Thread: Running issues
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Old 08-07-2019, 10:08 PM
indigo indigo is offline
 
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Fire Damage Images

I have attached several before and after images of battery compartment. The before was not just before but represents the general layout and condition of things. The jumble of small wires in the middle are part of an incomplete installation of a battery monitoring system. The printed circuit part of the device is in there and all of the wiring is hooked up to it. The fire apparently started on the PC board and snowballed from there. I have labeled a few important items of the images. In the "before" you can plainly see the fuel tank vent running along the aft side of the fuel tank and then turning aft. In one of the "after" images, you can see the charred remains of the fore and aft run of the vent hose. I apologize for not having better images. My right foot was in a "walking boot" as I was recovering from a fractured heel bone.

Was there a "torch" when the fire burned through the vent hose? Probably a little bit for a short time. You can see that there was minimal charring of any of the wooden structure around the battery compartment. The battery acid was a real mess as well.

As for the recommendations for jet aircraft, I think those would be along the lines of recommendations for diesel engine installations. The evaporation rate, and thus the vapor pressure, of the two liquids (gasoline vs diesel/jet fuel) are so very different. I forget the units of measure, but my internet research showed gasoline is on the order of 10 and diesel/jet fuel is less than .5 for a given temperature. I know there are desiccant "filters" that are sold for boat fuel tanks as was mentioned by capnward. For a diesel installation, I think that would be a good idea. For a gasoline installation, save your boat dollars for something more useful

Tom
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