fuel gage low level warning

[Randy Johnson]

My 1962 250 has four tanks and 90 gallon fuel capacity. I love everything about this airplane but the fuel system. Am I the only guy who would like a low fuel level warning light (idiot light)? I know your scan should include the fuel gage and so far so good. Just have anxiety about missing it. Is there an add on solution that others have had success with?

[Andrew Foster]

We have the JPI 450 fuel flow. It gives a very accurate reading of the fuel used, fuel remaining, fuel needed to next waypoint if talking to your gps, which can be a portable unit, time reamining in fuel, etc. All this for a very reasonable price. Instalation was fairly easy on our 61, which has a carb. Highly reccomend this product.

[Randy Johnson]

Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for. Does your fuel flow computer give you best groundspeed for fuel usage ratio? In other words, want to maximize highest groundspeed with best fuel consumption ratio...Dont know if there is such a thing but it would be great to have a computer tell you where that data point is.

[N3322G]

Randy,

Our shadin fuel flow computer helps with all you have mentioned

[md11flyer]

Randy:

Here is another alternative. This is a 4 tank fuel guage that is fully stc'd as a direct replacement for your panel mounted
guages. They also have a 6 tank model if you have tip tanks. When I have extra cash burning a hole in my pocket I am
going to invest in one. The cost for a 4 tank model is around $700 plus install.

The nice advantage is you know how much is in each tank at a glance. Also this unit uses the factory sensors, making the install somewhat
less demanding.
Here is the web site:http://www.aerospacelogic.com/store/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=151
You can download the install and owners manual as well.

And no, I have no ties to this company...

Regards,
Gary

[tomburke1]

Gary, were you able to get the aux tank guages to indicate the 1st 2 gallons of fuel you added to them? When I installed mine, the way the floats were installed in the tank required the addition of 2 gallons before the float got wet.

[md11flyer]

Tom:
No, I have not bought them yet.. to many upgrades this year, including the seatbag airbags when they get here.
I am probably looking at this fuel guage at next annual. hmmmm sounds a bit iffy if the guage doesn't register till 2 gallons are put in...
was the aircraft level? I wonder if this is a piper norm. Maybe the floats are supposed to be sending an empty signal with 2 gallons left????

Looked in the piper documentation and all it says is the guage must read correct when tank is empty... which it does in this case so the maybe all piper
fuel guage senders are set up this way... the last 2 gallons after the guage reads empty are for the wife and kids...

I know the service manual shows a set up rig for testing the senders but it doesn't indicate what level the float becomes wet in the tank.

Did you get the same reults for both auxs? If so I guess you could just fly on the auxs until the guage reads completely empty and then take your time to change to the mains.

I am assuming that the senders were not at sometime "readjusted by someone, ie wire attached to the float bent so the guage would show empty at 2 gallons."

IF that was the case then the simple fix would be to bend it back to the original.

My 2 cents....

Gary

[tomburke1]

I was under the assumption that you had alreaady installed the guage. I appologise.
The way the fuel senders are situated in the aux tanks precludes them from registering the first 2 gallons. No amount of adjusting seems to be able to change that.

I had all 4 senders repaired by Webco, and when they were returned they worked properly. By the way, if you decide to have yours done, Webco charges for the repairs that they do to the senders, and if the senders require everything their price was a little less then the outfit in PA. If they didn't need everything replaced the cost was lower. The outfit in PA charges 1 price no matter what is needed, and that price is a bit higher then Webco's price if everything is replaced.

The main tanks register properly. How I compensate for the aux problem is to use my JPI Fuel Flow to measure 2 gallons after the 13 gallons is used from each tank. My aux tanks actually hold 15.5 gallons from empty so their is a little cushion there. It takes a little bit of attention, but it is only important on extremely long flights. I like seeing the fuel display of all 4 tanks at a glance and they are pretty accurate, which is far better then the original guages.

[md11flyer]

Yes, that was the light bulb that went off when I first saw the unit. You have, in my case 6 fuel tank levels at a glance and a
warning when they are approaching empty. For the price it seems like a good bargain. Also for the twin it gets rid of the micro switches attached to
the fuel selectors as well as the some of the wiring attached to the fuel selector panel. (from the switchs for the tip/aux tank )

I have a shadin fuel flow that is dead accurate, but it only tells you what is in the sum of the 3 tanks on that side. The
guage will be going in at next annual.

Gary

[tomburke1]

I think that they made the 4 tank guages because I and others asked for a 4 tank single guage. I planned to put the guages together horozontially and use the outside guages for the aux's, and the indide ones for the mains. That did't work out because of the instrument markings so i mounted them vertically. Used the top one for the mains, and bottom for the aux's. It makes weight and balance situations a bit easier, and gives you at a glance a good idea of fuel on board. With a fuel flow likem the JPI in conjunction with the guages you would really have to work at it to have a fuel exhaustion problem. I do suggestthat you test your senders and if they are off, have them looked at,,I preferred Webco for that, and wire the lighting so at night the power comes off the instrument light circuit so the glare from the guage can be reduced.

[skipsouthernsky]

Dear Randy,

Most newer model electronic fuel flow guages have a "miles per gallon" read-out when hooked to a GPS. Is that the information you were asking about ? Of course there are other read-outs available as well. Most guages have limited space available for presentation and require multiple button pushes to get to the particular info that you want, but when linked to a GPS, the GPS usually has a page that presents most of the fuel flow information on one page for an easier overview of the total fuel picture.

Sincerely,
Skip Dykema

[kenhill]

I would still like something simple like an indicator light that the fuel pressure has dropped between the engine fuel pump and the carb. Or would this not provide enough time to switch tanks before the engine dies?

[tomburke1]

I have fuel injection and when it stumbles you have to be quick or it will quit,

[Randy Johnson]

Thanks Skip. Just wondering if we could get the computer to analize the fuel flow and groundspeed to give "best throttle setting". Probably a pipe dream!

By the way I tried running an aux tank dry on the ground to see if it would give me time to respond...it just died...no sputter...no indication of fuel starvation. That got my attention!

[tomburke1]

Randy, in flight the prop will be wind driven and I forget the time span they say it takes to start, but believe me in real life it seems forever,,, In a FI engine if you catch it as the fuel pressue/fuel flow first shakes you can keep it running without interuption.