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prkaye

Well Known Member
I cut and bent my fuel sender wire, and have it fitting pretty well on average. But the wire will pivot about it's own axis inside that plastic guide on the fuel sender assembly that it passes through. Is this OK? I'm also concerned that there seems to be no way for the wire to be "locked" into position... I can simply pull it out of that plastic arm without much effort. Might it not wiggle-out during use?
 
You need to put a 90 degree bend in the end that doesn't have the float on it, about a quarter inch long. This fits into the plastic wiper arm and prevents the float arm from rotating. I don't know if this is in the plans but I think it is mentioned in the instructions that come with the float senders.

mcb
 
did you trim it too much?

that little bend that Matt mentioned is in the plans/drawing.. check it again -- you may not need a new wire..
 
I did it, too.

The 90 degree bend is easily missed. I got a replacement arm from Stewart-Warner for FREE in about a week. It took 2 phone calls and several hand-offs but I finally got to the right man at the factory down in Mexico. I started with the phone number on the S-W instructions or box. All that was 2 years ago.

... off camera....
"Topping the list of the final 10 builders of the Cheapest RV, er, lowest cost RV....."
Steve Fabiszak
 
Yeah i cut it too short. No worries, Vans has the replacement wires in their online store :)

I got the bends now, and it fits snugly. I have it almost perfectly positioned in the "empty" position, but it hits the top of the tank slightly before the "full" position. This is erring on the safe-side at least. Question: for fuel gauges like Dynon's (or others), can the gauge itself be calibrated to componsate for slightly different resitances on different fuel senders? I.e. can you fill the tank and then calibrate the gauge to read "full", and do the same for an empty tank?
 
Yes.. you have to calibrate 'em anyways to show correct values.. this applies to all manufactures, including Dynon..
 
Make 'em....

prkaye said:
Oh shoot... do you know if replacement wires are available?
Click to expand...

You can also make new ones out of extra hinge pin wire....you can guess how I know..... :rolleyes:
 
it'd be tough to get the curve that holds the float perfectly formed, wouldn't it?
I'd rather pay the $5 personally ;)
 
prkaye said:
it'd be tough to get the curve that holds the float perfectly formed, wouldn't it?
I'd rather pay the $5 personally ;)
Click to expand...

It wasn't the five bucks...it was the time it was going to take (at the time, fitting wings, etc...). I figured I'd take a stab at it, and it turned out easy. Bent it it a vice by wrapping it around a socket - turned out perfect (if it hadn't, I would have bought the correct part).

Paul
 
Hobby shop

If you don't have enough of the thin hinge pin wire it should be available at the local hobby shop...they use it for sprung steel gear on model airplanes...Have a look to see if they have an model RV's as well cus I don't know what to do with myself now I'm not flying..:)

Frank
 
Fuel Float Sticking?

I have Van's fuel gauges. The left tank seems to work fine, but the right tank always goes to full, but neither tank has ever had any fuel in it. I recently mounted my wings for good, they have been sitting on the rack with the sending units in place for a few years. I measured the resistance at the gauge wire (right tank) and sure enough it reads close to what is specified for a full tank. On the left tank it also reads consistant for the specified resistance of an empty tank.

Before I dig into that pro seal I thought I would see if anyone else has had this happen and maybe there is an easier fix. It has been a few years since I bent the wires etc. but looking at the drawings I don't think I could have gone to far wrong.

Any ideas?

Randy C.
RV7A
 
frankh said:
If you don't have enough of the thin hinge pin wire it should be available at the local hobby shop...they use it for sprung steel gear on model airplanes...Have a look to see if they have an model RV's as well cus I don't know what to do with myself now I'm not flying..:)

Frank
Click to expand...

Hi Frank! I've been flying R/C model planes since 1980 and the spring steel they have at the hobby shops I've frequented needs to be torched to red hot to get a good bend. Most hobby places have refered to this wire as "music wire" and it is tough stuff and a bit on the brittle side.

Does the wire that comes with the SW fuel float need to be heated in order to bend it?
 
Randy said:
I have Van's fuel gauges. The left tank seems to work fine, but the right tank always goes to full,

I have van's guages too. It's been a year since I installed mine, but I seem to remember an issue about the sender being attached to the plate incorrectly, could result in a full reading. One way to check would be to have a buddy cycle the send through it's arc, while you watch the guage...
Click to expand...
 
Randy said:
I have Van's fuel gauges. The left tank seems to work fine, but the right tank always goes to full, but neither tank has ever had any fuel in it.
Click to expand...
This might sound silly, but could the sender have been put in upside down? If you're taking the tank off the wing anyway, before you open it up you could turn it upside down and see what the resistance is or the gauge says...
Then again, I may have no idea what I'm talking about - I haven't run into this...yet!
 
I was really hoping that the tank could stay on the wing, and the sender float assembly would come out OK between the wing and the fuse. Since I am getting a resistance indicating that the sender is sending a "full" signal, I think I will have to at least remove the sender at this point.

Anybody know ahead of time if the sender can be removed with the tank on the wing?

Randy C.
 
Fuel tank senders

On a 6A the senders can be removed with the tank on the wing. I recommend using hex head screws so an allen wrench can be used for tank mx. Do not use the gaskets. Use Pro Seal instead.

My right float wire recently came loose and the float and wire hung in the hole into the second tank rib. By draining the tank,removing the sending unit, using a mirror and 'magic fingers', I was able to retrieve the wire and float and re-install it. All with the tank on the wing on a 6A. Most other RV's have even more room between the tank end-rib and the fuselage than the 6A.

Senders/Van's guages can be screwed up by in incorrect wiring. The guages are very easy to short out. Be careful!

See Vans Instructions at:http://vansaircraft.com/pdf/Gauge_Install.pdf


Here are Van's Troubleshooting instructions:
If the gauge is not working first check the power and ground (a very high percentage instrument problems are caused by
faulty grounds. Double check the sender ground.) The voltage must be between 11 and 16 volts.
If the gauge shows a full scale reading disconnect the sender from the lead. If the gauge returns to zero the sender is shorted to
ground. If the gauge remains at full scale, remove the sender wire from the back of the gauge. If the gauge returns to zero the wire
is shorted. If the needle remains at full scale the gauge is probably faulty.
If the gauge shows a zero reading remove the wire from the sender and ground it. If the gauge goes to full scale the sender is
bad. If the gauge still reads zero, ground the sensor stud on the back of the case. If the gauge goes to full scale the wire is
broken. If the needle remains on zero the gauge is faulty.
 
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