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Grounding Of Fuel Senders

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dvanlanen

Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Madison, WI

Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Grounding Of Fuel Senders

I have attended a couple of forums at AirVenture on the subject of aircraft electrical systems, and the presenters have been consistent in recommending the routing of a return wire from every component to the universal ground bus, to help insure that there are no “ground loops” introduced into the system that can cause electrical problems.  I personally think this is relatively cheap insurance against grounding issues, and I plan to follow this advice.  However, with the VDO fuel senders, the sender is not designed to be isolated from the fuel tank / airframe because the inner mounting ring and mounting screws are in metal-to-metal contact with the fuel tank and sender case, and thus are also connected to the airframe by virture of the grounding strap installed from the fuel tank to the airframe.  And even if the sender were to be isolated from the tank and airframe via use of shoulder washers under the mounting screws, there is no grounding lug on the case of the sending unit itself to attach a return wire to.  Has anyone experienced any “ground loop” or other electrical issues with the senders when grounding via a mounting screw as instructed by ZAC?  Has anyone figured out a simple way to isolate the sender from the airframe and install an attachment to the sender case for a return wire to the ground buss?    

Thanks,  

Dave Van Lanen  

601XL – working on wings          [quote][b]

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dvanlanen

Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Madison, WI

Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject: Grounding Of Fuel Senders

I have attended a couple of forums at AirVenture on the subject of aircraft electrical systems, and the presenters have been consistent in recommending the routing of a return wire from every component to the universal ground bus, to help insure that there are no “ground loops” introduced into the system that can cause electrical problems.  I personally think this is relatively cheap insurance against grounding issues, and I plan to follow this advice.  However, with the VDO fuel senders, the sender is not designed to be isolated from the fuel tank / airframe because the inner mounting ring and mounting screws are in metal-to-metal contact with the fuel tank and sender case, and thus are also connected to the airframe by virture of the grounding strap installed from the fuel tank to the airframe.  And even if the sender were to be isolated from the tank and airframe via use of shoulder washers under the mounting screws, there is no grounding lug on the case of the sending unit itself to attach a return wire to.  Has anyone experienced any “ground loop” or other electrical issues with the senders when grounding via a mounting screw as instructed by ZAC?  Has anyone figured out a simple way to isolate the sender from the airframe and install an attachment to the sender case for a return wire to the ground buss?    

Thanks,  

Dave Van Lanen  

601XL – working on wings          [quote][b]

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n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: Re: Grounding Of Fuel Senders

Connect a ground lead to it the sender, and run a return anyway. It

might leave you scratching your head why, if the the thing is grounded

anyway? 



It's a simple, safe practice thing to do. Which if you follow religiously

will leave you with radios that are crystal clear, and an intercom

with no noise, etc.  



The best way to avoid, electrical/avionics trouble in a plane, is simply

pretend the entire airframe is made of plastic, and treat every electrical

device accordingly.



Regards,

Jeff

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bryanmmartin

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:25 am Post subject: Grounding Of Fuel Senders

You should have separate ground leads for all of you avionics and  

other circuits in the cabin, that is where ground loops are most  

likely to cause problems. Grounding the lights and fuel senders in the  

wings to the airframe shouldn't cause any issues.

On Dec 11, 2008, at 7:07 PM, Dave VanLanen wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   I have attended a couple of forums at AirVenture on the subject of  

 aircraft electrical systems, and the presenters have been consistent  

 in recommending the routing of a return wire from every component to  

 the universal ground bus, to help insure that there are no “ground  

 loops” introduced into the system that can cause electrical problems.




	




-- 

Bryan Martin

N61BM, CH 601 XL,

RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.

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_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive.

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