Header tank position on stratus?

[heligio]

Hi Guys,

where do you mount your header tank on your stratus if you're using one?
I' can't really find a good place to mount it.
Please show me yours!

Best regards,
Gio.

[DavidH]

Why do you need a header tank?
I really have not seen a Stratus that is using a header tank.

David

[Tom Fiddler]

YEAH David!! Maybe you can dispell the "header tank" myth.

[Bonsai]

No header tank here
Dean

[Bert Kammerer]

Lior Zahavi has a header tank on one of his Stratus. Take a look here:
http://runryder.com/helicopter/gallery/7681/

Scroll down and look under "My second Stratus - build pictures".

Bert

[DavidH]

That header tank in the picture is not centered with the carb. You want the header tank clunk as close to the center (fuel inlet) of the carb as possible.

David

[Bert Kammerer]

You want the header tank clunk as close to the center (fuel inlet) of the carb as possible.


How important is that if you have a pressurized fuel system, such as YS or C-Spec with cline?

[Rada70]

if you have the fuel magnet, you really do not need the header tank. That's in my opinion.

[DavidH]

It is still important to have the header tank clunk close to the center line ( inlet) where it is pressurized system or muffler pressure or pump.
As the heli changes orientation the head pressure in the line will change if the header tank is above or below the center line a great distance.

Yes I use a fuel magnet. You do not need a header tank with the fuel magnet. Only reason I would use a header tank is for extra fuel capacity. I have a header tank on my F3C heli and that is the reason it is there. I could not get thru the old pattern without it the extra 2 ozs. Will have to see how it does with the new patterns once I get down to practicing them seriously.

David

[heligio]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the reply's allready!

On my stratus i'll use the Hatori 90FS-3D (#937) muffler on a YS engine, and because the muffler is close to the frames i need to put my main feul tank far out of the right side to have 5 mm between tank and muffler.
So the problem is that my clunk line can't reach to the right side of the tank, so i'm a little bit worried that if the heli goes on it's right side and the tank is only 1/4 full my engine will get out of fuel or suck some air.
Maybe this problem will be solved if MA come's up with it's new design Stratus fuel tank?
The only question is, when will the new tank's be out?

Best regards,
Gio.

[DavidH]

So the problem is that my clunk line can't reach to the right side of the tank, so i'm a little bit worried that if the heli goes on it's right side and the tank is only 1/4 full my engine will get out of fuel or suck some air.


What has where the tank is mounted got to do with the clunk reaching the right side of the tank? The clunk line should be set up where it will reach every corner no matter where the tank is mounted in the heli.

Also you should have gotten a fuel magnet in your Stratus kit. This would have been in bag 1C and is part number 4295. It explains about the fuel magnet on page 36 of the Stratus instructions. With the fuel magnet there is no reason for a header tank. The motor will not get any air even if the fuel magnet pops out of the fuel in the tank for a second. The fuel magnet will allow every drop of fuel to be used in the tank. The motor will not run lean when the tank is out of fuel. It will just quit.

David

[WayneBrown]

If you are using YS or Cline pumped OS, 5mm will not quite be enough, 8mm is more like it of course 10mm is better.. I learned this after melting two tanks on a YS.. Yes the tank will swell a lot!
Get the clunk to move to all corners as David mentioned and all will be good.

[Mille aka Fredrik]

I did mount a header tank on mine.

HERE (http://81.8.136.43/phpBB2/album_pic.php?pic_id=4668) is a pic of it.

I do have the fuel magnet, but mounted it for safety... :roll:

[WayneBrown]

You'll be wanting to get a Nalgene tank pretty quick.. That Cline pump/ regulator system will overpressure the tank and blow the cap off that tank.
Nothing will stop you from having a forced auto after that...

[Mille aka Fredrik]

Wayne,

had that tank for just a few runs. Mounted the Nalgene tank after this photo. :mrgreen:

Was in a hurry to try this great machine out you know.

[heligio]

David,

The manual says to mount the 90° fitting for the fuel line in between those two velcro straps that hold the tank in place, so if the tank is more to one side than the other the 90° fitting will be also. Not?

Yes, i also received the fuel magnet in my kit, no problem about that.

Best regards,
Gio.

[Bert Kammerer]

I know what you mean, the fuel pick up line is not directly centered in the tank, which causes the magnet not to reach the right side of the heli. If you make the line long enough so that it reaches the right side of the heli, then it can get caught on the left side of the tank/heli. This is not a problem though, I run it slightly off center (the way it is supposed to be) and have never had an issue with fuel delivery even while doing hard 3D in all possible orientations.

Bert

[WillJames]

If the magnet was suspended in the air above your fuel in the tank and the fuel was spashig up and hitting it there would probably be enough fuel to run your motor. Put your tank where you need to so it won't swell and melt and the fuel magnet will well make up for the lack of completely reaching one side versus the other. It is like a big towel swiping around the tank and soaking up all the fuel it can. If you ever remove a magnet and try to squeeze all the fuel out of the element, it is very surprising just how much is in there.

[Jerry]

The black capped and nalgene Stratus tanks really need to have fuel magnets to work properly. The header tank will not 'solve' the dead spot issue in the tank. With a conventional clunk, there will always be 'dead spots' in that tank where the clunk will suck air below 80% fuel level.

Mounting a header tank is not a solution, because it too will also suck air when encountering these dead spots. The end result is after 5 minutes of 3D, you'll have 1/4 fuel in the main tank, and 1/2 fuel in the header tank.

Fuel magnet, Fuel Magnet, Fuel Magnet.

Where do I mount my header tank?

On the parts board. Can't stand header tanks. More plumbing, more weight, more fittings. More things to eliminate when battling a tuning issue.

Mount the fuel magnet, and she'll run without a header tank until there is absolutely zero fuel left. This is good......with a challenging twist :)

Jerry

[Zilly]

I have a header fitted on my Stratus and it is staying there until I am confident that I have the right clunk set up, I am running a fuel magnet but even so find that after some rolls, loops and other fairly smooth aeros my header is half full, one thing the header is good for is giving you a visual aid of how your clunk is working without risking forced autos.

When I am convinced the clunk is doing its thing then I might ditch the header but for the moment its staying!!

z

[DavidH]

I would think you have your clunk line to long in the tank.
I use the fuel magnet and I have it set up do it will move around freely. It does not hang up, no matter which way the tank is turned. I don't have a header tank and the main tank empties all the fuel if I fly it till it runs out. And on the occassions that has happened, with the fuel magnet in the tank. The engine will just quit and not lean out before quitting.

David

[Zilly]

How long is your clunk line David, also what tbe are you using? I have some black Hayes stuff which is about the softest most flexible ive found, the only thing I have that is more felxible is the original lines from my Raptor tank (safe to say those wont be going in!!)

Chris

[DavidH]

I use the clunk line from MA. It has been the most flexible I have found that is durable also. I have tried some of the smaller or thinner wall stuff. Either it does not flow enough fuel or it folds over and cuts off the flow.
Don't know the length of the clunk line. I just keep shortening it till I get it like I want it. It is a trial and error process when building the tank. Length would depend on where the outlet nipple is installed in tank also.

Part number 115-65 is what I use for clunk line in the tank.

[00boto]

Amen Harkey!
Someone needs to give Harkey the "Master of Forum Help" award!
I'm not sure we could pick up the slack if you quit posting Harkey.... keep up the good work!!

Matt

[WayneBrown]

Amen Harkey!
Someone needs to give Harkey the "Master of Forum Help" award!
I'm not sure we could pick up the slack if you quit posting Harkey.... keep up the good work!!

Matt
I'll second that comment!
All praise Harkey! :D