wing tank (low) pressure test

[TimHicks]

From the Robert Lees School of Pressure testing.
I put a Schraeder valve on the fuel line and pumped it up with a bicycle pump.

[magman]

Re: wing tank (low) pressure test

Suggest you use a ASI to tell the pressure in the tank.

Doesn't take much to convert to scrap.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: wing tank (low) pressure test

I use the "condom trick" on my fuel system. Put the condom over the fill hole and then blow into the fuel line with the valve open. Close the valve and see of the tank holds air. You can see the condom inflate so there is no danger of damaging the tank. My main tank held air for well over a day and got some really interesting comments from the local "ramp rats".
You don't see someone blowing into a fuel line and a condom inflating on a cowl very often. Sure works great though.
Hank

Worst part was explaining to my wife why I was buying condoms. Those things are EXPENSIVE now!

[magman]

Re: wing tank (low) pressure test

I'm SURE there was a time you felt it was worth every cent!

I have seen someone pressurize a tank & assure there were no leaks.

While walking away after disconnecting pressure & venting the tank a "crumpling" sound was heard.

The tank was doing a slow implosion & crumpled up in a ball.

Those 172 tanks do strange things.

[Robert Lees]

Re: wing tank (low) pressure test

From the Robert Lees School of Pressure testing.
I put a Schraeder valve on the fuel line and pumped it up with a bicycle pump.

Thanks for the credit, Tim. It's 10 years ago this month I took my Tcraft off the road for its rebuild; welding in new tank fittings & pressure testing the tanks came within a month of that.

It's been over 5 years now (and over 500 hours) since G-EY got airworthy again...this year we went back to Switzerland to fly around the Alps in formation with a Supercub.

[Note to self: must do a Trip Report sometime]

When are you over here again?

Rob

[TimHicks]

Re: wing tank (low) pressure test

Hi Rob,
Great pictures. I can hardly wait for the trip report. I'm jealous that you get to do those kind of European adventures in your Taylorcraft.
I've been using your website as a resource on my recover project.
I have no immediate plans to travel to that side of the pond (I'm actually trying to limit my travel so that I can keep my nose to the grindstone on the TCraft project).
Tim