TKS propeller boot care

[Mark89114]

I have one of them fancy TKS deicer/anti-icer contraptions on my plane and the rubber slinger portion of the prop is starting to look weather aged.  The system isn't that old and I am curious if anything should be used or more importantly SHOULD NOT be used to maintain this probably very expensive piece of rubber.  I don't recall seeing any references in the AFM but I am having this random thought while working in office.

And beat the hell out of Arkansas. (college football reference for those unaware)

Thanks,

Mark

[StevenL757]

Mark, a few questions...is your Ovation indoors or out?  How long since the boots were installed?  Also, are you seeing the rubber starting to separate from the blade(s), or are you just experiencing weathering issues?

[Mark89114]

Steven, well it flys outdoors (sorry I am a smart ass), otherwise it is hangared.

I think it was installed about 4 years ago and I believe has been hangared most of its life, at least since TKS install.

The boots seem to be well attached, just looking weathered.  Although it looks like some of the channels are eroding a bit, i.e. they aren't clean smooth, just have a lot of roughness to them.

Wondering if anything should be done to maintain them.

 

[StevenL757]

Any deterioration to those channels will cause uneven flow to the blades, so good you're addressing it.

Give Mike Trudeau a call at Hartzell.  937-778-4212.  Others here will give good advice as well, but start with Mike.  Although the VP of the TopProp group, he's the perfect customer service guy, and worked with me in my engine and prop planning stages 2 years ago.  He LOVES to talk propellers, will welcome the call, and can give you some pointers.  Let me know how you get on.

[peevee]

those boots sound like a real hassle. Maybe you should just trade me planes

Edited September 24, 2016 by peevee

[Piloto]

I just cycle the prop to get rid of the ice.

José

[peevee]

4 hours ago, Piloto said:

I just cycle the prop to get rid of the ice.

José

Before or after you pee through the hole in the floor? During maybe? 

[Awful_Charlie]

I've got the TKS prop, and had just had an IRAN on it after 10 years and 700hours (previous O/H done by a previous owner). The boots were starting to look a little tired after that time, and were €125 each inc fitting with the IRAN (3 blader on a Bravo). I don't do anything special with them, but guess some ICEX (as used by the folks with de-ice boots) or similar might help stop them degrading

[aviatoreb]

2 hours ago, Awful_Charlie said:

I've got the TKS prop, and had just had an IRAN on it after 10 years and 700hours (previous O/H done by a previous owner). The boots were starting to look a little tired after that time, and were €125 each inc fitting with the IRAN (3 blader on a Bravo). I don't do anything special with them, but guess some ICEX (as used by the folks with de-ice boots) or similar might help stop them degrading

I was thinking about overhauling the tks lately.  Is there some kind of service circular for that or did you just do it.  I was also thinking in terms of the pumps - do they get overhauled?  And all those many many little tubes - do they wear out or maybe their seals?

[Piloto]

16 hours ago, peevee said:

Before or after you pee through the hole in the floor? During maybe? 

First time I experienced prop icing I thought I was stalling because of the shaking. I looked at the airspeed and realized it was the prop. The windshield and wings were covered with ice so why not the prop. In an Aerostar prop icing can be very noisy when the ice comes off the prop. It hit the fuselage like a machine gun.

José

[Awful_Charlie]

7 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

I was thinking about overhauling the tks lately.  Is there some kind of service circular for that or did you just do it.  I was also thinking in terms of the pumps - do they get overhauled?  And all those many many little tubes - do they wear out or maybe their seals?

From one of the manuals, all pumps are 2000hrs TBO, filter every two years

If the seals are currently good, leave them alone! If one starts leak you will soon see it  Pipes are teflon, so on condition.

I think just about all twins are noisy when the ice starts coming off the props - and I never like sitting in the prop arc line - icing conditions or not!

[aviatoreb]

59 minutes ago, Awful_Charlie said:

From one of the manuals, all pumps are 2000hrs TBO, filter every two years

Huh!  I don't have that in any of my materials.  But mine is a 1997 install by STC.

I wonder if that is 2000hrs of pump time, or 2000hrs of airframe time.  The former....it would take a very long time to reach 2000hrs at the rate I use it.

[Jerry 5TJ]

23 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Huh!  I don't have that in any of my materials.  But mine is a 1997 install by STC.

I wonder if that is 2000hrs of pump time, or 2000hrs of airframe time.  The former....it would take a very long time to reach 2000hrs at the rate I use it.

TKS POH supplement: