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Messages - Charles Davis

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46
Hangar Flying / Fuel system question
« on: September 08, 2006, 06:45:10 PM »
My question has to do with how to route the fuel lines aft of the firewall.  I can't follow the Rutan plans exactly because of how we've mounted the oil cooler, carb intake, and I have an electronic ignition coil pack to accomodate.

Here is what I have:
I've mounted the electric fuel pump close to the gascolator (since they blow well but do not suck well).

From the point the fuel line leaves the gascolator, it goes to the electric fuel pump, then through a flow-Ez fuel filter, and then to a fuel manifold that distributes to the solenoid primer valve, the mechanical fuel pump (via a flow meter), and has a fitting for the fuel pressure gauge.  Nothing in this system is above the lower engine mount line (except the primer hoses).

My question is this:
From the point the hose leaves the gascolator, is it important that the hose always moves "up hill".  That is, that the hose never dips at all.

I've heard that dips can cause bubbles to get trapped in the "high" parts of the system and cause problems.  Is this a myth, or a rule that I should adhere strictly to?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.


FYI Status of N138CM:
Engine/engine hardware is mounted.  Most electrical/electronic hardware is mounted.  I have everything to complete the plane (ie: no more big checks to write!).  Once the fuel system is in, I start pulling wires.  We still hope for a first flight in Dec this year.

47
Hangar Flying / This forum is becoming useless
« on: September 03, 2006, 08:45:58 PM »
Seriously, if you can't control the spam and vulgar ads, you might as well shut this site down and we'll all move over to Canard Zone.

This forum area is becoming a useless embarassment.

48
Hangar Flying / NPT->AN
« on: August 24, 2006, 10:00:22 AM »
Yes, that helps a lot!

Very confusing when it first hits you!

Thanks for the reply.

49
Hangar Flying / Flow Ezy Fuel Filter... NPT fitting question
« on: August 21, 2006, 05:44:10 PM »
I ordered a Flow Ezy fuel filter from AC Spruce with 3/8" NPT thread size.

When it arrives, the holes measure about .565 and a 3/8" AN fitting is way too small.  I assume AC spruce sent me a 1/2 fitting, so I call.  They say, no, you need an adapter.

Wanting to avoid an adapter, I get an RMA and order direct from the factory, a 4ILA-03-25-F3-B to be exact; should be a 3/8" fitting.

It arrives: same thing!

What gives?  Do I need to order a 1/4" fitting to get a 3/8 NPT?  :)

Thanks for any insight!

50
Hangar Flying / routing for engine sensors
« on: August 12, 2006, 09:50:22 AM »
Even though the engine sensor wires are shielded, is it a good idea to route the sensor wires though a different firewall hole than the +12V wires (start relay, electronic ignition, etc).

Is it also a good idea to not run the sensor wires close to the fuel pump?

Thanks!

51
Hangar Flying / Plane in SD
« on: August 06, 2006, 06:34:50 PM »
I looked at the plane from 100 ft away, turned and got in my car and left.  Of course Allen could not have known this as he did not see the plane until after he paid his deposit.

The seller contacted me a couple of times about the plane and seemed anxious to find a buyer.  It has been on the market for a long time, and likely will be, so I don't see how the seller was hurt by "taking it off the market."

There are two sides to every story, but Allen seemed very credible and conscientious.

There are some really good used EZ's out there at a very fair price.  I hope Allen finds one.

52
Hangar Flying / Plane
« on: August 02, 2006, 11:21:35 AM »
Allen,

Thank you for taking the time to document your experiences.

You did the right thing by walking away, as hard as that must have been.

Sorry for your bad experience.

I'd highly recommend contacting David Orr if you want to purchase a flying EZ.  

Thanks again for your frank and complete statement of the facts.

53
Hangar Flying / oil heat
« on: July 26, 2006, 04:00:38 PM »
Consider constructing an insulated heat exchanger in the hell hole.  Use a marine bilge pump blower to force the air through the oil cooler and into the nose via scat tubing.  


This should save some weight, saves having to run oil lines all the way to the nose, and saves having "old" oil in the lines after changing your oil.

54
Hangar Flying / B&C Starter Install
« on: July 24, 2006, 12:30:47 PM »
Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Here is an email I received from B&C.

BTW: I have a B&C starter, alternator, and spin on oil filter adapter.  This is all extremely well built equipment.  Their tech support, service, and customer relations are also top notch.  I highly recommend this company.



From B&C Regarding Starter Installation:

You do need to use a starter relay (solenoid) with a B&C starter. The solenoid on the starter is used for pinion extension and closing the motor contacts. There are two parallel coils in the solenoid, which are both energized during the pinion extension process. The inrush current of these two coils is on the order of 30 Amps and will damage any pushbutton or key-switch.

 

There are also a couple of other good reasons for including the relay: One, if you don’t use a starter relay and the solenoid on the starter sticks, the starter will run-on after the push button or key switch is released, and two, if a starter relay is not used, the starter cable is “hot” all of the time, not just during cranking. If you were to have an unexpected landing incident, you would have a large gage, unprotected, “hot”, conductor in the engine compartment to generate electrical arcs around possible oil or fuel spills.

You’ll notice when you see your starter that there is a short jumper between starter input post and a blade contact for the solenoid. The solenoid does not require a ground on this post, but rather power to be energized. The solenoid coils are grounded internally. When the starter relay applies power to the starter, the solenoid is energized through this jumper.

I recommend using the relay.

Tim Hedding

55
Hangar Flying / B&C starter question
« on: July 22, 2006, 04:33:53 PM »
Stupid question, but the starter is miles away and there is some ambiguity here.

I'm building a NEW Long EZ, so I can wire it any way I want.

Some information I have is that the B&C Lycoming starter has a starter solenoid built in, so I have to do is run a #4 +12V to the starter and wire the start spring loaded switch to it.

Other information shows I need a separate starter solenoid mounted on the firewall.

Thanks for the help.  I hope to have our first flight this Dec.

56
Hangar Flying / Control springs
« on: July 14, 2006, 06:07:29 AM »
As long as you are in there, have you considered converting to push-pull cables instead of the spring system?

57
Hangar Flying / Ken Brock Mfg
« on: June 02, 2006, 11:36:56 AM »
Just curious if anyone could confirm that Ken Brock Mfg. is no longer in business.

Does anyone know why they got out of the market?

Is there an alternate source for EZ parts?

58
Hangar Flying / Transition
« on: April 27, 2006, 09:01:15 AM »
I don't have much time in an EZ, but here are my suggestions:
1. Follow the Rutan suggestions; time in at least two different planes in the months leading up to your flight.  I understand the Grumman Tiger mimicks the LongEZ pretty well.
2. I recommend X-Plane flight simulator over MS.  It has a good LongEZ model available that you can tailor for your weight and HP.
3. The Long EZ is a remarkably well behaved airplane.  Once you get the hang of it, it is no more difficult to fly than a C-172.

The EZ are pitch sensitive compared to Cessna's.

On takeoff, make sure you do not over-rotate.  Keep the canard below the horizon!

During taxi tests, practice raising the nose and just holding it there.

On landing, don't flare like you do a regular airplane.  Start the flare, and then ease (fly) the nosewheel onto the ground.

The EZ is aerodynamically very clean.  Precise airspeed control on landing is critical.  If you are only 5mph or so fast on landing, you will take a lot more runway!

An EZ won't stall, but don't let that make you complacent.  They will achieve a very high rate of sink if you are too slow.

Hope this helps.  Have fun.  Fly safely.

59
Hangar Flying / options
« on: April 16, 2006, 08:53:54 AM »
"Success is doing what you want.  And eating."

I just turned 48.  Having built a business from an initital $500 investment into a $700K+ per year company.  But I realized that money doesn't make you happy; quite a revelation for a kid who grew up poor.

I finally decided, damn the consequences and the pay cut, to semi-retire, and move from San Diego back to my hometown of Louisville.   I now just work out of the house with the love of my life and best friend, Kathy.  

Now I do tech support and technical writing; two things I really enjoy and am good at.   I have never been happier.  In fact, I never dreamed I could be so content and fulfilled.

You can't believe what a massive change in life that was; how much of a risk.  It felt like I was jumping out of a building with no parachute, hoping to catch one on the way down.  But sometimes you just have to take those risks.  If you always know the outcome, then it's not a risk.

When I got out of the Marines at age 21, I felt more like 61.  I was tired, burned out, and had no idea what to do with my life.

I had one thought that stuck with me, "For 21 years, people have been telling me what to do.  From now on, I'm going to do exactly what I want to do."  I pretty much stuck with that.  Granted, most people don't WANT to work 70+ hour weeks for 15 years to build a business, but that is what I wanted to do at the time.

You don't want to be stupid, but I have found that if you just do what you want, do things that really get you pumped about life, like you can't wait to jump out of bed in the morning, the world will conspire in your favor.  

So my advice is to follow your passion and bliss.  Do what makes you most happy.  Twenty years will go by in a blink.  Don't even try to play it safe (other than while flying!) because no one gets out of this thing alive.  Live it to the hilt on your own terms and you will have no regrets.

60
Hangar Flying / oil heat
« on: April 12, 2006, 10:29:26 AM »
The idea is to have a rheostat control the fan.  no fan, no heat flow from the exchanger to the toes.

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