tank clunk line length

[cwbonner]

Been helping a friend build his new Bergen Turbine, and I was wondering how long the clunk line should be. It seems with the shape of the tanks a line long enough to reach the bottom of the bottles is not going to flop around very well. How do you set up your clunks?

[Gary Travis]

I set mine so they are an inch from the rear of the tank.
Gary

[cwbonner]

Thanks Gary

[Gary Travis]

Carl, are you guys using the UAT?
Gary

[cbergen]

Good question, I'll update the manual, but I figured to put the clunk appx halfway down down the length of the bottle. Longer is better than too short, in this instance.

[Gary Travis]

Always something comes up to put in the manual!! Usually the things you never think of
Gary Travis

[cwbonner]

Gary,
Yes, we are using the UAT. Almost finished now, have to install the rx and make up the control lonkages. Should be done in time for the trip to Vegas. Looking forward to meeting all the turbine gurus there.

[wolfdad]

Carl,
Gary is right on the money and just to double check yourself, prior to installing in the saddle brackets, hold the tank upright and gently wiggle it around a bit. If you hear it drag on the bottom, it's a bit too long. Once you have one cut to length, just follow suite with the second one....piece of cake. Will look forward to seeing some video of you flying that sucker out at Las Vegas.

Finally finished mine up Sunday evening and, hope to fly it this coming weekend. You guys enjoy Vegas....I'll be thinking about you...probably up the butt of a tall giraffe in snow.
Doc

[Donovan Dow]

Been helping a friend build his new Bergen Turbine, and I was wondering how long the clunk line should be. It seems with the shape of the tanks a line long enough to reach the bottom of the bottles is not going to flop around very well. How do you set up your clunks?

Evening Carl

IMHO it would be best to get the clunk as far aft as possible without making contact with the end of the tank.

cheers
don dow

[WillJames]

What is a UAT? Not trying to Hijack the thread, just trying to learn. Thanks in advance for helping us learn!! :noteworthy

[cbergen]

A UAT is a Turbine version of a header tank. You know, these "elite" pilots have to have thier own terms for things..... :mrgreen:

[Gary Travis]

Hey another niffty title, Doc we will be thinking of you also while we are in Vegas!
Get the new turbine fired up and melt some of that snow. From what I see on the weather you will need to get a tanker truck full of fuel to put a dent in it. How much snow did you get where you are?
Gary Travis

[cbergen]

To further answer Will's question, UAT stands for Ultimate Air Trap. We had been getting them from BVM Jets, but I hear there may be another source here soon...... :wink:

[WillJames]

Ohhh OK very interesting, thank you for explaining.

Your right Gary, Doc should be about A-Hole deep in snow if the local news is correct.

[wolfdad]

Will/Gary,
Actually, we fared fairly well, all things considered. Greg's place is almost 40 miles due north of us (as the crow flies) and he had almost 12 "official" inches (Greg, leave this subject alone, shipmate :lol: :lol: ). We had 3.5 "official" inches, roads remained clear and absolutely no problems (other than the yuppee SUV idiots). Just enough that I was NOT going to hazard the BK.

Will, the BVM UAT (only one on the market that I am aware of, although Alan Delena has another design on the drawing board). The UAV uses, instead of a clunk a membrane that does two things....traps the smallest of air bubbles on the outside and filters the fuel vice using a clunk....very ingenius design. Don't know what the actual micron size is, however it works extremely well. Also, the UAT design is such that you don't wind up "back-flushing" the membrane when you fuel the aircraft. Air in the fuel system is the worst nightmare for turbines. A small bubble of air might cause a nitro machine to hiccup, however, with the small volume of fuel going to a turbine, an air bubble of any size can be enough to put out the "torch (flame-out)."

You dudes going to Vegas, please do two things for me....put a buck in a slot for me and, dang it, keep the skid side down....or as we used to say in the VP community..."when the ground is near, put down the gear"...and, more than anything else.....have a ball!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Doc

[cwbonner]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Holy **** what a mess of wires and plumbing to deal with! That's OK, cause I'm going to finish everything off and then pass the buck to Ameer and let HIM deal with the aesthetics. It is his heli after all :mrgreen: Can't wait to get this thing fired up. All that's left to do is the final setup and a little plumbing work. I have got to say the turbine pilots are an extremely helpful bunch! See you in VEGAS!

[wolfdad]

Carl,
Again, the best to you and Ameer and, actually, it does appear to be, initially, a nightmare, but really very straght-forward in the end.
Doc