Show Posts - Charles Davis

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Topics - Charles Davis

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1
Hangar Flying / Project completion assistance
« on: June 04, 2007, 08:14:47 AM »
I'm in primer, the engine is hung.  Next I will do the wiring, avionics, fuel plumbing, and start the engine.

After that there are a lot of little things to do to finish and rig the controls and test fly.

I am getting so busy at work, and I don't want this to drag out longer.  I just don't want to loose momentum.

Is there a good builder assistance company in the midwest where I could take the plane and get help with the last 5% and with test flights?

2
Hangar Flying / O-320 to IO-320
« on: April 29, 2007, 10:30:06 AM »
I'm going to implement a Silverhawk EX fuel injection system to replace the carb on my O-320E2D.

Right now, I have a Marv Carb, and use a solenoid primer valve downstream of the Facet electric fuel pump to prime.

As I understand it, with EFI, you do not need a priming system.

Can anyone share with me the exact details of the changeover?  Specifically:

1. Do I need to implement any switch to activate the priming system on the Silverhawk, or is this automatic?
2. Which electric fuel pump(s) do you recommend?
3. Which mechanical fuel pump(s) do you recommend?
4. Does the Silverhawk use the same inlet ports as the priming harness on a carburated engine, or are these separate ports?
5. What is the size in the inlet you use to feed your EFI?

Thanks for any info you can share.

3
Hangar Flying / More about downdraft cooling
« on: April 22, 2007, 09:12:23 AM »
Currently, my plane still has the large NACA belly scoop used for updraft cooling.

I plan to convert to downdraft cooling with a plenum arrangement.

Now, what to do about feeding the carb and oil cooler?

I'd prefer to use the Hal Hunt Ram air box.  

A few questions:
1. Does everyone agree that the oil cooler should be mounted aft of the carb?  Or, has anyone mounted it close to the firewall?
2. Since the engine floats, I assume the Ram Air box is not connected to the firewall, but that the inlet "floats" inside the underbelly Naca inlet.
3. Does anyone have pics or can you share with me how you've configured your carb and oil cooler when using downdraft cooling?

One idea I had was to reduce the size of the belly Naca inlet and use it just to feed the carb and oil cooler.

Thanks for any guidance or pics if you have them.

4
Hangar Flying / Replacing firewall stainless steel
« on: April 20, 2007, 08:44:38 AM »
I'm thinking about a major reconfigure of my firewall.  To do this, I'd need to remove and replace the existing stainless steel, since I do not want a lot of patches or holes to nowhere.

Does anyone have any advice for removing the stainless and taking this back down to the fiberglass?

Thanks

5
Hangar Flying / cell phone tie in to intercom
« on: November 13, 2006, 08:52:06 AM »
I have a Sigtronics intercom, and was wondering if anyone had ever tied a cell phone jack into one of the passenger headset plug sets.

It would be convenient to be able to plug your cell phone into the headset to be able to make a quick call in flight, while still monitoring communications.

Is this as simple as it seems, or are there impedence matching problems?

6
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.

7
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.

8
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!

9
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!

10
Hangar Flying / Electronic Ign question
« on: August 04, 2006, 05:30:16 PM »
The electronic ussually replaces the non impulse coupled mag.  If you don't have an impulse coupled mag it probably doesn't matter.  Most people seem to fire them 'tops and bottoms' with the EI firing the bottoms and the mag firing the tops.  The EI puts out more voltage and seems to be better at keeping the plugs clean, and the bottom plugs tend to be the ones that need better cleaning.

11
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.

12
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?

13
Hangar Flying / Oil heat
« on: April 11, 2006, 08:21:28 AM »
Someone asked about our oil heat system.

I don't have any pics right now, but this description might help.

We went with downdraft cooling, so closed off the big naca scoop on the belly and put in two small naca scoops.  One feeds the carburator and the other blows direct into a big oil cooler mounted at an angle so the air goes in and then right out of the cowling.

A second oil cooler (we will use a small Honda motorcycle unit for this) is mounted in the hell hole.  We use a marine blower from West Marine
(Atwood model 1731-4, 3" duct, 2.7 amps, 145 cufm)
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/50052/0/0/blower/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0

This will blow through the oil cooler so we don't have to worry about over heating the blower.  It goes from there to a scat tube up to the pilots and GIB's feet, with the pipe necking down.

The blower recirculates the air, the thinking is that we can always get fresh air by opening a vent.

Everything is encased in a housing to contain the heat from the oil cooler, and it will be isolated such that it won't heat any of the structure.

That's the plan.  It's not done yet, but should be soon.  When it is, I'll put together a write up and make it available.

My brother, Mike, is the brains behind all this.  I just write the checks and ask lots of questions.

14
Hangar Flying / Dual Battery Single Alternator
« on: April 10, 2006, 09:09:31 AM »
Structural work on N138CM is complete.  

I'm trying to strike a balance between weight, cost, and redundancy.

I'm planning on the following avionics, instruments, electric:
>Efis/Lite Plus G4 with 2-axis autopilot
>2.5" steam gauge backups (t&b, airspeed, altimeter)
>vertical card compass
>clock
>VM1000 engine analyzer
>one Com with flip-flop
>Xpdr
>no vacuum pump
> one mag plus Rose electronic ignition
> Cheap GPS velcro'd on the headrest to keep the GIB amused, and that I could snag in an emergency.  
> hand held radio as a comm backup
> XM Satellite radio for entertainment.
>LED internal lighting
>Whelan strobe
>landing and taxi lights on wig-wag circuit

I'm thinking dual battery, single alternator.  The idea is that I could switch between Batt-A and Batt-B to ensure both batteries get used on a regular basis.  The non-primary battery would be charged from solar cells embedded on the nose access hatch.

This minimizes my weight after of the firewall, and moves as much weight up front as possible.

Has anyone else used this configuration, and do you know where I might find a schematic?

I hope to be flying later this year!

Thanks!

FYI, here are the specs:
LongEZ, 0-320 E2D 150HP, day/night vfr.
Roncz canard, Davenport nose, Long rudders, front brake cylinders, wortmann legs, Grove high perf brakes, Wilhelmson nose lift with AEX, electric speed brake, standard Rutan warning system, oil cooler heat system, downdraft cooling.

15
Hangar Flying / How readable is the EFIS-Lite from BMA?
« on: December 23, 2005, 03:43:21 PM »
OK, my eyes aren't what they used to be, and I need reading glasses now.

I was curious as to how readable is the small screen on the EFIS Lite from Blue Mountain Avionics?

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