Visual Wing-tank guages

[WAFI]

Will someone steer me in the right direction as to where I can purchase these, along with the inspection plates.  M20J

 

[N201MKTurbo]

Good luck,

I bought a set from some MooneySpacer about 15 years ago and just mounted them in my cover plates.

I think they are made by Stewart Warner. Very similar to some boat gauges. The capsules are custom for Mooney.

[DonMuncy]

Mine were made by Rochester. But it doesn't matter. They won't sell them to you anyway.

[N201MKTurbo]

FWIW

https://rochestersensors.com/wp-content/uploads/6500.pdf

 

[PT20J]

I believe Rochester makes them for Mooney with specific markings which makes them a Mooney part and not a standard part.

[KSMooniac]

43 minutes ago, PT20J said:

I believe Rochester makes them for Mooney with specific markings which makes them a Mooney part and not a standard part.

That is correct, and I think there are differences amongst the Mooney models as well.  And as Don mentioned above, they are only sold through the MSC network so nobody should waste time trying to source new or replacement ones anywhere else.

[DonMuncy]

If one got hold of a Rochester catalog and could compare the pictures, you might be able to buy the mechanism (at a presumably more reasonable price) and then only be forced to buy the dial for a Mooney.

[DonMuncy]

My assumption is that they use a "stock" mechanism, and only the dial is special to Mooney.

[N201MKTurbo]

I think the top casting is unique to Mooney. All the other capsules have screws holding them in and I've not seen that mounting flange on any others.

[DonMuncy]

Just now, N201MKTurbo said:

I think the top casting is unique to Mooney. All the other capsules have screws holding them in and I've not seen that mounting flange on any others.

You are very likely right. You know what happens when you assume.  

[WAFI]

So… A MSC can source a pair? Maybe?

[N201MKTurbo]

6 minutes ago, WAFI said:

So… A MSC can source a pair? Maybe?

You can try.

[carusoam]

Expect new from your favorite MSC…

preflown from @Alan Fox…

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

I found one for you:

https://premieraircraftservice.com/product/external-fuel-gauge/

 

[N201MKTurbo]

And here is the other one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333935151842?hash=item4dc0160ae2:g:8ysAAOSwVaJio~OF

 

[carusoam]

Rich just earned today’s….

quick on the draw award!

The price is friendlier than I expected…

Best regards,

-a-

[WAFI]

Nice and Nice!!!

[1980Mooney]

2 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

And here is the other one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/333935151842?hash=item4dc0160ae2:g:8ysAAOSwVaJio~OF

 

@WAFI  Unfortunately that External visual fuel gauge is salvaged from a M20R  - see the tag in the last pic.  So it is calibrated for 44.5 gallons a side.  Your N number shows that you are a M20J with 32 gallons a side.  So it will read about 40% more fuel than you actually have.  That doesn't seem very helpful or safe - I wonder if an AI would sign off on it.

The M20J parts manual is online.  It shows that you need 

EXTERNAL FUEL GAUGE KIT - 880011-501 — LASAR

ACCESS COVER PANEL - 210099-505 — LASAR

Edited September 16, 2022 by 1980Mooney

[N201MKTurbo]

Most likely changing out the capsule would make it read right. The height of the tanks are the same.

An IA is responsible for making sure the aircraft meets the type certificate as amended by STCs. Those gauges are not in the type certificate or an STC. They are an optional accessory.

[0TreeLemur]

I love those things.  A third independent indicator after the senders and ff integrated by the EDM.  Mine bottom out at about 4 gallons rem, but that's below my reserve.

[MikeOH]

Dumb question: Are they easy to read from the cockpit while flying?

[N201MKTurbo]

6 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Dumb question: Are they easy to read from the cockpit while flying?

You can read the pilots side easily, but the passenger side requires you to stick your head on the passenger window, and you almost have to scoot into the passenger seat. Or you can have your passenger read it.

I find them most useful for filling the tanks and seeing if you have enough fuel to make a flight. I find them very accurate.

[MikeOH]

1 minute ago, N201MKTurbo said:

You can read the pilots side easily, but the passenger side requires you to stick your head on the passenger window, and you almost have to scoot into the passenger seat. Or you can have your passenger read it.

I find them most useful for filling the tanks and seeing if you have enough fuel to make a flight. I find them very accurate.

Thanks.

Makes me ask if you still 'stick' the tanks or are these mechanical float gauges trustworthy enough by themselves?

[N201MKTurbo]

Just now, MikeOH said:

Thanks.

Makes me ask if you still 'stick' the tanks or are these mechanical float gauges trustworthy enough by themselves?

They are way more accurate than a stick IMHO.

[N201MKTurbo]

19 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I love those things.  A third independent indicator after the senders and ff integrated by the EDM.  Mine bottom out at about 4 gallons rem, but that's below my reserve.

They bottom out at 4 gallons because if the float is resting on the bottom of the tank at that position, there is about 4 gallons in the tank. There is no way for them to read any lower. You could put them in the inner cells and they could read to zero, but they would be in the wing walk and people would step on them and mess them up, and you would not be able to read them from the cockpit.