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TKS Pumps and Filter & Iced up LED landing lamps


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I got the high pressure warning on a flight about a month ago.   On the ground with the engine off I could also hear a bearing squealing on pump one.    I figure if one was going the other one wasn't too far behind and had both my TKS pumps overhauled and the filter replaced.   Cav Ice Protection gave me a quick turnaround on the rebuild and their service was excellent.    I asked how often I should replace the filter and they suggested I change it every two annuals if I fly in actual conditions often.  

Last year I had LED landing and Taxi Lamps installed.    They don't create enough heat to melt the ice of them.    They were iced up upon arrival and landing and the reflections from the ice was highly annoying to the point where I almost decided to land without them.  

Pictures of last nights flight from KBCT to KCKZ

Icing_Conditions_at_Night.MOV

Ice on Lamps.JPG

Edited by Little Dipper
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I think somebody posted a particular RainX for plastics....

The regular RainX is designed for glass.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/rainx09-05319.php?gclid=CjwKCAjwypjVBRANEiwAJAxlIitTWVv_6pfcL21ZLjiHGNhBTNpmYSLl1SK4-sRe3_iFMi_SSGHorRoCkzcQAvD_BwE

i am a big fan of RainX for the automobile... haven’t used it on the plane...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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  • 7 months later...

Some strange TKS issues...

  1. Periodic high pressure light illuminated. Reset and OK. Over the last year.
  2. A couple weeks ago, the quantity readout went haywire: was at 3.5, ran down to 1.0, then 0, then back up to something.  I wasn't running the system, and it was warm out.
  3. Ran perfectly for our flight to the east coast Friday. ran the  system continuously for almost an hour.  Consumed more than shown on the gauge, but, as the kids say: tevs.
  4. On the return trip today, the system not only wouldn't come up to pressure on high with either pump, it wasn't flowing any fluid to the wings or tail. Prop and windshield seem to function ok.
  5. Bounced the crap out of the landing.  with spectators. not the fault of TKS system.
  6. Ran the system on the ground, and with both pumps, would not come up to pressure (extinguish blinking red LED) but did appear to be wetting all surfaces.

Any ideas?

-dan

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I have seen plugged filters cause some issues similar to what you describe on the pressure issue.  MAKE SURE you are not pumping your fluid out of a drum with a hand pump.  I ALWAYS install a paint filter in my funnel when filling to ensure I am not introducing any particulate matter.  Have seen several failures do to that.  Also, any moisture in the system can freeze and restrict flow.

As @Mlm20c says, I had a float problem that I fixed.  They have a cheap level sensor system with an equally cheap float.  Mine was doing the intermittent level thing and I got mad and pulled it during one of my annuals (I do most of them myself under the watchful eye of my hangar partner/best friend, an A&P, and another friend that's an IA.  Anyway, I found the float had a small hole in it (hollow copper float).  I sealed it with a Locktite product called "Hysol", which we use for bonding on wing skins in the composite world.  It's extremely strong and fuel resistant.  It has worked flawlessly since (about 4-5 year ago fix).

Tom

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5 hours ago, MIm20c said:

I think some systems have had the intake tube fall off. How many years since the pumps were rebuilt?  I think @Yooper Rocketman had an informative post on fixing his float level but I can’t find the thread right now. 

Thanks everybody. I’ll look into the float fix. Pumps are original (late 2009) with unknown hours. Filter is recent and only clean, new 1 gallon containers have charged the system since last filter change. 

Having searched a few other threads here, I’m leaning towards the conclusion that water got into the wing panels and froze at the wing root as I climbed to 16,000. Windshield and prop worked normally, and there was a tiny section of  panel at the wing root which was flowing fluid.

 

Not coming up to pressure on battery power may be low voltage. I’ll fly this week and see if it comes up with 28v. 

 

If this his diagnosis is correct, my SOP going forward will be to pressurize the system on the ground if I expect to use it in flight. 

-dan

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Dan,

See if you have check list items for the Fiki system...

Everything from prior to departure to how often the system should be run...

and other dos and donts regarding TKS fluid handling... especially how slippery the stuff is once run onto the floor...

Best regards,

-a-

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29 minutes ago, exM20K said:

If this his diagnosis is correct, my SOP going forward will be to pressurize the system on the ground if I expect to use it in flight. 

Dan, that's the procedure that I use and have not had any operational issues. My system is not FIKI. The CAV AFM supplement that I have adds the preflight checklist item of running the TKS pumps during the preflight to wet out the panels before start and inspect for proper flow from all panels. I can't say that I do it that way every time - most of the time I run it after start until I start getting a mist of TKS fluid on the windscreen from the prop slingers. Then I turn it off and have it ready to go if I need to pass through a layer with potential for icing. Basically it comes on whenever I turn on my pitot heat.

If you're getting pump pressure (high or low) indications, try running the windscreen pump for a few seconds. That's worked for me in the past. I'll defer to the experts from CAV as to whether that's a placebo or if it really does what I think it does.

Borrowing from Anthony - I'm not an expert on CAV TKS, just a PP with some practical experience.

Oh, and I've also had the erratic quantity indication problem. I've opted to ride that one out and monitor my TKS fluid level like I used to monitor my fuel levels on rental airplanes - a known starting quantity and a clock.

Cheers,
Rick

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On 10/28/2018 at 8:08 AM, Yooper Rocketman said:

I have seen plugged filters cause some issues similar to what you describe on the pressure issue.  MAKE SURE you are not pumping your fluid out of a drum with a hand pump.  I ALWAYS install a paint filter in my funnel when filling to ensure I am not introducing any particulate matter.  Have seen several failures do to that.  Also, any moisture in the system can freeze and restrict flow.

As @Mlm20c says, I had a float problem that I fixed.  They have a cheap level sensor system with an equally cheap float.  Mine was doing the intermittent level thing and I got mad and pulled it during one of my annuals (I do most of them myself under the watchful eye of my hangar partner/best friend, an A&P, and another friend that's an IA.  Anyway, I found the float had a small hole in it (hollow copper float).  I sealed it with a Locktite product called "Hysol", which we use for bonding on wing skins in the composite world.  It's extremely strong and fuel resistant.  It has worked flawlessly since (about 4-5 year ago fix).

Tom

Thanks, Tom.

I've been using only new 1 gallon containers.  In the past, I had used 55 gal drums when I was commuting LDJ -> BED, and that was fine.  The last drum I got, two years ago, I managed to ruin with a cheap metal rotary pump, which corroded and left a lot of junk in the fluid.  I'm only now getting rid of the last of the dirty fluid at our local HAZMAT facility.

 

Float fix noted.

-dan

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