The 'What did you do in your workshop tonight?' thread

[Snoopy1]

I read a good thread on this on the other site and one of the posters was a rubber engineer. Basically he said real 60A Durometer Viton should last a very long time. He said that leaving fuel in the tank will mess with the chemicals in any rubber and eventually deteriorate it, even Viton. He said if you drain the fuel out of the tank Viton should last indefinitely.

Another poster brought up a good point. Make sure your really getting Viton, since it looks just like Neoprene and Neoprene will split just like yours did.

Took it to friend that is still working and asked if he would test it for me and he just called and said that it is Viton. But it comes in various hardness and qualities. The one I have is about 70 Durometer and he said not the best looking stuff under the microscope looks like another cheap import. It is getting harder and harder to buy good local quality stuff.
The stuff was brand new installed it into the plane a couple of weeks ago. And yes I always drain my tank at the end of the day. I do it so that I know that my flying time is still good and that it is still all working as it should.

 

[Jetpainter]

Took it to friend that is still working and asked if he would test it for me and he just called and said that it is Viton. But it comes in various hardness and qualities. The one I have is about 70 Durometer and he said not the best looking stuff under the microscope looks like another cheap import. It is getting harder and harder to buy good local quality stuff.
The stuff was brand new installed it into the plane a couple of weeks ago. And yes I always drain my tank at the end of the day. I do it so that I know that my flying time is still good and that it is still all working as it should.

You need a Durometer rating of 60A it very soft and pliable.

 

[Luchnia]

Took it to friend that is still working and asked if he would test it for me and he just called and said that it is Viton. But it comes in various hardness and qualities. The one I have is about 70 Durometer and he said not the best looking stuff under the microscope looks like another cheap import. It is getting harder and harder to buy good local quality stuff.
The stuff was brand new installed it into the plane a couple of weeks ago. And yes I always drain my tank at the end of the day. I do it so that I know that my flying time is still good and that it is still all working as it should.

I remember getting some one time that was sub par. I bought it from a reputable source. I went back and read my order and went on the website and noticed there was some FINE PRINT that stated it was an alternate. Cheap import was a good word for it. I use it for fill lines and the like so it doesn't get used in my tanks and to my carb feeds. Thank goodness I did not buy a lot of it. All of the rest I have is genuine Viton 60A. You can absolutely tell the difference too.

 

[Snoopy1]

I guess I am going to have to buy some Viton tubing from PSP so that I can compare it to the stuff I have and throughout out useless stuff. Checking the Viton I have there are some differences. Well time will tell this was an expensive and annoying lesson learnt.
Just want to thank everyone for their input so that I can avoid this in the future and get the correct stuff in the future.

 

[Luchnia]

I guess I am going to have to buy some Viton tubing from PSP so that I can compare it to the stuff I have and throughout out useless stuff. Checking the Viton I have there are some differences. Well time will tell this was an expensive and annoying lesson learnt.
Just want to thank everyone for their input so that I can avoid this in the future and get the correct stuff in the future.

Yes, it is a bummer when something like this happens. I have learned a few rough lessons over the years. As someone once stated if you are not confident in a product don't use it.

With Viton I would just make sure it is the good stuff. I am sure anything can happen and Viton just like any product could miss a QC check and we could get a defective piece. This thread has made me think I may want to pull some of my older tanks just to see how it is holding up.

I know I pulled one at the beginning of the year that was installed about five years ago and I took the line out and it felt like new line. I replaced it because I was installing a new tank (I do my own clear tanks), but really was nothing wrong with the Viton line.

On a side note, if you use Viton 60A it will expand more than the 70 when it gets really hot in the summer so make sure it does not touch the bottom of the tank with the clunk as it could hang up.

 

[BalsaDust]

My nitro planes I drain the tank at the end of every day but my gas stuff I just leave fuel in the tank.

 

[Jetpainter]

We found out the hard way last year that you have to watch what your getting for "Teflon" header couplers too. My flying buddy Tony did a new Carf Extra 330SC with a DA120 last spring. He ordered couplers and clamps from Chief, like he had done several times before but they were out of stock. He called them weekly and they kept saying any day now. They finally showed up, but they looked different than what he was used to. He put them on and didn't think much of it. On maiden day we fired it up and it sounded great with the Pro Flow canisters and a 3 blade prop, nice and quiet. After I pulled out the plane restraints, SURPRISE! he hands me that transmitter.

So, I taxi out and takeoff and it sounds just awesome. About a minute after takeoff I'm thing to myself, "man, I think it's getting louder". After another minute or so I know something is wrong and setup my landing. After landing as I'm taxiing back it's REALLY loud. Upon inspection we found both couplers had melted off the headers. Teflon? I don't think so.

He called Chief and they sent him a new set that looked just like what we were used to and they have a year of flights on them without issue.

 

[Snoopy1]

sure

We found out the hard way last year that you have to watch what your getting for "Teflon" header couplers too. My flying buddy Tony did a new Carf Extra 330SC with a DA120 last spring. He ordered couplers and clamps from Chief, like he had done several times before but they were out of stock. He called them weekly and they kept saying any day now. They finally showed up, but they looked different than what he was used to. He put them on and didn't think much of it. On maiden day we fired it up and it sounded great with the Pro Flow canisters and a 3 blade prop, nice and quiet. After I pulled out the plane restraints, SURPRISE! he hands me that transmitter.

So, I taxi out and takeoff and it sounds just awesome. About a minute after takeoff I'm thing to myself, "man, I think it's getting louder". After another minute or so I know something is wrong and setup my landing. After landing as I'm taxiing back it's REALLY loud. Upon inspection we found both couplers had melted off the headers. Teflon? I don't think so.

He called Chief and they sent him a new set that looked just like what we were used to and they have a year of flights on them without issue.

my question is why would Chief send those dam couplers. All they did was piss somebody off it would have been better if they had just waited for the right stuff or at least tell you that what you got they are not sure about.

 

[Jetpainter]

my question is why would Chief send those dam couplers. All they did was piss somebody off it would have been better if they had just waited for the right stuff or at least tell you that what you got they are not sure about.

It seems that is just the way thing go now days. Sometimes the larger operations just don't seem to care.

 

[Luchnia]

my question is why would Chief send those dam couplers. All they did was piss somebody off it would have been better if they had just waited for the right stuff or at least tell you that what you got they are not sure about.

+1