Float sensors in tip tanks

[Captain Avgas]

I'm thinking about the possibility of installing the standard Vans supplied Stewart Warner float type sensors in my tip tanks as a way of ensuring that fuel is being transferred from the tip tanks to the main tanks.

However the tips will not have any fuel in them on most occasions and it occurs to me that the Stewart Warner type sensors may not like sitting in air for maybe months on end....ie they may corrode and become unserviceable.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.

[donahuedc]

Can't you just look at the gauges on the mains to see that they are getting fuller?

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Captain Avgas

I'm thinking about the possibility of installing the standard Vans supplied Stewart Warner float type sensors in my tip tanks as a way of ensuring that fuel is being transferred from the tip tanks to the main tanks.

However the tips will not have any fuel in them on most occasions and it occurs to me that the Stewart Warner type sensors may not like sitting in air for maybe months on end....ie they may corrode and become unserviceable.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.

Bob.. should not really be a problem.

When the same sender are used in cars they are often intalled on the top side of the tank. In this location they will be "dry" much more often than wet.
Even cars that have been left standing for a long while usually have functional fuel senders when "re-activiated".

I've only changed one auto fuel sender on my old cars, and it was because of sticking, not corrosion, and that Dodge van sender was mounted half way down the side of the tank.... YMMV

gil in Tucson

[Captain Avgas]

Originally Posted by donahuedc

Can't you just look at the gauges on the mains to see that they are getting fuller?

There's a logistical problem with that owing to the fact that the main tank float sensors don't register the top 20 litres or so of fuel.