Best material for or best stick

[Bernie Knight]

Hi all

 

I'm finding my fuel dipstick - aluminium - is not clear enough to accurately check fuel dips.

 

I've seen black anodised sticks with levels punched into them. I had considered a hardwood replacement as the wood tends to hold fuel levels for a bit longer for accurate reading.

 

Anyone found a good style/type/material.

 

Cheers

 

 

[old man emu]

Here's a dumb idea.

 

Get yourself a suitable length of straight aluminium tubing and a small, clear container such as a pill bottle, or even a disposable syringe.

 

From empty, fill your tank and record the quantity required to fill the tank.

 

Insert the tubing to the bottom of the tank

 

Seal the end of the tubing with your finger (like you would do with a drinking straw).

 

Remove the tubing and deliver the fuel in it into the container.

 

Mark the level of the fuel on the side of the container.

 

Measure the depth of the fuel in the container and then mark of the distance that represents 3/4; 1/2 and 1/4.(This is where a graduated syringe would make the job easier).

 

Since you know the quantity of fuel you put in to fill the tank, you can correlate the fractional levels to the quantity of fuel they represent.

 

Old Man Emu

 

 

[Camel]

I have a fuel dip stick, its wood, every one eight of an inch is a groove and it stops the fuel wicking up the stick ! Works good, if interested will take photo for you.

 

 

[Vlad]

Bernie,

 

Wood is the best dipstick indeed. There is also a glass tube type where you close one side with your finger. Easy to calibrate but easy to break too.

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Old Man Emu

 

Yes good idea. I did see the plastic tube where you do that.

 

I have my current stick to copy off.

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Camel , Vlad

 

I was considering the wooden option as my current aluminium option is hard to read.

 

I think Alpi use a piece of black anodised aluminium which is easy to read as the fuel evaporation as its pulled stays visible - level appears to be easy to read also.

 

I'll soon cut up a small piece of wooden dowel and try it first though.

 

Cheers

 

 

[SSCBD]

Best solution - glue (two pack glue) a clear plastic tube along the fuel stick - dip tank - put thumb over top of tube lift out - no argument on level of fuel. Suggest all do this as it is fail safe reading, also solves problem with multi tanks from having a "wet stick".

 

 

[mnewbery]

Something to think about

 

Cessna 152 Fuel Gauge (Standard 12 Gal. Tanks)

 

 

[Yenn]

I use red cedar timber with grooves at 5l intervals. Works well, except that it requires a minute or so for the fuel to evaporate off for the second tank.

 

 

[old man emu]

Something to think aboutCessna 152 Fuel Gauge (Standard 12 Gal. Tanks)

They are OK if you have a C152. The tanks on all other planes are of different shapes.

 

Material for the tube:

 

Glass tube - bound to break by about the third refuel.

 

Calibrated stick - the boundary between wet and dry is often hard to read, and eventually fuel will seep into the wood and darken it.

 

Plastic tubing - it has to be clear, and rigid (or made rigid)

 

This is the best idea, I think:

 

Best solution - glue (two pack glue) a clear plastic tube along the fuel stick - dip tank - put thumb over top of tube lift out - no argument on level of fuel. Suggest all do this as it is fail safe reading, also solves problem with multi tanks from having a "wet stick".

OME

 

 

[SDQDI]

For the sake of a wooden broom handle it isn't a huge cost to make a couple of copies of your calibrated stick and if they do get a bit dark with age just replace swap them out.

 

They cost next to nothing and nothing can go wrong with them. The tubing is a neat idea but is it really needed?

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Thanks guys for the options.

 

I did get a message to use hard plastic and calibrate it.

 

A few good options. I think my current stick is just a bit old - or my old eyes

 

I had wondered about the black anodised dip sticks and availability, but will use one of the above options.

 

A simple thing, but can get a little confusing multi dipping

 

I've got a few options to try now. Thanks guys I just not want to re invent the wheel

 

Cheers

 

 

[rankamateur]

Do you get any wood fibres out of your gascolator with the wooden dipsticks?

 

 

[rgmwa]

Plastic or metal may be a static risk, although I've seen both used and never heard of a dip stick causing an explosion. Can't go wrong with wood though.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[djpacro]

.... as old as Noah & is idiot proof....lol

and so is very much longer than the tank is deep so even an idiot can't drop it in.

[Bernie Knight]

Both the wing tanks are very shallow as are the tip tanks.

 

My dipstick is about 250mm.

 

 

[Raytol]

I use a piece of Tassie Oak small quad from the hardware shop. Grain seems to stop wicking and

 

cost nothing! I burnt the calibrations into it with a soldering iron.

 

 

[old man emu]

My dipstick is about 250mm.

Geez I hate people who are braggadocious.

 

 

[frank marriott]

and so is very much longer than the tank is deep so even an idiot can't drop it in.

"T" handle on top is good

 

 

[Snoopy]

Pooleys Flight Equipment of the UK (www.pooleys.com) sell a universal clear polycarbonate tube dipstick, called

 

UNIVERSAL FUELHAWK / 11". It has a generic scale marked on it. To use it you dip the stick in the tank, finger over the open end, withdraw the stick and read the level of the fuel in the tube, remove finger and let fuel run back into the tank. The fuel level in the tube is highly visible. You would need to calibrate it first by adding fuel to an empty tank in fixed increments and noting the reading on the scale, or possibly adding your own scale. No different than when you make a wooden or metal dipstick. I bought mine at Friedrichshafen Air Show a few years ago, and it was not very expensive. Alternatively make your own. It's 11 inches (obviously) long. Outside diameter about 12mm. Inside diameter about 5mm.

 

 

[djpacro]

"T" handle on top is good

Was going to make a joke about getting CASA approval for a modification to a straight dipstick but then came across this extract of this letter from a CASA FOI and realised, nope it is something that CASA would require:

 

Re the fuel dipstick for VH-XXX. If this item is used to release the aircraft into service, it is a tool and a piece of aircraft equipment. It is also an instrument for measuring fuel and therefore CAO 108.56 (3.4) applies. How is this item calibrated? Who calibrated it and when? What is its purpose? Where is the Operations Manual procedure for its use? What identifies the item? Is it to be used in this aircraft only or may it be used in other aircraft in your fleet?As you can see this is a complex issue. The item in use in the aircraft would appear not to comply with the requirements of the CAO, and I would suggest that in the event of an accident attributable to its use you would be vulnerable. The National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) is the body which controls such calibration. My advice to you is to investigate the ramifications of the use of this instrument, and take action to ensure that its use is legal. If this is outside the capabilities of the club or its engineering support, then a note to the effect that the dipstick is not to be used for flight planning purposes or weight and balance calculations, should be placed in the Operations Manual. This will require you to set up a system, which will ensure that pilots can work out the amount of fuel in the tanks without error.]

I cannot confirm that it was a real letter from CASA, perhaps it was someone else's idea of a joke.I believe it however after being involved with a group of CASA people who wanted instructions in the Operations Manual with training and written authorisations required before a pilot could clean a windscreen, as it is maintenance. Groupthink at work during a session at a two day seminar with flight instructors and they wonder why many of us now decline such invitations to participate. At least the idea wasn't pursued very far after the group dispersed and the individuals' own pet subjects took their rightful priorities.

 

I know that student pilots do need training in cleaning windscreens to avoid damaging them just as they need some training in the use of fuel dipsticks.

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Old Man Emu

 

I only wish, but need to convert back to inches to see if I'm impressed

 

The better one I've seen is the black aluminium with punched numerals I saw the stick in the Pioneer Alphi I flew two years ago

 

But I've got a few to try and get the best option

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Snoopy

 

That's not a bad idea as my current dipstick is dead accurate so I can just transfer across

 

I'll check it out - thanks for the link

 

 

[Bernie Knight]

Snoopy

 

I just eBay checked clear plastic acrylic tube and found a UK site that sells 10mm tube with 3mm wall it was available in 400mm lengths. I try that also, as mentioned I have a very accurate dipstick now and will transfer the numbers across. Will do a full re - calibration next fill as I will drain the tanks.

 

In the interim I will play with the various wood options.

 

 

[Bernie Knight]