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PAP Pitot and Static Leak Test

jet

Member
Hopefully I can get some advice on this. I have started on the PAP and have tried PlayDoo (sp) to achieve a seal with no success. Just wondering what others have used and if modeling clay is the only way to go.

John s/n 317
 
Loadsa trouble

I had lots of difficulty eliminating leaks. I wound locking wire twice around all joints. Still leaked. I suspected my method using "bluetac". After using a "professional" testing kit, I concluded that the remaining source of the leak was where the plastic tube butt-joins the aluminium pitot tube. I sealed this with silicon and I believe the problem has now gone away.

Cheers...Keith
 
Static test?

Hopefully I can get some advice on this. I have started on the PAP and have tried PlayDoo (sp) to achieve a seal with no success. Just wondering what others have used and if modeling clay is the only way to go.

John s/n 317

John,
You must be talking about the need to seal a plastic tube to the static port to pull a vacuum on the system and test leak down? The plans say to use modeling clay, but I had a product called 3M Strip-Caulk on hand for automotive use. It is very sticky and made this seal easy.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Automotive-MMM8578-Strip-Black/dp/B000PEZ1L4
You would not want to purchase a whole package for just this one use, but you can probably talk someone at an auto body shop out of a small piece. On the other static port I just used a small piece of electrical tape to seal it off.
 
I used clay

but I had to hold it in place while a helper monitored the altiyude/speed. If you have excessive leakage the first place to check is the plastic fittings where the lines connect to the Dynon. I used some teflon paste thread sealant and went from excessive leaks to literally none at all.

Wayne 120241/143WM
 
but I had to hold it in place while a helper monitored the altiyude/speed. If you have excessive leakage the first place to check is the plastic fittings where the lines connect to the Dynon. I used some teflon paste thread sealant and went from excessive leaks to literally none at all.

Wayne 120241/143WM

Why not just build in a test port (a T fitting with a cap) in an easy access area. You might even make it an alternate static source. With a test port, all you do is tape off the static ports and do the vac test from the test port.
 
Re: "Why not just build in a test port"

Why not just build in a test port
You can test the whole system for leaks except for the test port itself. There needs to be a way to seal off the test port and be confident that it does not leak.
Joe
 
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