I see. I forgot about the stainless vent tube (I haven't got to that
stage yet). Mine is an XS, and the vent still goes to the top of the
fuselage.
So if the that piece of metal tube is a weak link, why not just
replace it with a rigid plastic tube?
On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 7:59 PM, GRAHAM SINGLETON
<grahamsingleton@btinternet.com> wrote:
> I knew the owners of one of the fire victims (aircraft wsant written off) I
> think the static discharge was
> between the metal tank breather on top of the Classic feselage and the metal
> funnel used to fill the tank.
> The air rushes up the breather plastic tube and carries droplets in it
> picking up static charge on the way.
> The discharge near the end of the filling cycle was to the metal funnel,
> earthed by the man's hand.
> It was a dry hot day and aircraft had flown two hours.
> I always recommend breath tube is bigger, 3/8" aluminum and grounded.
> Touching it with a hand will help.
> Graham
> The tank can be filled quicker with the bigger breather.
> For the XS breather goes into the top of the cobra with a separate breather
> higher up, fuel splatter goes
> back into the tank.
>
> ________________________________
> From: Andrew Sarangan <asarangan@gmail.com>
> To: Europa List <europa-list@matronics.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, 18 December 2013, 23:52
> Subject: Europa-List: Static in fuel system
>
>
> I hate to revive this discussion once again, but I am still trying to
> figure out the static discharge mechanisms in the Europa fuel system.
> I recall at least two Europas that were consumed by static induced
> fuel fire. Was there any final report regarding these incidents, so
> that we can learn from these?
>
> Europa's fuel tank and the cobra inlet are nonconductive plastic. Even
> the filler neck is non conductive (at first I thought this was
> aluminum, but I verified that it was actually an insulator). I suppose
> a brush-like discharge is possible from highly charged nonconductive
> surfaces, but I doubt we can pour fuel into this aircraft at rates
> that will induces such high charge densities.
>
> The other possibility is a discharge between the person and the
> fuselage due to charge generated during flight due to air flow. But
> again, this would be more like a brush discharge than a spark, and
> would have to occur immediately after landing.
>
> Most of the static discharge accidents I have read about have occurred
> when the person touches the metal fuel nozzle.
>
> I guess my question is, since there are no metal parts in the Europa
> fueling system upstream of the tank, where does this spark; http:
> -Mat Use ropa-List"
> target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List>
> http://foru=====================
>
>
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