fuel tank venting and pluming of fuel lines

[John Jordan]

How about seeing some pictures of how everyone is routing fuel lines vent lines and over flow lines in their full fuselage planes. As we all know some planes can be pretty tight inside. Thanks.

[Brian Thwaites]

you can get the idea tightest fit was the filter but squeezed inbetween fuse side and engine

[Randy Powell]

I usually put fixed vents i the nose somewhere and then vent the tank out to the front then connect up with fuel lines, if that makes sense.

[john e. holliday]

I just picked up a little device from CLC at the VSC.  It is tubes already formed and soldered to a metal peice.  It is the over flow and vent line.  Glues into the nose of the fuselage and you run fuel lines from tank to it.  If I can remember where I put it I will get a picture.  Later,  DOC Holliday

[Jim Snelson]

You can see a photo of it at http://www.clcentral.com/products.asp?cat=47 I will also see if I can get one attached to this reply.

Thanks,

Jim Snelson
Control Line Central

[Warren Wagner]

How about seeing some pictures of how everyone is routing fuel lines vent lines and over flow lines in their full fuselage planes. As we all know some planes can be pretty tight inside. Thanks.

John,

You're correct...it often requires a bit of creativity to plump a tank/engine installation, but after you have done a few, you will understand exactly what has to be done, and how to do it.

Here is an installation for you to study.   There are reasons for everything that is done here.   First of all, the supply line to the engine is kept as short and direct as possible, and always include a good quality fuel filter in that line.

This is a uniflow tank, and I like to have the uniflow vent (yellow cap) on the inside of the circle (keep in mind that the model is inverted in this photo).   One of our Super Stunt Grunts recommended this location, and it also works out well for the fueling step.

I like the overflow (black cap) on the right side, bottom of the fuse (in an upright position) so that it is easily visible while fueling.

As pliers can easily cut the tubing, I use a pair of forceps, when needed, to work in awkward positions.  Also, make sure that you polish the edges of all metal tubing used so that there is no sharp edge to cut the fuel tubing giving one of those air leaks that is so difficult to locate.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

[John Jordan]

Thanks for posting the pictures gents. While I am not new to this I still would like to see more pictures. I have used both ways that were posted I would still like to see more. Thanks John . Break out your cameras.

[Ward Van Duzer]

Bob Hunt has a pretty unique method of venting tanks. He makes a three pronged (tube) outlet going from the insdide of the fuselage to the outside. All are straight tubes about 1/2" long. They pass thru the fuselage horizontally. The front tube is plumbed to the pipe or muffler pressure. (Or plugged if not using pressure. The center tube connects to the Overflow vent line of the tank. This is capped at run time, removed at fill time. The third tube connects to the uniflow line of the tank. (It receives the pressure from its source.)The pick-up from the tank (obviously) connects to the fuel pick-up of the engine. So, if you are running pressure, you connect a short piece (abt. an inch) of fuel tubing from the front tube to the third tube outside of the A/C. (pressure line to uniflow) the center tube is the overflow and is capped except when fueling.

I hope all of this is understandable, because it's a really cool way to plumb the system for all possible situations.

This is a pretty poor picture but...At the top is a pipe providing pressure to the pressure line.. The O stands for OVERFLOW. U stands for UNIFLOW. And PU stands for PICKUP


Ward-O

[Louis Rankin]

Just get a magnum tank, the plumbing is already there.

[L0U CRANE]

Lou,

Sure a ready-to-use tank is simpler. I went to short tank tubes and fuel line connected through the fuse sides quite a while back. Why? I noticed some vibration problems with the long tubes built-into the tank. None since.

Also, using a pass-through rig allows more choice of forward fuselage shapes. Built-in vent and overflow tubes pretty much dictate what you do with that area of the fuselage. ... and may require surgery/patching to deal with a change of tank height, later...

We all do what we are comfortable with; I'm not knocking what you said. Just offering some further thoughts for the guy who asked.