Ulysse Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 my wing fuel gauges have some condensation in them which makes it difficult to read them from the cockpit. Is there a way to remove this water ? Is it possible to buy new gauges ?
Guest Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 New sight gauges are available if needed. They can be carefully removed with a very small flat blade screwdriver, once removed put it in a bag of rice for a few days to see if it dries out. If it does, bond it back in with clear silicone. Clarence
Boilermonkey Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 I guess you can put your wet cellphone next to it too? That's great advice, thanks Clarence.
Mark89114 Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 1 hour ago, M20Doc said: New sight gauges are available if needed. They can be carefully removed with a very small flat blade screwdriver, once removed put it in a bag of rice for a few days to see if it dries out. If it does, bond it back in with clear silicone. Clarence I was under the impression we arent supposed to use silicon due to the acidic component?
Guest Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 3 minutes ago, Mark89114 said: I was under the impression we arent supposed to use silicon due to the acidic component? I should have said Dow 732.
Ulysse Posted July 11, 2021 Author Report Posted July 11, 2021 3 hours ago, M20Doc said: They can be carefully removed Thank you!
PT20J Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 3 hours ago, Mark89114 said: I was under the impression we arent supposed to use silicon due to the acidic component? Silicone is a polymer; silicon is an element But seriously, this is something that I've heard but I'm not quite sure if it's real or just an old wives' tail. There are two main types of RTV; acetoxy cure and oxime cure. The former releases acetic acid (and has a vinegar smell) during curing, and this seems to be the cause for concern. But, the acid is only released during cure. Aluminum is pretty tolerant of acetic acid. A mild etch would improve adhesion. I checked both GE and Permatex websites and both recommend it for metal and don't have any warnings about aluminum. Any chemists amongst us want to weigh in? 80050.pdf 1
carusoam Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 not a chemist but… Silicone has changed over the years… The old gave off a really strong aroma… you wouldn’t/couldn’t miss it… Following Doc’s advice above will probably keep you in the ballpark…. A good painter’s tape to hold the device in place while curing… New ones have been known to leap out during the first flight… Probably a 24+ hour cure time for that… Best regards, -a-
PilotX Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 Rice is better than using a lamp. We had initially tried to use a lamp with CFL to remove condensation while leaving it in the wing. No bueno. Pop it out because you will need to find where the crack is or have the same issue. I later figured out that the bottom of mine had cracked but we had warped it pretty good by then.
PT20J Posted July 18, 2021 Report Posted July 18, 2021 On 7/11/2021 at 9:29 AM, M20Doc said: I should have said Dow 732. On 7/11/2021 at 1:06 PM, PT20J said: But seriously, this is something that I've heard but I'm not quite sure if it's real or just an old wives' tail. There are two main types of RTV; acetoxy cure and oxime cure. The former releases acetic acid (and has a vinegar smell) during curing, and this seems to be the cause for concern. But, the acid is only released during cure. Aluminum is pretty tolerant of acetic acid. A mild etch would improve adhesion. I checked both GE and Permatex websites and both recommend it for metal and don't have any warnings about aluminum. Any chemists amongst us want to weigh in? 80050.pdf 127.93 kB · 3 downloads I looked up the TDS for Dowsil 732. It is acetoxy cure. See note below. However, if Clarence has been using it with no ill effects, I doubt it’s an issue. If you are worried about it, GE makes a Silicone II RTV specifically for aluminum. Silicone II ALuminum & Metal - TDS.pdf 1
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