Helicycle Hatchery

Heres the Moroso oil coooler I installed Saturday. It fit like it was designed for it. I took four adel clamps and found some nyon spacers that were just the right length, and mounted it behind the fuel tank. Once that was done, I simply set my 37 degree flaring tool for 5/16 pipe...installed the fittings and flared the lines. Aluminum lines are a breeze to run. Before anyone comments on how close my oil lines are to the belts....a full 2 inches is what I have. It looks like its almost rubbing in the picture!

Afterwards, I ground ran it for awhile....checked for leaks...then refilled the main transmission to the middle of the sight window. It was time for a nice 20 minute hover. I definitely had lower transmission temps because hovering causes the highest workload....and the least air flowing to cool the oil. This unit has plenty of cooling capacity for what I need. I can get by without it...but the oil just is right there at borderline on a very hot day. I should be good to go now. I took it for a nice flight afterwards....and no problems with anything. My oil is cooler now.

Stan
 

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That is a neat solution for keeping it cool. :) Ready for the hot summer days!!! looks great Stan.....as always :)
 
Blake- I bumped this thread to the top so you could find my Moroso oil filter pictures. Stan
 
I feel I should add some nest cleaning tips to my Helicycle Hatchery thread. I just discovered some algae in my fuel filters yesteday.

I have from the start been tenacious about checking my free fuel flow rate so if I ever get algae, I will have a warning on the ground. Thats exactly what happened as my fuel flow rate decreased for the first time while I was checking it yesterday. I checked my in line disposable filter, and my Andair gascolator filter. The filter in the gascolator was getting algae on it. I posted in my Helicycle Hoverings and Happenings thread and received excellent advice about biobor jf fuel additive that kills microbes that causes the algae. I also went on my private Helicycle pilots site and received the same advice plus ordering a Humbug microbe tester.

Here are the links to these very inexpensive products that should detect and keep my fuel supply being consumed by algae.

Love getting helpful advice and I have learned a lot in less than 24 hours!

http://www.skygeek.com/biobor16oz.html

http://www.skygeek.com/humbugkit.html



Stan
 
I like to post in this Helicycle Hatchery thread whenever I modify, maintain my Helicycle, or clean its "nest". I definitely cleaned its nest by finding and killing microbes in my stored fuel in its nest. My fuel supply is now microbe free. I am using a shock dose of one ounce per 40 gallons in my two 55 gallon drums. Then, when my drums are filled from my one supplier, just 1/2 ounce maintenance dosage per 40 gallons is all I need. I have an excellent Andair gascolator whose large fine screen is going to be checked and cleaned every 5 hours. I seriously doubt I will find my fuel flow tests reach my no fly point again, but I will continue to check my fuel flow while its in the hanger religously as I have been. This turbine has many potential hours and I just need to keep on top of its supporting equipment. Its a pleasure taking it out of its nest and go fly, then bring it back and keep preening its feathers. Stan
 
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Stan I think I would stay the ten hour inspection that you were using as that time interval caught the microbes in plenty of time to prevent a serious problem and that is what inspections are for.

Using the Biobor should prevent the microbes from recurring any sooner.
 
Trust but Verify

Trust but Verify

Jeff- I agree, the 10 hour fuel flow check seems to be working. I remember President Reagan saying "trust but verify". If that statement doesn't ring true! Funny thing is I have to verify before I trust........which is what Ronald Reagans statement meant really. I am always pondering ways to verify my systems, so that I can trust them.......at least at a higher level. The other day I left my main power on for 3 days slowly draining my dual batteries. The voltage went to 0 volts. I then flipped my switch checking my backup battery had not discharged through the protective diode circuitry. It was at full voltage, so I trust it is ready to take over the turbine governor should I lose all power. The last several months has my tests verifying my backup systems are as good as my knowledge and skills allow.............at this time. I love reading others experiences so as to gradually increase my knowledge base. Flying and trying to keep my helicopter as reliable as possible is a rewarding experience. Ever since I have implemented a few key changes such as changing the MFS to No, adding a backup battery that is charged by the system but will continue to keep the turbine running if the electrical system fails, low pressure kights for both the turbine and main transmission, and a better fuel maintenance program, I can verify these systems by testing them regularly, and then have a high level of trust in them. All this being said, its a machine and ol Murphy can still interfere. Trust and verify, verify and trust. Stan
 
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The Helicycle is back in its nest preening its feathers for another mission this weekend. I have a cross country to fly Saturday by invite to demonstrate my Helicycle to a large Flying Farmers fly-in at Danville, Il. 60- 80 airplanes are expected and the weather will be excellent.


It was time for my 5 hour fuel filter screen check. The 5 hours self imposed check stems from finding algae half plugging this screen a few weeks ago. My ground fuel flow check caught it way before it was close to starving out the turbine. Since then I have a regular committment to Biobor added to my fuel that I get in 55 gallon drums. No major outlay in money for that or time. Plus I figure if I cant spend a total of 5 minutes each 5 hours taking this fuel filter out of my Andair gascolator, then I should just keep flying till it does clog. So far not the slightest spec in my last 3 checks of this screen. So I happily safety wire the bowl to my fuel shutoff valve, run the pump and purge the air out....and I am good to go. Once I get a wake up call, it sticks tenaciously in my head.

The fuel system is go, and topped out. The rotor blades are polished and go, all greese zerks are go, and the pre- pre-flight is done. It just has to sit in the hanger and tremble till I take it out Saturday. Beautiful weather tonight an tomorrow but its going to be spent hovering around my more precious grandkids.

Stan
 

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Stan: Nice to hear that you have beaten the algae problem. I use kerosene heaters in my shop, and I've raised some amazing slime farms in them when they have sat unused, off-season. I know the slime has built up if 'm still freezing after lighting up the heater in the fall.

I use biocide in my diesel sailboat's fuel. The fuel stays spotless, even after a year. I only fuel up once or twice a year; it's SAILboat, dammit.
 
Stan is on it !

Stan is on it !

Stan,

Don't follow this thread much but nice to see you are keeping the project moving forward (towards safety) with every update. The battery issue is really smart. I swear they are putting more filler in the hot dog every day, and parts are getting unreliable Odyssey batteries are becoming a bad joke lately.... Second the fuel issue is what killed BJ Schram if I recall. Glad your keeping up on clean fuel. The fuel today across the board (Diesel and Gasoline) has a miserable shelf life and it does really bad things to components if left on its own even with trick additives. I think I am adopting a "burn it or turn it" attitude. My rule is use it or lose it and leave tanks empty if long storage is going to happen. Just too many other things to baby sit and fuel is not one of them.

Jonathan
 
Jonathon- in my 15 years of farming and burning diesel, I never heard of algae in diesel/kerosene. I became aware of it by reading about B.J. Schramm having his turbine quit because of algae in hiss fuel. What ended up jappening was he was flying low over water and had to go down in the water. He drowned. Had he been flying over land, he more than likely would have just stepped out of the helicopter. I had been self monitoring my fuel flow rate on the ground, and discovered my fuel flow rate had diminished, not enough to starve the turbine, but enough to raise a red flag and making me find out why. My fuel filter screen to my surprise was half covered with dark green/blacl algae. Nothing like a real find to verify why I check this stuff. Since then I asked questions here and on my Helicycle flyeres site. I very quickly was educated on the product called Biobor. Now i am confident my fuel supply will stay very clean, but I am still checking my fuel filter every 5 hours now. The turbine can still quit of course, but I have reduced the chances of its supporting systems causing it to quit, to the point of what I know now. I am sure there will be further learning for me down the road. Stan
 
preening its feathers

preening its feathers

Any aircraft needs to have its feathers preened occasionally, and this helicopter is no exception. I have been rewarded with a few minor finds by looking it over consistently. While it is in its nest the other day before I flew on the cross country....I thought I should take a look underneath my rotorshaft boot. There are two locking rings there tightened with 2 allen screws each. I checked the torque on them and all was well. Swiped some more grease on it and sealed it back up till my annual in late August.

So far, knocking on wood....this Helicycle has far exceeded my expectations...hasnt let me down yet....but I let her down once. The machine forgave me and allowed me to do that 200 foot runon landing I will never forget.

I continually fight complacency with this helicopter, and so far have stayed ahead of fuel issues with finding and controlling algae, adding upgrades to it that will make the turbine "less" likely to quit than before. Can it still quit? Of course! Thats why I practice autos a lot. Not only are they fun, you never know when you will have a real world engine out and have to use every thing you can draw on.

Stan
 

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I get a lot of enjoyment having the Helicycle back in its nest and preening its feathers. Lately there has been discussions on knowing how much power is available. Several months ago I installed a micro switch that trips a light on in my dash should I ever ask the turbine to max out its fuel control arm, indicating thats all she has. I test the circuitry each pre-flight and the light comes on just before the fuel control arm hits its stop. To date, I havent seen the light so much as flicker, even hovering and taking off aggresively on a 98 degree day.

The switch idea was prompted to existence when I asked my turbine to go above and beyond when I had my flameout. That light would have come on and told me to back off that collective. With this latest power available discussions, I have decided to put another microswitch that will be triggered when the fuel control arm is around 90% or so. It will be adjustable and will give me an indication when I am asking the turbine to do a lot, but still have some reserve. I would like it set so that the other day when I was full on fuel, and 98 degrees, the light would come on , but the max light remain off. This should be some nice data to have and give me some even better indication and early warning that I am approaching max power.

I already have the light wired into my dash, and it just needs a microswitch to ground it out. My plan is to have a small very light flexible leaf spring trigger the very small microswitch at around 90% travel on my fuel control arm, yet not impede the fuel control arms last movement till it hits 100%. Of course i will make absolutely certain the actuator motor can still operate the fuel control arm to its full rearward stop. A very light miniscule leaf spring is being sought. My plan is to be able to adjust it to make the light come on yet still have some throttle arm travel available for reserve power.

Picture 1 shows the two amber lights , one on the left side and one on the right.

Picture 2 shows the right light on right next to my rotor tach when and if my turbines fuel control arm is at max power. The new microswitch will trigger the left light more as an advisory light saying I am approaching max power. I will set this to come on when the temps are in the upper 90's and I am at full fuel.

Picture 3 is the fuel control arm at idle.

Picture 4 is the fuel control arm at roughly 90%. I am estimating that the light will come on around this point...but actual flight testing will overrule my estimates.

When the fuel control arm is all the way to the stop...no picture here...thats when my microswitch triggers the amber light on the right side of my dash.

When I originally wired my instrument panel....I had prewired two red lights for oil pressure warnings from the turbine and the main transmission. The two amber lights were going to be chip lights for the main transmission and tail rotor. I left them deactivated as I havent been convinced the chip lights arent a pain in the butt sometimes. I regularly dump my tail rotor gearbox oil every 10 hours...and check it thoroughly for foreign material. I decided to wire my microswitch a few months ago to the right side amber light for when and if I am asking the turbine to deliver 100% fuel. Now I am using the left light to come on at around 90% , or whatever it takes to come on in when the conditions are in the upper 90's and I am full fuel. My lights were already connected to 12 volts in the panel....and ground wires run inside my wiring harness out to the turbine area. All I have to do is unwrap the spiral wrap, find my labeled wire, and connect it to the new microswitch which will ground it out when activated.



Stan
 

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??

??

... I installed a micro switch that trips a light on in my dash should I ever ask the turbine to max out its fuel control arm, indicating thats all she has...

This is better that nothing and simple, but I'm sure you realize this is a Throttle Arm Position Indicator, which is not really a Power Output Indicator.

75% of throttle arm travel may give you 75% of available HP on a standard day,
but 75% of throttle arm travel may be requesting 110% of available HP on a hot humid day and your rotor RPM may droop if you are asking more than the engine has got.

I like the other guy's idea of using a digital torque wrench somehow! I'll have to think about that one.
 
On the Helicycle, my first idea of how to get an accurate power-applied/torque measurement...is at the front LoveJoy coupling on the T/R driveshaft. The rubber star is already squished proportionate to the torque being exerted on the main rotor mast.

Surely there's a simple solid-state device that could measure the minute changes in alignment of the front vs. rear half of the LoveJoy as the rubber star is compressed more vs. less?
 
Bryan- The power to the main rotor goes through the big pulley directly on the transmission input shaft. It does not go through any star coupling. The rubber star coupling only compresses to loads going to the tail rotor. That would tell me nothing but consant variation as I move the pedals. I will be able to at least know how close my fuel control arm is to max fuel with a microswitch. I can now tell when 100% power is being asked....I just would like to know when I am approaching past 90% or whatever I set it to. This baby is about delivered!

stan
 
dUhhhh! wHAT WAS i THANKIN

dUhhhh! wHAT WAS i THANKIN

Bryan- The power to the main rotor goes through the big pulley directly on the transmission input shaft. It does not go through any star coupling. The rubber star coupling only compresses to loads going to the tail rotor. That would tell me nothing but consant variation as I move the pedals. I will be able to at least know how close my fuel control arm is to max fuel with a microswitch. I can now tell when 100% power is being asked....I just would like to know when I am approaching past 90% or whatever I set it to. This baby is about delivered!

stan

I guess I just totally forgot the pilot moves the pedals. My stupid Idea would only work if the T/R pitch was fixed.
 
Bryan- Thats my quirky way of saying I about how I have the mounting system figured out for my 2nd microswitch....and "the baby is about delivered" meaning all I have to do is go finish it. Thanks for the congratulations anyway.....


stan
 
Lol

Lol

LOL:) LOL:)
I could just see you sweating BB's and readin my post on your I-Phone
 
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