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SMOKE SYSTEM

craig.roser

Active Member
I spent my career in the fluid power industry. Hydraulics. Pneumatics. Electronics. Systems. I will like build my smoke system for my new to me RV8 from scratch.

At issue is injector and orifice location. Who has drilled a hole and who has come in from the end of the exhaust? Who has put two injectors in?

At issue is best practice. What do you love about your system?

At issue is continuous improvement. What would you change if you could do it over?
 
Follow History

More injectors = More smoke. The higher up the exhaust, the better vaporization, which means less belly residue. I drilled and installed mine about 12" up from the end and wish I would have gone 12" from the cylinder. I have 2 nozzles in my 4 pipe system, and I'm going to 4 nozzles to help eliminate "puffing". If you have exhaust with a "Y" joint, put the injector just below the "Y". Spray nozzles are easy to make, but several pre-mades are available. You will definitely want them removable for cleaning. I cant imagine trying to come in from the end..no need to restrict the exhaust or figure out the dynamics of that. Tank and pump will be easy, plenty of data on VAF for that. I'm sure one of the experts/system builders will chime in. SMOKE is the BOMB! Should be on every plane!
 
SMOKE is the BOMB! Should be on every plane!

You bet... and Earth’s population is looking forward to breathing that additional free for all pollution source in :(
 
You bet... and Earth’s population is looking forward to breathing that additional free for all pollution source in :(

I was on the fence about adding smoke to my build. This response just shoved me to the other side. I’m definitely adding it now!
 
Me three....

Great idea.
I plan to put smoke on my -9A at some point.:)

Time for me to add one too. I am already putting on on the S-21 under build.
Follow the science, "they" say. One private jet departing Zurich leave more smoke than all the RV single engine 30 second bursts in the world.
 
When I bought my -9A, the previous owner had installed a Smoke System Helper smoke system. Nice unit! He found it useful for the formation flying he was doing, and mentioned that it also left little doubt about where was was in a crowded pattern. The tank fits perfectly right behind the passenger seat, takes up no room in the actual baggage compartment. Sadly, he took it out before I bought it. The good news is...he sold it to me at a great price, and all the wiring, switching, injector placement, and the firewall penetration with flare fittings is done. Bad news is...I actually have to install it.
 
Guys, my post above is not intended to be provocative... I’m the first one to love the sight of a smoke trailing RV, the more so if engaged in airshow flying :cool:

The remark is just food for thought... for some.
 
Just about all the RV's at our airport have smoke. Of course the threat of locking any RV owner in the plastic blue porta johns if they don't install smoke might be a factor.

We do use them regular for formation, but just yesterday coming in to land solo Tower called me out to another plane as traffic. 2 seconds of smoke made it real clear where I was. Much better than strobes.
 
4 nozzles, 3 within 8" of the cylinders except #4 which is about 14" to keep it downstream of my O2 sensor.

No needle valve, nozzles are sized to flow approx .20 gallons a minute each @ 80psi.

VERY little on the belly, although that may be because my pipes are still a little long.

Great smoke. 👍
 
Here’s my smoke system

Maybe taking a look at my smoke setup will help with your designs..

System actually delivers 1GPM of smoke fluid., nice clean smoke cut off. No oil on belly... and can make the runway at B16 below takeoff min’s ... Also has generated 911 calls from the autos on the NYS Thurway when they see and report... “ Aircraft in Distress” .. and then I disappear behind the tree line, still trailing smoke... and land at B16.. woops...

Enjoy.. Be safe

Al
 
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