney auto type float senders and one readout gage with
selector switch. Works great! Gage is damped so readings are smooth and
gradual. I don't care if tank reads full for some time as long as it does
read accurately as it reaches empty.
I think total cost for 2 senders and gage was around $70 USD.
Bob H
> From: Pulsar-List Digest Server <pulsar-list@matronics.com>
> Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2011 23:57:27 -0800
> To: Pulsar-List Digest List <pulsar-list-digest@matronics.com>
> Subject: Pulsar-List Digest: 8 Msgs - 03/08/11
>
> *
>
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> Pulsar-List Digest Archive
> ---
> Total Messages Posted Tue 03/08/11: 8
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Today's Message Index:
> ----------------------
>
> 1. 03:04 AM - Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Brian Anderson)
> 2. 05:13 AM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Rick
> Thomason)
> 3. 07:48 AM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Ray Wilhelm)
> 4. 09:22 AM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Larry
> Eubanks)
> 5. 12:40 PM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Brian
> Anderson)
> 6. 12:54 PM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (William
> Kulpa)
> 7. 01:50 PM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (Skip
> LaPolice)
> 8. 04:52 PM - Re: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls (William
> Kulpa)
>
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 1
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 03:04:34 AM PST US
> Subject: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
> From: Brian Anderson <briana@xtra.co.nz>
>
>
> Went flying today. First time in about 4 weeks. Little bit rusty so did a few
> circuits
> to get my brain into gear, then a trip around the local area, down the
> beach, climbed up to 4000ft to practice a few steep turns and stalls etc.
>
> I knew before heading out that one fuel gauge was stuck on full, so I dipped
> the
> tanks to check on the fuel load 18L in one tank and 28 in the other. On
> startup
> I noticed that actually both gauges were reading full. I've had this problem
> intermittently for a long time, but frequently the gauges seem to clear
> themselves
> after the taxi out or after flying for a bit.
>
> After flying for about 40 minutes the gauges were still on full so I decided
> to
> do a few unbalanced turns, a few slide-slips and a deal of yawing with rudder
> only to slosh the fuel about in an effort to clear the pickups. Nothing
> worked.
> I resigned myself to having to pull the wings and take out the capacitance
> pickups to investigate.
>
> I carried on up to 4000ft for some stalls. I just do some for fun
> occasionally,
> to make sure my feet push the rudder in the right direction mainly, and to see
> if I can minimise any height loss. Got a bit carried away experimenting and
> managed to drop the left wing for the first time ever. Normally, without fail,
> it is the right wing that drops. Recoveries were all fine. Tried some
> accelerated
> stalls in each direction - - hold a steady bank angle, power back, stick
> back as speed decays rapidly to maintain altitude, very tight turns - - and
> see
> what happens. I've done these before holding 30 deg bank, and every time the
> right wing drops, so while turning left the plane rolls out level. While
> turning
> right the right wing drops further, suddenly to 60deg. This time while turning
> left I had perhaps 40 deg of bank, and a small amount of power. Speed decaying
> rapidly, ASI passing through 40 knots, and suddenly the left wing dropped
> further. Surprised me, but thankfully my feet reacted correctly and the rudder
> instantly stopped the yaw.
>
> An aside - - - last time I went flying I experimented with the "impossible
> turn"
> that has been written about recently in the EAA magazine. Interesting result.
> The Pulsar has an amazing glide ratio, something like 13 or 14 to 1. I found
> that I could simulate an engine failure on takeoff, allow a few seconds to
> recognise
> it and stabilise the speed at 70 knots, then execute a 180 deg turn and
> do it with less than 300ft loss of height. Having tried a few times I am
> confident
> that provided I was at or above 500ft I could make the "impossible turn"
> in my Pulsar and get back on the airfield. I hope I never have to try.
>
> So, while contemplating pulling the wings I flew back to the local airfield.
> Glanced
> at the fuel gauge and Eureka ! they were both reading normally.
>
> I wonder what causes the problem. The capacitance pickups have a very small
> hole
> in the outer tube at the bottom bend just inside the tank end plates to allow
> the fuel level in the tube to follow the tank level. I wonder if this gets
> blocked.
> I think it doesn't help having fuel sitting there motionless for 4 weeks
> or more. I've never found any contaminants in the fuel or the tanks or filter,
> and never any water. Maybe it is the additives in the Mogas. Who knows.
> Anyhow,
> the solution, for the moment, seems to be to give the plane a good workout,
> and get that fuel really sloshing around, by doing some fully developed
> stalls.
> Helps get the pilot up to speed too.
>
> Brian
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 2
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 05:13:52 AM PST US
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
> From: Rick Thomason <rickyd54@gmail.com>
>
>
> Brian,
> Have you checked for loose ground connection? I think the gauges read full
> when
> there is a broken/faulty ground.
>
> On Mar 8, 2011, at 4:58 AM, Brian Anderson <briana@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
>
>>
>> Went flying today. First time in about 4 weeks. Little bit rusty so did a few
> circuits to get my brain into gear, then a trip around the local area, down
> the
> beach, climbed up to 4000ft to practice a few steep turns and stalls etc.
>>
>> I knew before heading out that one fuel gauge was stuck on full, so I dipped
> the tanks to check on the fuel load 18L in one tank and 28 in the other. On
> startup
> I noticed that actually both gauges were reading full. I've had this problem
> intermittently for a long time, but frequently the gauges seem to clear
> themselves
> after the taxi out or after flying for a bit.
>>
>> After flying for about 40 minutes the gauges were still on full so I decided
> to do a few unbalanced turns, a few slide-slips and a deal of yawing with
> rudder
> only to slosh the fuel about in an effort to clear the pickups. Nothing
> worked.
> I resigned myself to having to pull the wings and take out the capacitance
> pickups to investigate.
>>
>> I carried on up to 4000ft for some stalls. I just do some for fun
>> occasionally,
> to make sure my feet push the rudder in the right direction mainly, and to
> see if I can minimise any height loss. Got a bit carried away experimenting
> and
> managed to drop the left wing for the first time ever. Normally, without fail,
> it is the right wing that drops. Recoveries were all fine. Tried some
> accelerated
> stalls in each direction - - hold a steady bank angle, power back, stick
> back as speed decays rapidly to maintain altitude, very tight turns - - and
> see what happens. I've done these before holding 30 deg bank, and every time
> the
> right wing drops, so while turning left the plane rolls out level. While
> turning
> right the right wing drops further, suddenly to 60deg. This time while turning
> left I had perhaps 40 deg of bank, and a small amount of power. Speed decaying
> rapidly, ASI passing through 40 knots, and suddenly the left wing dropped
> further. Surprised me, but thankfully my feet reac!
>> ted correctly and the rudder instantly stopped the yaw.
>>
>> An aside - - - last time I went flying I experimented with the "impossible
>> turn"
> that has been written about recently in the EAA magazine. Interesting result.
> The Pulsar has an amazing glide ratio, something like 13 or 14 to 1. I found
> that I could simulate an engine failure on takeoff, allow a few seconds to
> recognise it and stabilise the speed at 70 knots, then execute a 180 deg turn
> and do it with less than 300ft loss of height. Having tried a few times I am
> confident
> that provided I was at or above 500ft I could make the "impossible turn"
> in my Pulsar and get back on the airfield. I hope I never have to try.
>>
>> So, while contemplating pulling the wings I flew back to the local airfield.
> Glanced at the fuel gauge and Eureka ! they were both reading normally.
>>
>> I wonder what causes the problem. The capacitance pickups have a very small
>> hole
> in the outer tube at the bottom bend just inside the tank end plates to allow
> the fuel level in the tube to follow the tank level. I wonder if this gets
> blocked. I think it doesn't help having fuel sitting there motionless for 4
> weeks
> or more. I've never found any contaminants in the fuel or the tanks or filter,
> and never any water. Maybe it is the additives in the Mogas. Who knows.
> Anyhow, the solution, for the moment, seems to be to give the plane a good
> workout,
> and get that fuel really sloshing around, by doing some fully developed
> stalls. Helps get the pilot up to speed too.
>>
>> Brian
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 3
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 07:48:50 AM PST US
> From: "Ray Wilhelm" <rwilhelm@dc.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
>
> Brian,
>
> I found the problem with mine was that the connection at the receptacle/
> plug was not good after 10 years.
>
> Ray Pulsar III/3300
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 4
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 09:22:08 AM PST US
> From: "Larry Eubanks" <leubanks@sunflower.com>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
>
> Brian
> My Princeton sender says that the presence of water or alcohol will act like
> a short between the brass inside tube and the aluminum outside tube. That
> will cause the guage to show full or in my case it also could not be
> calibrated.
> Larry
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 5
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 12:40:34 PM PST US
> From: Brian Anderson <briana@xtra.co.nz>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
> Mmmm. Could be that the connectors at the wing roots need a bit of a
> clean. They haven't been touched in years. The problem is intermittent,
> although worse than it has been in a while. I think I can get at the
> connectors from inside the fuselage without having to pull the wings.
>
> Thanks for all the suggestions.
>
> Brian
>
>
> On 9/03/2011, at 2:11 AM, Rick Thomason wrote:
>
>>
>> Brian,
>> Have you checked for loose ground connection? I think the gauges read
> full when there is a broken/faulty ground.
>>
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 6
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 12:54:57 PM PST US
> From: William Kulpa <kulpa@att.net>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
> If you're using standard Molex or similar connectors, try switching the con
> tacts out with gold plating.- You end up paying a small amount more for t
> he gold plating but they will also not corrode.
>
> Best Regards, Bill
> =0A
> =0ACell: 512-415-2991
> =0A
> =0AHome: 512-261-6375
>
> --- On Tue, 3/8/11, Brian Anderson <briana@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
>
> From: Brian Anderson <briana@xtra.co.nz>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
> Mmmm. Could be that the connectors at the wing roots need a bit of a clean.
> They haven't been touched in years. The problem is intermittent, although
> worse than it has been in a while. I think I can get at the connectors from
> inside the fuselage without having to pull the wings.
> Thanks for all the suggestions.
>
> Brian
>
> On 9/03/2011, at 2:11 AM, Rick Thomason wrote:
>
> Brian,
> Have you checked for loose ground connection? I think the gauges read full
> when there is a broken/faulty ground.
>
>
> -=======================
> ====================0A=0A
>
> ________________________________ Message 7
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 01:50:33 PM PST US
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
> From: Skip LaPolice <skipper144@juno.com>
>
>
> Bill
> Do you have names and distributors
> for connectors with gold contacts?
> Thanks much,
> Skip La Police
> Pulsar III
>
>
> ________________________________ Message 8
> _____________________________________
>
>
> Time: 04:52:01 PM PST US
> From: William Kulpa <kulpa@att.net>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
> I use Mouser, www.mouser.com as they are close and I can get parts overnigh
> t by ground.- You can also find them at Digi-Key, Newark and Allied.- T
> ry Mouser first as they have the better search capability, find the part yo
> u want then order from your favorite supplier.
>
> Best Regards, Bill
> =0A
> =0ACell: 512-415-2991
> =0A
> =0AHome: 512-261-6375
>
> --- On Tue, 3/8/11, Skip LaPolice <skipper144@juno.com> wrote:
>
> From: Skip LaPolice <skipper144@juno.com>
> Subject: Re: Pulsar-List: Capacitance fuel gauges - - - and stalls
>
>
> Bill
> Do you have names and distributors
> for connectors with gold contacts?
> Thanks much,
> Skip La Police
> Pulsar III
>
> le, List Admin.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 2
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| Subject: | My Houston visit |
Hey Pulsar Gang,
Go to the link below to see an article I did for our newsletter about my
recent trip to Houston to visit Jim Fillman and his wife Rhonda. Jim
took me up a couple of times in his beautiful Pulsar and we had such a
great time.
http://www.eaa54.org/Newsletters/54NewsletterMarch11.pdf
I want to thank Jim and Rhonda for putting me up all week with them and
I really charish your friendship, I had such a good time!
Also thanks again should go out to Pulsar designer Mark Brown for if it
were not for this wonderful aircraft I would not have met such wonderful
people as I have in the Pulsar group. Keep at it gang! I hope to get
some paint on mine this spring/early summer and up she goes I hope!
Tom Gibbons
Pulsar I with Jabiru 2200
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