Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Where are you going to install it ? Under the seat, baggage compt.? Under the rear shelf ? I would look at the race car/performance shops for a tank. All sizes and shapes with installed fittings.

RB

Hey RB, how come all your replies end up being new threads rather than a reply to the original one (and thus showing up in the string of posts)?

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Dave M
Sacramento
ex-T-18 owner

You tell me, I just hit the reply gizmo on the appropriate post.

I think Rich is hitting the "New Topic" link rather than the "Reply to Topic" link ... I spend a fair amount of time organizing topic threads (merging) ... not a big deal .. as I spend more time posting peoples reply to e-mail messages!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Well what ever it is I better stop doing it right now ! What you don't need is more work cleaning up after knuckleheads like me ! [:o)] I'll try and get me sheet together. [:p]

With Humble Apoligies

RB

Not a problem Rich .. that's way down on my list!!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Does anyone have a schematic for plumbing in wet wings to the header tank, I am getting ready to do the center section on a thorp and do have some Ideas. If anyone has done this holler out, the first bay on each side of the center section is sealed. I just need to pump to the main tank and properly vent the aux tanks and so forth. If you have done it with success then I need to hear about it, no since in reinventing the wheel. Much appreciate the help.......Dan

Dan,
I believe there are two ways when "wetting" the center section;

1.) tie in through the fuselage and "share" the mains vent.

Or ..

2.) this is how I plan to do this a I am soon to do the same thing, put the vent at the outboard rib (of the center section), run the vent line out through the outboards and vent it as we do when putting fuel in the outer panels. I like this approach as it simplifies the wing detach process as the vents are isolated to the wings and there are no squirrelly vent lines to run, hook up when attaching the wing.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Dan,

I have a successful wing aux tank setup.

It consists of the following hardware:

2xFacet Fuel pump - ACS # 40108
3xFloat Switch - ACS # 6905-400
3x12v Electrical switches
1x12v Relay
Tubing, hoses, and fittings as required

Each aux tank gets a pick-up tube (with screen), fuel pump and separate fuel line to the top of the main tank. The line must enter the tank at the top to prevent siphoning. For vent ideas, look at how the RV crowd does theirs.

The wiring is done thus: Battery buss to the system switch to the float switch mounted in the top of the main tank. The float switch is installed to turn off when the main is full so you cannot over fill it. The power from the float switch then goes to trigger the relay as the float switch can't carry the amps required by the pumps. The relay gets its power from the system switch. Relay power then goes to the individual pump swiches. One pump swich for both pumps will not do as these pumps do not like to run dry. One aux tank will empty before the other.

The remaining two float swiches are installed into each tank as low as you can get them. They serve to tell you when the aux tank runs dry. Mine are hooked up to warning lights. They remind me to turn off the pump on that tank when it is dry.

I found a relay that can be set with a time delay. I set mine at three seconds. They delay switch keeps the system from rapidly cycling when you are in rough air and fuell is sloshing in the main tank.

Operationally, I take off and climb on the main. When I level off, I switch on the system and the fuel pumps. As the fuel burns down, the pumps cycle on and off to keep the main full. When the aux tanks are depleted and the warning lights illuminate, I turn the pumps and system off. I do not manually tranfer the fuel, the system does it for me. Since the aux tanks are on the CG, I normally don't have to trim once the cruise is set. I monitor the transfer by watching the main tank fuel gage.

I know this is a lot of bubble gum to chew. Any further questions, just ask.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

The delima with venting the center section is the lack of dihedral, thr vans guys dont have that problem. I think Tom Hunter went the "share the main vent" route, I'm going the outer panel vent route, will post pics when I get there. Several guys have put fuel n the center section ... Are there any other options?

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

As I was geting ready to install the standard 29 gal tank I thought that there may be a way to enlarge that tank and do away with the wing aux tanks . Not being a welder and way to far along to make any major mods. I went ahead with the standard tank. I have no wing tanks on my A/C. My reasoning that it may be possible to enlarge the standard tank had to do with the new avionics . The older (and heavier) black boxes took up too much room and in some cases involved cutting "pockets" into the standard tank to allow the older units to fit. Well some 10 years later I see someone on the Forum has had the same thought and is building a larger standard tank ...can't remember how more gallons ? If you are building or have the standard tank , or in this case a fiblerglass thank that needs to be replaced , I would consider going with the larger main tank . Sure would make life a lot easier . No wet wings, extra fuel lines, valves , vent, fuel transfer, etc. Just my 10 cents worth .

RB

You can read about the enlarged tank in the last "Tiger Tales", it's David Read and his enlarged tank holds 40+ gallons.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

That's where I saw it .

Many thanks for all of the info, and I will do as Bob says and be bugging for info again you all are greatly appreciated. Did you all use pro seal to seal things up by the way?? Dan

Used Pro seal and Van's has the best price on my tanks N30WW. Once sealed I had trouble finding the leaks. You can use the old balloon method, but the problem is seeing the leak in the center spar area. I removed all the inspection panels, stood the wing on its end on newspaper and filled the first bay with fuel. Finding no leaks installed the first inspection plate, filed the next area with fuel. If it leaks at least you know the the leak is in that bay.