garmin heated pitot problem

Once again, I should have read the directions before I cut. Garmin says the 3/16 AU tubes should be a minimum of 8 inches. Mine are about 6. Any ideas. Garmin says to flare the tube and add a fitting. My flaring tool only goes down to 1/4.

Almost finished!

Just an un informed observrer

I take no responsibility for this statement, but if it was me, I would be inclined to try it as is. I think the 8? is only a concern when you are using pitot heat. But that is just me. YMMV.

Steel

If you do decide to go with the 6? long tube and remain worried about the heat, you could use a stainless steel AN fitting which wouldn?t heat as quickly as the aluminum AN fitting.

Sorry I can?t help with the hose flare since I used a 3/16? to 1/4? push to connect adaptor to simply push on the metal and pitot tube hose.

I use high temp silicone rubber tubing rated to 450d to connect to the pitot lines, I think you would be fine with 6" tubes.
The GAP 26 has an Operating Temperature Range of -55° C to 240° C (464F) so I doubt the lines come even close to that temp.

Walt said:

I use high temp silicone rubber tubing rated to 450d to connect to the pitot lines, I think you would be fine with 6" tubes.
The GAP 26 has an Operating Temperature Range of -55° C to 240° C (464F) so I doubt the lines come even close to that temp.

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I am just disappointed my tubes are Aluminum instead of Aurum.

caapt said:

Once again, I should have read the directions before I cut. Garmin says the 3/16 AU tubes should be a minimum of 8 inches. Mine are about 6. Any ideas. Garmin says to flare the tube and add a fitting.

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Hello caapt,

Just a note that the manual says:
"For heated probe installations where the installer desires to shorten the provided aluminum tubing, a minimum of 8 inches of aluminum tubing should remain between the probe and any transition to non-metallic tubing to protect the non-metallic tubing from excessive heat.".

If you are transitioning to non-metallic tubing, there is certainly no problem with flaring the tubes and adding a few inches of aluminum tubing back before transitioning to non-metallic tubing.

Thanks,
Steve

I was firing up my GAP 26 heated pitot (plain heated, no controller) on the test bench to test the heating elements. After having it on for 20 minutes I could still grab the tubes at 6" no problem. It only got really hot within 1.5" of the pitot body. The pitot body was too hot to touch.

Careful

kiljoy said:

I was firing up my GAP 26 heated pitot (plain heated, no controller) on the test bench to test the heating elements. After having it on for 20 minutes I could still grab the tubes at 6" no problem. It only got really hot within 1.5" of the pitot body. The pitot body was too hot to touch.

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I am not saying you?re doing damage to the pitot, but be aware that on army aircraft we have cautions in the operators manual that the pitot should not be run more than 5 minutes on the ground due to a risk of burning out the heating element from excessive heat. The pitot?s are generally designed to keep the tube above 32F with cooling air flowing over the heated element. Allowing them to get too hot due to lack of airflow can cause damage. But I don?t know the details or risk associated with the garmin components, just the heated pitot tubes on army aircraft. I can?t imagine though that the GAP26 is much different.

Unless...

Unless you are using the Regulated GAP 26 Pitot...