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RE: sight gauge vent

Subject: RE: sight gauge vent
From: Alan Stewart <alan.stewart@blueyonder.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:30:04

Hi Roddy,

I have to concur with any proposed modification to the position of the
standard sight guage.

In my aircraft, put simply, it doesn't work and is completely useless.

Readings are erratic. Often it shows no fuel at all.

Alan
  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-europa@aztec.houxou.com
  Subject: sight gauge vent


  I would like to open up for discussion another issue relating to the fuel
  vents. I believe that it will be better to vent the sight gauge to the top
of
  the tank rather than to an external vent.

  My reasoning is this:

  The height of the liquid in the sight glass is dependent on the pressure
at
  the base, and the pressure at the top of the column of fuel. It will only
  show the correct height if the pressure at the top of the fuel in the
sight
  gauge is the same as the pressure above the fuel in the tank (oh, and of
  course if the plane is level..)  If the top of the sight glass is vented
to
  the airflow, the pressure at the top of the column will not be the same as
  the top of the tank when either the speed of the aircraft changes, or the
  external pressure changes due to rapid climb or descent. This is due to
the
  large volume of air above a partly full tank taking some time equalise
with a
  different pressure at the vent 'pitot' head.

  I intend to vent to top of the sight gauge to a connector on the polythene
  part of the filler tube, which is always going to be at the same pressure
as
  the top of the tank.

  Am I right in this thinking ? I also think that the only sensible place
for
  the sight tube is as close to the tank as possible - level with the back
of
  the seat. Not so easy to see but far less susceptible to errors due to
pitch
  changes.

  Thanks also for all the comments about seat foam; very useful.

  Roddy Kesterton #220



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