Fuel sender install on quick-build wings

Hi folks,

Thought I saw this in the forums, but couldn't find. For installing the fuel senders into the quick-build wing fuel tanks... I can't see how to confirm the wire is bent properly and the float action is not interfering without taking apart the whole thing. Even with taking the tank off, it looks like I would have to remove the riveted T1002 rear baffle to still see the float action, which I really don't want to have to do...

Have others just installed the float per directions and not worried about it? Have I missed something obvious?

Thanks!
Dwight

I checked swing with my fuel tanks off of the wing. One direction could be inspected with just a flashlight but I used a borescope to see the other. The frustrating thing about it is that lateral play would sometimes land the float on the stiffener and sometimes it would miss on consecutive tests. This is an excerpt from my Wing Log web page:

"The fuel senders will hit the bottom stiffener and the top vent line on the first try. I had to bend mine at least 0.5" forward. Note that the left sender float points forward and the right sender float points aft. That was not clear from the drawings. The fuel tanks should be off of the wing for this step so you can inspect the float position top and bottom by flipping the tank over. Bottom is observed by shining a light through the drain hole and looking in the pick up hole. Top is best observed by using a borescope. Check for full swing of the sender by putting an ohm meter across the sender while you flip the tank over. "

Mike Andresen
www.azcloudflyer.com

Dwight

Remember that the float clips on to the float rod and can be cliped on in either direction. One way will interfere with the stiffeners (requiring extra bending) installing in the other direction gives you free clearance.
I had my sender/plate/cover on and off at least 10 times. As Mike said, break out the ohm meter early it will come in handy. Oh, and I did not remove my tanks from the wing structure to install the senders.
regards

ohm meter

I didnt try to look inside. I used an Ohm meter to check if the float was bottoming out at the top and the bottom.. by memory I think one reading was 45 ohms and the other was ?? I forget I think 175 ohm? look it up on the installation sheet. check it one way and then turn the wing over and check it the other way. if the readings are correct then the floats are maxing out and not sticking. do this before you seal it up.

Make a cover (mounting plate) out of plexi, and with your uni-bit, drill a few holes in it so you can reach in there with a probe and lift the arm to check throw and ohm reading. With a flashlight you can see what's going on. You don't want the float to touch the bottom or the top of the tank.

When your done, just replace the mounting plate with the kit one.........

I knew there had to be some advantage to building my own wings!!

Thanks!

Thanks all, good ideas. Much more involved than I thought, but better than taking it all apart.

Love this site,
Dwight

I store my wings vertically (leading edge down), so I installed them, and rocked them back and forth to get the ohm meter readings. You can hear the float hit each direction.
John

Vertical install- John

John,

I'm in the same position. Didn't the float and arm swivel around too much to do it vertically? I'll give it a try, just having trouble seeing this step in my head...

Dwight

Space Cadet said:

John,

I'm in the same position. Didn't the float and arm swivel around too much to do it vertically? I'll give it a try, just having trouble seeing this step in my head...

Dwight

Click to expand...

Dwight,
My wing stand has the spars resting on wood, and the leading edges rest in some carpet scraps like a sling. It only takes a 3/4" piece of wood to lift one side of each spar to hear the clunk.
John

I wasn't clear in the question...

johngoodman said:

Dwight,
My wing stand has the spars resting on wood, and the leading edges rest in some carpet scraps like a sling. It only takes a 3/4" piece of wood to lift one side of each spar to hear the clunk.
John

Click to expand...

John- Yes, have similar. What I was meaning though is the weight of the float swivels the float/wire assembly to the wrong position (vertical), when you want it to be horizontal. When you heard the "clunk", how did you know it was the top and bottom of the tank, not the vent tube or internal tank stiffeners/ribs, etc? Did you tape the float wire into position to keep it from swiveling in the potentiometer to vertical? Seems like the potentiometer could still show full movement even with the float hung up on something inside...

Hope that makes it clearer...
Dwight

Nevermind, I see it now...

I see my mistake now- missing the 90-deg crook on the end that fits into the slot to keep it all from rotating. That makes more sense now! Another "duh" moment. Thanks all, just have to order a new wire to start again.

Dwight

Me Too

Space Cadet said:

I see my mistake now- missing the 90-deg crook on the end that fits into the slot to keep it all from rotating. That makes more sense now! Another "duh" moment. Thanks all, just have to order a new wire to start again.

Click to expand...

Dwight,

I missed it too (on my first -8A tank). I'm sure neither of us will miss it on the other tank

Please let me know any Van's ordering information you turn up for a new wire. Or is it something to fabricate with a hardware store rod or wire?

Thanks,
Joe

The Ohm test is a good one as well. If you had your guage handy to double check, the 32 Ford I just did has a sender issue. I cant say wether the float rod came out, or the sender is faulty, all well grounded, switched guages nothing changed. I have to lift the bed floor out to get to the sender. Ton of work to tear that all down.The way the car was designed. I never had to test the float for continutiy before, but after this issue, I will always check the guage and float working before I assemble more of the project, be it car or plane.

Ordered Wire

Joe said:

Please let me know any Van's ordering information you turn up for a new wire. Or is it something to fabricate with a hardware store rod or wire?

Click to expand...

Joe, I just ordered it direct from a distributor of Stewart Warner. Didn't even bother to try Vans, figured they just sell the whole boxed set. Course the wire cost less than the shipping

Probably could have made something myself, but since it was immersed in the tank for good (hopefully), didn't want to take a chance for a few bucks.

Ken- Agree the Ohm test is a good one. Thanks to the forum for that!

Dwight