Need photos of wing tank gauge from cockpit

[pattye]

We are currently installing the wing tank in the 7AC's right wing and trying to figure out how we are going to see the gauge from the cockpit. The tank installation is per 7-1001, if I remember the number right (I left the drawing in the hangar). The drawing for the fuel system installation on the DVD is not very good. The fuselage is already covered and headliner installed, so we are ready to do some cutting in order to see the gauge. Would somebody please post a photo or photos of their installation in the cockpit? Or if anybody has a clear drawing, I would appreciate it. Any advice would be helpful too. This is a great place to ask and get answers!

[rkittine]

Not a very good picture and not taken for the gauge, but I will take a better one when I get back up to the airport. Here is how mine looks. 5 1/2 Gallon Tank in the Right Wing. Cutout through headliner with an aluminum trim ring.

Hope this helps.

SEAPLANE DOOR 5 RS.jpg (240.96 KiB) Viewed 9162 times

[jepropst]

fuel window.jpg (177.83 KiB) Viewed 9154 times

This is a photo of one of the two fuel gauge windows in my Champ. I personally find it very difficult to read the old "Ford" style gauges through the window while in flight (even with a flashlight).

bills fuel gauge.jpg (211.65 KiB) Viewed 9154 times

This is a photo of the fuel gauge window in Bill Pancake's Champ. Note that Bill also has an outside temp readout unit in the window. Note that the round dial gauge is much easier to read. Unfortunately I don't think you can change from one type to the other.

[Nathan K. Hammond]

This is how the American Champion factory does it....



And some others...







nkh

[pattye]

Thanks, gentlemen! These photos really help. Is there a support behind the headliner that is being screwed into? Or is it another ring or plate behind that sandwiches the headliner with the front ring or plate? Do the fuselage fabric and the headliner get drawn together by the rings or plates? I know, questions, questions!!

[jepropst]

Drawing 7-450 indicates where you may or may not find vertical airframe members that might be of use in attaching a fuel gauge window. You should be able to feel them through your headliner. On my plane, there were vertical members but they were not in the location that I preferred, and I added new support members while restoring the airframe. As you can tell from the various photos, you may need to be creative in designing a fuel gauge window for your aircraft.

[WWhunter]

LOL, but my wing tanks are ubber high tech when it comes to a gauge. It is very expensive also and needs to be bought at a specialty store, such as Home Depot or Lowes. It looks like an ordinary wooden paint stir stick but I can assure you it isn't, it is a highly calibrated device. Okay, I'll admit it, I don't have gauges. Just a paint stick with marks on it to show how many gallons I have. I marked both side, one for in the three point attitude and another level for when I am on floats. Only issue with it is the need to have a watch to deduce gallons/hr fuel burn. Not sure why the guy that put the tanks in never installed gauges but I have never needed them as long as I 'stick' the tank and keep track of the time flown.