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  #21  
Old 03-06-2020, 01:58 PM
Ralph Inkster Ralph Inkster is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Got mine at Cabella's, & it's replacement at Bass.
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built a few RVs, rebuilt a few more, hot rodded some, & maintained/updated a bunch more
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  #22  
Old 03-06-2020, 02:07 PM
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Sam Buchanan Sam Buchanan is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 4,301
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironflight View Post
Well....that really had nothing to do with the the original intent of the post, which was to point that you can siphon 16 gallons out of the tank before you have to drain the rest out the drain valve.

We can start a whole new thread on how to safely drain tanks if you’d like!

(BTW, yes - I had everything grounded with alligator-clip jumper wires, both when siphoning and when draining)
I just found it interesting that most any time there is a thread about fueling from a can that only 3-4 posts into the thread there are those saying we are about to blow ourselves up.......yet 18 posts into this thread and nobody had mentioned gasoline explosions with all the siphonin' and buckets and cans goin' on.......
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RV-6
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Last edited by Sam Buchanan : 03-06-2020 at 02:14 PM.
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  #23  
Old 03-06-2020, 04:49 PM
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RV6_flyer RV6_flyer is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NC25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000 View Post
Good point on the W&B. After 8 years flying I should probably do a new one to account for mods/additions done over the years.

Rather than siphoning out, is there any problem with just disconnecting the fuel line at the carburetor and turning on the auxiliary fuel pump just like we did when we tested fuel flow prior to Phase I? That seems lot easier, at least if the cowl is already off.
It is a LOT less work to fill the tanks for the re-weighing, weigh the airplane with max fuel, and then subtract the weight of fuel out from the calculations.
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Gary A. Sobek
NC25 RV-6
Flying
3,400+ hours
Where is N157GS
Building RV-8 S/N: 80012

To most people, the sky is the limit.
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  #24  
Old 03-06-2020, 05:11 PM
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rocketbob rocketbob is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: 8I3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RV6_flyer View Post
It is a LOT less work to fill the tanks for the re-weighing, weigh the airplane with max fuel, and then subtract the weight of fuel out from the calculations.
1. Do you know the *exact* arm of the fuel?
2. Do you know the *exact* density of fuel and its corresponding weight at the weighed temperature?

Without these two pieces of data, a significant error can occur.

Normally when emptying an airplane of fuel I use clean 5 gal. buckets with lids that I only use for this purpose.
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N9187P PA-24-260B Comanche, flying
N678X F1 Rocket, under const.
N244BJ RV-6 "victim of SNF tornado" 1200+ hrs, rebuilding
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  #25  
Old 03-06-2020, 05:49 PM
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RV6_flyer RV6_flyer is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocketbob View Post
1. Do you know the *exact* arm of the fuel?
2. Do you know the *exact* density of fuel and its corresponding weight at the weighed temperature?

Without these two pieces of data, a significant error can occur.

Normally when emptying an airplane of fuel I use clean 5 gal. buckets with lids that I only use for this purpose.
1. Yes. I measured / calculated it when I weighed the airplane the first time. Airplane was weighed empty with unusable fuel, fuel truck called while still on scales, airplane fuel to max capacity while still on the scales, additional scale readings taken and recorded.
2. Yes. They test the fuel at the local fuel farm every day and include the specific gravity. It is easy to borrow their equipment and test what is in the tank of the airplane. In actual experience, I have found the difference to be so small that it is irrelevant for calculations on an RV.
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Gary A. Sobek
NC25 RV-6
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Where is N157GS
Building RV-8 S/N: 80012

To most people, the sky is the limit.
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  #26  
Old 03-06-2020, 08:13 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocketbob View Post
1. Do you know the *exact* arm of the fuel?
2. Do you know the *exact* density of fuel and its corresponding weight at the weighed temperature?

Without these two pieces of data, a significant error can occur.

Normally when emptying an airplane of fuel I use clean 5 gal. buckets with lids that I only use for this purpose.
I would also add, do you know the exact amount of fuel in the tanks?

Van's lists the fuel capacity of the -9 as 18 gallons a side. However, since my -9 is a taildragger, it holds more like 19 gallons a side. The reason is the fuel cap is perfectly horizontal when the tail is down. When I raise the tail to level the plane, the fuel cap position moves relative to the horizon and it won't hold that extra gallon of fuel.
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RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
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SC86 - Easley, SC
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  #27  
Old 03-06-2020, 10:30 PM
NinerBikes NinerBikes is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Granada Hills
Posts: 820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
I had to fix a leak once and two times had contaminated/low octane fuel.
How do you determine you have low octane fuel? Pinging, detonation, or ???
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  #28  
Old 03-07-2020, 09:02 AM
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jcaplins jcaplins is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Davis, CA, USA
Posts: 540
Default about the same for a -7

I've done the same thing with my -7 several times. (for fixing a leak, and calibrating capacitive sensors)

The results were about the same.... Can siphon all but about 4 gallons.
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RV7 N76CX
(started: Feb 2002 --> Completed: May 2016)
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  #29  
Old 03-07-2020, 12:26 PM
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RV6_flyer RV6_flyer is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NC25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N941WR View Post
I would also add, do you know the exact amount of fuel in the tanks?

Van's lists the fuel capacity of the -9 as 18 gallons a side. However, since my -9 is a taildragger, it holds more like 19 gallons a side. The reason is the fuel cap is perfectly horizontal when the tail is down. When I raise the tail to level the plane, the fuel cap position moves relative to the horizon and it won't hold that extra gallon of fuel.
That was part of the process of building the airplane. Airplane was assembled and fuel measured as it was added to one tank. System was then primed, hose removed from carb, airplane placed in level flight attitude, and fuel pump ran till it started sucking air. Fuel measured was then subtracted from the fuel added to the tank to determine unusable fuel in one tank. Repeat for other tank.
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Gary A. Sobek
NC25 RV-6
Flying
3,400+ hours
Where is N157GS
Building RV-8 S/N: 80012

To most people, the sky is the limit.
To those who love aviation, the sky is home.
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  #30  
Old 03-13-2020, 12:15 PM
Berchmans Berchmans is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 457
Default Fly is an option

I had a leaky rivet in my tank one time...took it up and flew it until there was only about 2 gallons in the tank, took out drain and ran it into a gas can...and yep, I grounded it while draining.
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Flying RV 8
Anchorage, Alaska
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