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PVC Conduit

K

ka6dan

Well Known Member
I have quick built wings and I'm near the point of closing the lower skin. As this is a quick built I don't have access needed to make additional holes for running conduit as others have.

I built a house a number of years back. I could't see into the future. As a result, I didn't install the numerous open conduits that could make installing all the new and improved electrical toys easier. Don't want to make the same error with my 9. I have a copy of From The Ground Up. The tape includes a discussion of using PVC pipe as conduit. Is there a down side to installing, say two 1/2" PVC, conduits through the existing wing lightening holes in each wing? Clearly I need to clear the push rods but is there some other concern I've not considered?

Assuming PVC pipe doesn't pose a problem any suggestions as to mounting / anchoring them in place?

If PVC is a concern, would installing the conduit Vans sells be preferable if so what about the mounting?
 
Hi,
You may want to put "CONDUIT" in the search box. There is great thread http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=46070&highlight=conduit+brackets


There is an example of how Bill Schlatterer did it through existing holes.




bracketsforconduit.jpg




Click here to see how Rick Galati did his.
 
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PVC

I did lots of research, read all sorts of threads. I had some builders tell me I really should use METAL conduit to be safe...I didnt buy that...i used the split pvc. I figure if my plane is burning...I would really prefer the toxic smoke take me out prior to the other. I figured doing things like making the airbox stainless, and ensuring firewall passthroughs were sealed as best I could, buying top quality proper length hoses etc was time/money better spent. Build as well as you can within reason...get it flying and enjoy. Nothing is 100% perfect.

Seriously, with all the other issues like fuel, oil....etc. I figured a little pvc is the least of my concerns safety wise and is nice and light. Just fit my mission.
 
We did...

... the same thing with our QB-wings after seeing Rick Galati's post:







And here's where the wiring exits the wings and is ready to connect to the wingtip-wires for strobe and pos lights:



Note that the wires are routed in a curve where they exits the wing to avoid chafing from the PVC-tubes.
 
Toobuilder said:
If you mean that black stuff that comes in a big coil, then yes. Unlike the sticks of white PVC, it's almost weightless.
Click to expand...

1) I used the same black stuff.
2) As you still need to rivet the bottom skin on, the hole you have it in, is where you will need to have your arm in to rivet. I hope you dont have fat arms like me . :eek:
 
Put conduit into my horizontal stab, and used the PVC conduit found next to water heaters at Home Depot. It's intended for the pressure relief valv, and is super light weight if you cut the metal fitting off one end. Personally, I don't trust that black stuff to be more than dust in 10 years...

Toobuilder said:
If you mean that black stuff that comes in a big coil, then yes. Unlike the sticks of white PVC, it's almost weightless.
Click to expand...
 
I used the black stuff and enlarged the tooling holes in the ribs to fit it. Mike, I have black stuff sitting on (not in, this is Nevada) the "lawn" exposed to the sun for the past 20+ years and it's still in good shape. Stuff sitting under my house looks new.

just one data point.

greg
 
Is there a trick to pulling the corrugated black stuff through...

I just enlarged my original 1/2 inch holes to 3/4 to make use of the black stuff before I finish my -6 wing. I can pull hard and it sounds like a machine gun as the corrugations pull through hole #1. Maybe I'm thick, but I have 14 holes to thread and I don't want to damage anything. Whats the trick?
 
Schedule 200

The kind of plastic tubing I was referring to is called schedule 200, about 1" diameter, thin-wall, comes in straight 10' lengths, and is flared at one end to allow additional sections to be glued together. It is typically used in garden watering systems.
 
Is there any risk to the structural integrity of the ribs drilling holes for the mounts for the piping? I'd be worried about metal fatigue over time and cracks forming, but don't know how much stress is actually on the ribs themselves.
 
Ribs

The ribs convey the flight loads from the skin to the spar. Typically in normal flight the ribs are in tension from the top skin to the spar.
 
Heat

WenEng said:
I just enlarged my original 1/2 inch holes to 3/4 to make use of the black stuff before I finish my -6 wing. I can pull hard and it sounds like a machine gun as the corrugations pull through hole #1. Maybe I'm thick, but I have 14 holes to thread and I don't want to damage anything. Whats the trick?
Click to expand...


I used a pair of light gloves and a hair dryer to warm the corrugated tubing a little. Pulled a lot easier then. Don't forget to dab some RTV to stop the tube from vibrating in the rib holes. I think that (RTV) is in the instructions somewhere.
 
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