my silicon water pipe, the port side, the bent one to the radiator, split today,
thankfully I was over the strip and shut off. It had been in place for about
160 hours/3 years having moved the radiator back after nearly burning through
the original one during test flying. I thought silicon would last forever but
it seems to have stiffened. In fact I am coming to the conclusion that on
shutting
down the close exhaust causes the static hot water in the pipe to boil
and pressure builds at this point. It is this that used to cause a small weep
that others have seen. I blocked that with a hefty clamp long ago, so there is
no release and the stiffening pipe finally split- a 2" clean rupture.
So I shall change it each 100 hours in future and add some insulation around it.
Perhaps I'll add a baffle in between and sleeve the pipe to prevent expansion.
--------
Graeme Bird
G-UMPY
Mono Classic/XS 912S/Woodcomp 3000/3W
Newby: 150 hours 36 months on the Mono
g@gdbmk.co.uk
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=440596#440596
|