Rick6a
Well Known Member
An "affordable" heated pitot tube, this one from Wicks.
http://tinyurl.com/s8gdh
Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla'
http://tinyurl.com/s8gdh
Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla'
Van's Air Force
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Heated Pitot
- Thread starter Rick6a
- Start date
Davepar
Well Known Member
I see you put affordable in quotes. $425 I guess is affordable compared to $1k.
So are you using this unit? Anybody?
This is interesting from the description on the Wicks site: "Note: Not to be used in known icing conditions." I guess it can only be used in accidental icing conditions.
So are you using this unit? Anybody?
This is interesting from the description on the Wicks site: "Note: Not to be used in known icing conditions." I guess it can only be used in accidental icing conditions.
Davepar said:I see you put affordable in quotes. $425 I guess is affordable compared to $1k.
So are you using this unit? Anybody?
This is interesting from the description on the Wicks site: "Note: Not to be used in known icing conditions." I guess it can only be used in accidental icing conditions.
I just ordered this unit from Stein last week (should be here Monday). I was wondering about that curious line in the Wicks catalog also. It's not mentioned on Gretz's, ACS's or Stein's site. It makes absolutely no sense for a heated Pitot tube to not be able to handle ice as that is it's ONLY function in life. I thinks it's just CYA for Wicks.
When mine comes, I'll see if it says anything about that in the documentation and I'll send an e-mail to Gretz too.
I think it means kind of like not certified for known ice - sorta like the airframe designation. Obviously the RV is not a known ice airplane, but you could pick up ice in the pitot flying in visible moisture.
I guess they mean not for use on a "known ice" experimental. Is there one???
Thomas
-8 wings
I guess they mean not for use on a "known ice" experimental. Is there one???
Thomas
-8 wings
Yeah, I got mine from Stein too. I was a bit put-off by the disclaimer, but Stein said that's just a CYA from Gretz and that for our purposes it will be fine. It comes with it's own circuit board to regulate the heat and with the little annunciator light panel shown. The head is made fromsome type of composite. In our case the body had to be slightly massaged to make it fit into the pitot mast. Once seated in the mast, we found that the screw holes securing the pitot head to the mast did not line up perfectly with the holes in the mast. I have not yet tried to scew them in but I suspect the holes in the mast will have to be opened up judiciously to get proper seating on the screws in the head unit.
Cheers, Pete
Cheers, Pete
John,
Yes I believe we did get the correct mast. We ordered the chrome plated one. The mast is made up from aerodynamic Strut material which may not be that precise of a shape. The pitot head appears to be cast from some composite matrix that has thermo/electric properties. The anchor nuts for affixing the head into the mast are cast in place. The instructions mentioned that there could be a slight fitmentproblem and that the mast screw holes could be elongated to suit the fitting.
All in all, I still like the unit and anything is better than punching a hole through the spar cap IMHO
Cheers, Pete
Yes I believe we did get the correct mast. We ordered the chrome plated one. The mast is made up from aerodynamic Strut material which may not be that precise of a shape. The pitot head appears to be cast from some composite matrix that has thermo/electric properties. The anchor nuts for affixing the head into the mast are cast in place. The instructions mentioned that there could be a slight fitmentproblem and that the mast screw holes could be elongated to suit the fitting.
All in all, I still like the unit and anything is better than punching a hole through the spar cap IMHO
Cheers, Pete
Mustang said:
I just got mine and had to do a bit of sanding to get it to fit well. All told, I'm pretty happy with. It seems rugged and the automatic control is slick. The only thing I don't like is the warranty...something to the effect of "We tested it and it works so this warranty expires as soon as you plug into your aircraft." Okay, fine..I'll test it by plugging it into my car battery....sheesh. Kinda' bogus but then again I haven't heard anything but good things about Gretz's products so it's probably OK.
