The place for technical discussions about GA and flying.
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By Lerk
#1594668
Hi all,
I'm currently mid way through my PPL training and putting together my 'kit' bag.

I have been using the schools ASA style fuel tester which is stored in the glovebox but is frequently stolen, so bought my own.
The issue I have is that once used, the tester retains a reasonable quantity of fuel which once put back in my bag will spill/evaporate - I am worried that this might have a negative impact on the things in my bag and maybe even the bag itself. Seems (to me at least) like a flawed design...

Am I right to worry about this?
If so, how do people get around this issue?

I have been looking for a tester with a screw lid or similar but I've not found anything as yet...
Has anyone made their own?
#1594807
Have you seen the GATS (Gasoline Analysis Test Separator) jar? Developed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University a number of years ago in response to Florida's strict EPA regulations.

Some years ago I had a subscription to 'Aviation Maintenance' magazine, one of the issues had a feature on an EPA warrior in Florida who took on Embry-Riddle, who had a big flight school there. Turns out that draining avgas from your tanks and chucking it on the ground was three separate violations of environmental regulations, and Embry-Riddle, with its vast fleet, could be in serious trouble. The associated University came up with the GATS jar, with a sealed lid, as even allowing vapors (their spelling) into the atmosphere was an offense (sic).

Those little plastic cups with a pole in were pretty useless anyway, they were always breaking. I remember on our old 150F's the fuel water drain was a cable pull down to the sump and it just went on the grass; in the summer when there was loads of flying there was almost more yellow than green in front of the clubhouse :mrgreen:
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1594840
flybymike wrote:
even allowing vapors (their spelling) into the atmosphere was an offense (sic).

One wonders how they managed to fuel the aircraft in the first place.


Not sure about aeroplanes, but car petrol stations in some places (everywhere in California!) have boingy rubber boots on them which are supposed to butt up against the filler neck so that no fumes escape as you're fuelling.
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1594902
MMMMMM ^^^^^^^^ As I pulled out of the petrol market, there were moves to do the same, the tanker was supposed to extract the fumes and hold them.....no doubt the highly -qualified boffins had worked out that compressing a highly explosive fuel-air mix into a road-tanker, trundling around in an urban environment, was totally safe. (I'd expect some to condense back to liquid) Tanker-driver assured me that when they got back to depot, they simply opened the valves and let it all go to atmosphere. Same with sealed car- tanks. Opened a TR7 filler and with a loud "WHOOF " it shot about 3 foot in the air, like a flying saucer.
Changed lots of petrol tanks in those days split prematurely by excess pressure. some had charcoal "catchers" which management systems were supposed to purge and send the fumes to the inlet-manifold. Petrol- pumps were supposed to suck the fumes as cars were filled, All seems to have been quietly buried as the crazier "green" initiatives have been reined-in.

Note, Barton has had almost a hundred years of samples chucked on the ground to evaporate. the grass still grows, the resident birds are not mutant. :P
#1595220
Korenwolf wrote:Have you seen the GATS (Gasoline Analysis Test Separator) jar? Developed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University a number of years ago in response to Florida's strict EPA regulations.


Yes, I did look at that, but seems like unnecessary faff if you don't actually want to separate and reuse the fuel.

I admit in the great scheme of things it's not a massive issue, but it seems strange that there isn't something better out there.
I'll go for the ziploc bag for the time being, but will look out for something homebrew instead.

I did wonder about using a PET preform, which would allow use of a screwcap - either fitted with something to use as a tester in itself or blown / stretched / drawn in to a bottle long enough to fit the fueltester into.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1597113
Lerk wrote:Hi all,
I'm currently mid way through my PPL training and putting together my 'kit' bag.

I have been using the schools ASA style fuel tester which is stored in the glovebox but is frequently stolen, so bought my own.
The issue I have is that once used, the tester retains a reasonable quantity of fuel which once put back in my bag will spill/evaporate - I am worried that this might have a negative impact on the things in my bag and maybe even the bag itself. Seems (to me at least) like a flawed design...



Empty the tester wherever you normally empty it (back in tank, ground, special container)
Hold the 'empty' tester by the 'screwdriver' end with open end outwards.
Then whirl your arm once in a circle:
Centrifugal force will get rid of most of the fuel residue and the rest will have evapourated before you get back to the cabin door.
I've never used a bag/container and just shove the tester (upright) in a side pocket of my flight bag: No staining in 25 years.

Peter
#1597825
PeteSpencer wrote:I've never used a bag/container and just shove the tester (upright) in a side pocket of my flight bag: No staining in 25 years.

Peter


That's good to know then.
I've dealt with chemicals that even the vapours that evaporate off will affect some plastics before now...
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1597920
Lerk wrote:
PeteSpencer wrote:I've never used a bag/container and just shove the tester (upright) in a side pocket of my flight bag: No staining in 25 years.

Peter


That's good to know then.
I've dealt with chemicals that even the vapours that evaporate off will affect some plastics before now...



Yep: DEET melted my flip flops and my rubber watch strap.

Luckily our arrer uses avgas, pretty mild as chemicals go.... :wink:

Peter
#1602587
Avgas/mogas makes neoprene/ some rubber, all wobbly, what's wrong with a cork?
I managed to solve the problem twice by placing the tester on the wing root and starting the engine! Never saw the thing again :D