What the heck is this?

[The Other Red Baron]

It has to be vacuum system related but I can't figure out what it is.  It came off the plane when we had dual G5s installed.  Our vacuum system only drives the step. 

edit: dumb Apple format doesn't load properly going to try and convert to png...

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by The Other Red Baron

[Hank]

Looks like an air filter. Since it says Rapco on the bottom, I'd vote that it's the filter for the vacuum intake.

[N201MKTurbo]

It is your instrument air filter. It supplies clean air to your instruments when your vacuum pump sucks it out.

[The Other Red Baron]

Thanks that's what I was thinking but I didn't want to assume.  Hey anyone want a filter?

[0TreeLemur]

If you have a vacuum pump, even it it only powers the step, you want a filter on it.  The dry vacuum pumps use self sealing graphite blades.  Dirt that gets sucked into the pumps eats those blades up.  Not having a filter will reduce the life of the pump.   They probably put one on.

Not an A&P.

-f-

[The Other Red Baron]

6 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

If you have a vacuum pump, even it it only powers the step, you want a filter on it.  The dry vacuum pumps use self sealing graphite blades.  Dirt that gets sucked into the pumps eats those blades up.  Not having a filter will reduce the life of the pump.   They probably put one on.

Not an A&P.

-f-

Got it. So basically this thing is headed to the trash.

[David Lloyd]

Since the step only uses vacuum pressure and no flow 99.9% of the time, the flow is actually going past the regulator.  Usually those have a foam band filter around them.  When the DG and AI were using the vacuum, plenty of flow was going past them, hence the instrument air filter.

[Skates97]

44 minutes ago, The Other Red Baron said:

It has to be vacuum system related but I can't figure out what it is.  It came off the plane when we had dual G5s installed.  Our vacuum system only drives the step. 

 

Check out the electric step that Rob @takair has, it is a pretty simple install and will allow you to get rid of the vacuum system entirely. I put the step in at last annual and pulled the vacuum system when the dual G5's went in last month. 

http://flightenhancements.com/index.html

[RLCarter]

7 hours ago, The Other Red Baron said:

7 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

If you have a vacuum pump, even it it only powers the step, you want a filter on it.  The dry vacuum pumps use self sealing graphite blades.  Dirt that gets sucked into the pumps eats those blades up.  Not having a filter will reduce the life of the pump.   They probably put one on.

Not an A&P.

-f-

Got it. So basically this thing is headed to the trash.

Not sure you “Got it” , you still have a vacuum system that operates your step, so you still need to filter the air

[carusoam]

If I were a marketing guru... at Takair’s office....   

 

We would be on a “Dump the Pump” campaign...

 

If your vac pump doesn’t do anything but power your vaccuum step...
 

1) The pump takes power from your engine...

2) The pump needs filtered air to operate for a long period of time...

3) A long period of time is considered to be about 500hrs to avoid typical failures...

4) Getting an electric driven servo for the step can lead to proper removal of the vac system....

5) Proper removal might lead to UL gain, Annual maintenance money saved, Simplicity,  and other miner benefits...
 

PP thoughts only, not a schill for Rob’s company...   
 

Best regards,

-a-

[The Other Red Baron]

16 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Not sure you “Got it” , you still have a vacuum system that operates your step, so you still need to filter the air

 

I understand that, but the A&P removed it not myself.  I don't know if there is one on currently or not.  This was just in the box-o-stuff I got back.

 

@carusoamyup thank you for reminding me about that.  That was on our to-do list for annual went ahead and bought one to prepare.

Edited October 6, 2020 by The Other Red Baron

[RLCarter]

9 minutes ago, The Other Red Baron said:

I understand that, but the A&P removed it not myself.  I don't know if there is one on currently or not. 

I would verify that there is one there either by looking for my self and/or asking the A&P

[Skates97]

14 minutes ago, The Other Red Baron said:

 

I understand that, but the A&P removed it not myself.  I don't know if there is one on currently or not.  This was just in the box-o-stuff I got back.

 

@carusoamyup thank you for reminding me about that.  That was on our to-do list for annual went ahead and bought one to prepare.

"There's always some extra parts when I put them back together, I don't know why..."

[Shiny moose]

If you dont have a PC or you had your PC system removed get the Tacair electric step, then loose the vacuum pump and all attachemnts. If decide you leave your pump on make sure you have a filter or you will soon replace the pump 

[Guest]

The filter pictured by the OP is the central gyro filter, used to filter the air being drawn thru the gyros.  In this case with no vacuum gyro instruments, the filter is not needed.

The vacuum regulator on the firewall still needs the B3-5-1 garter foam filter to filter air passing thru the regulator as it regulates the vacuum to 5”Hg.

An electric step would eliminate the need for the rest of the vacuum system.

Clarence