On Aug 9, 2022, at 6:39 AM, Terry Schubert <jschuber@...> wrote:



When making the fuel cap retainers it is important that the chain be heavy duty ball chain.  The reason is the ball chain is free to roll around when lowering the nose for parking.  That is important from a static electricity/fire prevention standpoint.  Standard chain frequently does not roll to the tank's lowest point when the nose is lowered for parking.  You should hear the chain roll to the lowest spot in the tank as you lower the nose.  Since static electricity is a surface phenomena the chain must cut through the fuel's surface to discharge the the static charge.  The FBO's ground strap needs to connect to the fuel cap to assure a discharge path even when the fuel quantity is low.

 

I have tested that stock plans cap retainer/static electricity discharge with the heavy duty ball chain to 140 IAS on my Long-EZ, N9TS.  The open cap "flew" about 1/2" above the strake's surface.   I have not tested the common size ball chain, which looks too weak .

 

Terry Schubert
Central States Association Newsletter Editor Emeritus

---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Curt Boyll via groups.io" <curtb442@...>
To: Mike Satchell <mike.satch@...>
Cc: "cozy_builders@..." <cozy_builders@...>, Canard Aviators <canard-aviators@canardzone.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [c-a] COZY: Gas cap retainer tip
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2022 19:24:16 -0600

I was told to use actual small chain, not beaded chain, when I bought a used VariEze. Fuel Cap Safety chains were among a few things that my mentor, a Long-EZ builder/pilot, said I needed before I had his permission to fly the plane myself.

And after many years of use, I have to agree that beaded chain is likely not strong enough for the task.

Curt Boyll
VariEze, Cozy - Colorado
(Several years after much advice from my canard mentor, I asked him how I could REPAY all of the help he had given me, and very likely saving me from serious trouble. He said, “Two Things: Don’t kill yourself in this airplane; And, when the next guy comes along, give him the same sort of help.”)

> On Aug 5, 2022, at 3:24 PM, Mike Satchell <mike.satch@...> wrote:
>
> I copied and installed Vance's fuel cap retainer, connected to a metal bead chain and connected that to the gas cap.
> Fueling after a test flight, the pilot side cap's chain only had about 6" of slack in it because the retainer had slid through R53's bottom vent opening.

On Aug 9, 2022, at 9:38 AM, Terry Schubert <jschuber@...> wrote:

When making the fuel cap retainers it is important that the chain be heavy duty ball chain. The reason is the ball chain is free to roll around when lowering the nose for parking. That is important from a static electricity/fire prevention standpoint. Standard chain frequently does not roll to the tank's lowest point when the nose is lowered for parking. You should hear the chain roll to the lowest spot in the tank as you lower the nose. Since static electricity is a surface phenomena the chain must cut through the fuel's surface to discharge the the static charge. The FBO's ground strap needs to connect to the fuel cap to assure a discharge path even when the fuel quantity is low.

I have tested that stock plans cap retainer/static electricity discharge with the heavy duty ball chain to 140 IAS on my Long-EZ, N9TS. The open cap "flew" about 1/2" above the strake's surface. I have not tested the common size ball chain, which looks too weak .




Terry Schubert
Central States Association Newsletter Editor Emeritus

---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Curt Boyll via groups.io" <curtb442@...>
To: Mike Satchell <mike.satch@...>
Cc: "cozy_builders@..." <cozy_builders@...>, Canard Aviators <canard-aviators@canardzone.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [c-a] COZY: Gas cap retainer tip
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2022 19:24:16 -0600

I was told to use actual small chain, not beaded chain, when I bought a used VariEze. Fuel Cap Safety chains were among a few things that my mentor, a Long-EZ builder/pilot, said I needed before I had his permission to fly the plane myself.

And after many years of use, I have to agree that beaded chain is likely not strong enough for the task.

Curt Boyll
VariEze, Cozy - Colorado
(Several years after much advice from my canard mentor, I asked him how I could REPAY all of the help he had given me, and very likely saving me from serious trouble. He said, “Two Things: Don’t kill yourself in this airplane; And, when the next guy comes along, give him the same sort of help.”)

On Aug 5, 2022, at 3:24 PM, Mike Satchell <mike.satch@...> wrote:

I copied and installed Vance's fuel cap retainer, connected to a metal bead chain and connected that to the gas cap.
Fueling after a test flight, the pilot side cap's chain only had about 6" of slack in it because the retainer had slid through R53's bottom vent opening.

<34-flash drive advert.pdf><fuelcap bulletin.tif>

On Aug 12, 2022, at 10:05 AM, James Russell via groups.io <fshort@...> wrote:

Hi all:

I've bought an 100' roll of ball chain #6 Stainless Steel Ball Chain (45 lb max tensile load) and 100 of the rivet on ends #6 Stainless Steel AD Couplings.

As soon as I receive them, I'm happy to sell chain & couplings at my cost:

$0.39/foot for chain
$0.20/each for couplings

plus shipping to you.

You can see the specs at www.ballchain.com.

Regards,
James