What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Fuel vent location?

bret

Well Known Member
Finished the wing paint and want to get all the little things finished, looking for suggestions for the tank vent location, I have seen others install the vent closer to the drain but I was thinking of this location, any suggestions?
DSC02745.jpg
 
Aww, good point, these vents have a screen on the ram air side, and a smaller opening on the back, in the event of ice or bug blockage they will still vent. Even tho I did complete 90% of my IFR training, ( had a family and had to postpone) I am going to stick to a good set of rules that one posted on here, no need to fly into IMC or known icing conditions, no flight ( for me ) is so important that I need to be any where that soon. My (plan) for this machine is day night VFR, Bad weather, stay home. O shoot, no night flight, OK maybe touch and goes......
 
That looks like a dandy way to drain off fuel if you park somewhere with a wing down and tanks near full (or less, depending on slope). That's why Van's has us go to the trouble off routing the drain into the fuse where a big whoop-t-do trap can be located.

John Siebold
 
Finished the wing paint and want to get all the little things finished, looking for suggestions for the tank vent location, I have seen others install the vent closer to the drain but I was thinking of this location, any suggestions?

I think the Harmon Rocket guys do it this way and I don't recall any complaints from them.
 
If you are going to vent near the wing you are better off using a naca type vent like the big iron, preferably slightly aft of the spar. No need for heat to prevent icing, less drag, and you can use very small holes to keep critters out.

Mine is going to be attached to the bottom of the wing intersection fairing.
 
Yes I have looked at where the vent in the tank is located, past 90% full, the vent tube is under the fule level, bad design in my eyes, but in any case of vent location, when the fuel expands, where is it going to go, is there enough volume in the fuse vent routing to accomidate this or is it still going to vent, just trying to figure this out,(havent got the fulse kit yet)
 
Works great

I have done this in my 7, and. Know others as well have. It works,never had any drain out inany situation.
 
It's worked very well (so far) in that position on our new RV-3....well, it is probably about 3 or 4 inches aft of where you have it, but the coils have worked well.

Paul
 
Easy solution

Hi Bret,

Thanks for buying the vents!!!! They are great looking and provide an alternate source of air as you noted.

After you have set up your wing root fairing, remove and rivet a plate to the lip of the wing at the location you want the fairing. Drill the hole in the plate.(About mid way between the edge of the wing and the fuselage side.) Reinstall your wing root fairing fastening the bottom only. Mark the hole location. Remove the fairing and drill the hole. Fit a shim between the plate and the fairing. (The thickness of the bottom wing skin) Test fit everything. Remove the vent and fairing until final assembly.

When you are done putting the plane together before flight, mount the fairing on the bottom first and install the vent accessing from the top. After getting the vent mounted complete the fastening of the fairing on the top of the wing.

Super clean install without the complication of bending the vent tubing in the fuselage.
 
Last edited:
Hi Bret,

Thanks for buying the vents!!!! They are great looking and provide an alternate source of air as you noted.

After you have set up your wing root fairing, remove and rivet a plate to the lip of the wing at the location you want the fairing. Drill the hole in the plate.(About mid way between the edge of the wing and the fuselage side.) Reinstall your wing root fairing fastening the bottom only. Mark the hole location. Remove the fairing and drill the hole. Fit a shim between the plate and the fairing. (The thickness of the bottom wing skin) Test fit everything. Remove the vent and fairing until final assembly.

When you are done putting the plane together before flight, mount the fairing on the bottom first and install the vent accessing from the top. After getting the vent mounted complete the fastening of the fairing on the top of the wing.

Super clean install without the complication of bending the vent tubing in the fuselage.

Hey Thanks for the vents and they are very nice. Thanks for the instructions, that all makes sense now.
 
Inverted?

Bret, my thanks for the vent purchase also.

I'm planning on using the coils and vents similar to yours. But I'm doing inverted fuel/oil. My question is, is there any suction issues do to the low pressure while doing negative G's?

RV-7 SB finish kit
 
It looks from most of the photos that this vent is at the inboard end of the tank.

Seems like it'll work as well if it were at the outboard end, and you'd save the weight of the vent tube that runs inside the tank from root to tip. It would be out of the slip stream for slightly less drag, too.

Or am I missing something?

--- Oh, never mind. In the wing-low parked attitude, all the fuel could drain out.

Thanks,
Dave
 
Last edited:
Back
Top