Fuel Gauge Calibrations

stackj · #1 03-11-10, 09:58 PM

My avionics man has a favorite saying. "Common sense does not constitute approved data."

It still seems that common sense would apply here. If you are using clean equipment/containers, what is the issue? Your fuel was stored at a refinery, transported by a truck or pipeline to a distribution facility, transported by truck to your airport, stored in some type of a tank, probably reloaded into a truck and finally pumped into your airplane.

Seems that moving fuel from one container to another does not harm it.

Just make sure you are properly protecting the fuel by using clean equipment. I woud say that doing this is no more likely to contaminate the fuel than the vendor(s) getting the fuel to your airport.

hharney · #2 03-11-10, 11:10 PM

Legally the gauge only has to read "E" when empty. So that should not be too difficult to find that correct setting for each sensor. Then if you calibrate the gauge to read "F" when the sensor is all the way up (full) that again should not be all that difficult. Couldn't this be performed with no fuel on the bench? With both of these scenarios accomplished it should be close for what's in middle.

Maybe I am thinking to simple here.....................

Skymaster337B · #3 03-11-10, 11:25 PM

Now that AVGAS is $6/gallon, it is too expensive to throw away. The reality is the fuel you purchased meets the highest quality from the point of sale. It doesn't "go bad" just because it is in your fuel tank and pore it out. You may have noticed the fuel tester cups with small strainers so that you can simply just put that fuel back into the tank...and not on the ground (thanks EPA). Well, you can do the same thing while draining...just make sure you have a mesh screen that will filter any dirt.

On the other hand. Even though AVGAS is $6/gallon, it's still the cheapest thing in/on your airplane.

Roger · #4 03-12-10, 09:03 AM

Actually this fuel callibration issue has nothing to do with me. It was merely my attempt to resolve an issue that had been discussed under a different heading in a prior thread. Apparently there are some new digital fuel guages out there and there seems to have been some problem with the perceived rules on de-fueling the tanks to callibrate said gauges.

This new thread is meant to be a "quick search" heading so that in the future should anybody again encounter a mechanic who has questions on what is "permissible" for off loading and reusing fuel for this purpose, it can be easily resolved.