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My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 12:34:16 AM   
PipeMajor



Posts: 571
Joined: 5/5/2003
From: Twin Cities, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Or, why I hate springtime...

For the 2nd time in a year and the 3rd time in the past 10 years our sump pump in the lowest room of our house has failed and this time, I had 7 airplanes which have likely sustained some water damage.

The wife demanded I move all my models downstairs last winter so I placed them all in a room which serves as a guest room. It has a pile carpet and double bed so I can only stack fuselages and wings by their nose/wingtip.

There was about an inch an a half of standing water save for a few places where the carpet was dry. Of course, only the spots where the models were placed had standing water.

Those with plastic spinners should be OK, others which were standing on the crankshaft threads (such as my Saito .62) already have rusted at least on the threaded part of the crankshaft. I fear water may have also seeped up the journal via capillary action and done damage to the bearings. Those without engines have likely had the firewall area soaked.

Luckily, we do have a supplemental water/sump pump rider on our policy - with a $500 deductable. I know AMA''s insurance only covers loss for theft, fire or vandalism and you have to show forcible entry.

Gonna be a bummer of a flying season...



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       Post #: 1

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 12:51:20 AM   
edsland


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 9/20/2003
From: naperville, IL, USA
Status: offline 		That is a bummer hope they dry out ok and maybe next time put them to bed were it''s dryer.

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 2

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 12:55:01 AM   
muddy69


 

Posts: 76
Joined: 6/4/2004
From: Medford, OR, USA
Status: offline 		I''d move the wife down there in the spring

(in reply to edsland)
       Post #: 3

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 12:58:32 AM   
Campy



Posts: 3351
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Baltic, CT, USA
Status: offline 		Sorry for your loss. Do the following and most (if not all should be salvageable/ok):

Soak the threads of the crankshafts with WD-40, let sit for a few hours and remove the prop nuts, washers, etc. Next, if you used after run oil in the engines you should be in good shape. If you didn''t, pull the back plate on the engines ONE ENGINE AT A TIME and inspect for any signs of rust, metal particles, grit, etc. If there is no rust present, squirt some after run oil inside the engine and SLOWLY turn the engine over by hand to feel if there are any rough spots. If that is OK button the engine back up and go on to the next engine.

Now for the fun part , Pull each connector from the receiver and check for corrosion (make sure you check the extensions also). If there are signs of corrosion replace that lead and if there is any sign of corrosion on the receiver send the receiver back to the manufacturer to be factory checked. If the corrosion is on a servo lead, cut the damaged connector off and carefully check the wires for black wire disease (you need to go a minimum of 1" beyond where the black wire ends to attach a new lead). If the batteries have corrosion replace them.

Now move you planes into an area that is not damp AND HAS GOOD AIR CIRCULATION and let them dry out for about a week. If you have some packages of dessicant put a couple of packages in the nose of each of the planes and any obvious damp areas to help dry them out. (Dessicant can be "re-energized" by putting it in a 200 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours) Once dry you can check the firewalls to be sure they are still firmly attached. Don''t forget to check the rest of the plane for warps.

For future reference build yourself a set of racks that you can hang the planes by the tail and have the nose several inches off the floor.

Hope this is of some help.

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 4

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 3:59:40 AM   
bbbair


 

Posts: 802
Joined: 1/7/2003
From: Belleville, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		As this is not the first time it has happened (the sump failure) may I recommend... a high water alarm?

IF you already have a monitored alarm in your house, it is an extra feature that is easily added to your system, IF the sump fails the Alarm Company calls you and you can start the fix before any damage occurs - this has happened to me twice in the last 10 years - a great feature to have.

Plan ''B'', IF you do not have a monitored alarm install a float switch above your sump pump, and connect it to an audible alarm - something that you cannot ignore. hopefully someone will be at home and can start repairs and so on.

Either way it will help to make you day a shade better...

Good Luck!

_____________________________

It's Time to Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

(in reply to Campy)
       Post #: 5

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 8:43:07 AM   
Krener


 

Posts: 172
Joined: 11/5/2006
From: AS, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: PipeMajor



The wife demanded I move all my models downstairs last winter so I placed them all in a room which serves as a guest room. It has a pile carpet and double bed so I can only stack fuselages and wings by their nose/wingtip.


Gonna be a bummer of a flying season...




Well fairs fair.
Now you can demand that you have access to all the money so you can buy new planes, and engines.................anything you want really


_____________________________

I live in my own little world.................but it''s OK, they know me here.

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 6

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/15/2008 3:54:46 PM   
Jburry



Posts: 466
Joined: 7/12/2006
From: Cape Spencer, NB, CANADA
Status: offline 		Ouch, Pipemajor, that sucks! You''ve gotten some good advice from the others here, and I''d like to add my recommendation to the others for a high water alarm in your basement. I''d put it in the pump sump, an inch or 2 below floor level. Give you some time to react.

I think you''ll get lucky. Your engines may need minor repair, bearings don''t cost too much. Dry the wood out quick and there should be minimal damage!

I''d feel sick if those were mine. Hope things work out for you.

J

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Revver Bro. #220

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 7

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/17/2008 2:57:33 AM   
kid chuckles


 

Posts: 611
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Granbury, TX, USA
Status: offline 		May try getting some hooks and good stout string and hanging them from the prop or making slings to hang them from. Also you might try your Home Owners if your going to be using it anyway. They may be covered.

(in reply to Jburry)
       Post #: 8

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/17/2008 6:11:20 PM   
pywackit


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 3/4/2005
From: wichita, KS, USA
Status: offline 		yup...that sure is sad but I think all will be fine for you, now about that wife. Hang those planes up and forget about that alarm....you'll hear the wife screaming when she wakes up wet...LOL!

(in reply to kid chuckles)
       Post #: 9

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/20/2008 11:52:09 PM   
scottrc



Posts: 2306
Joined: 3/7/2003
From: A TREE, KS, USA
Status: offline 		All my planes are in a basement that without a sump pump would be a big underground swimming pool. I have two pumps, one is a backup in case the first one fails. I also have a generator close by in case we have a power outage.

The cost of a alarm, back up pump, and a generator is still less then a fully equipped plane.

_____________________________

If you love that plane, set it free, if it doesn't return, you should've checked your battery.

(in reply to pywackit)
       Post #: 10

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/20/2008 11:56:38 PM   
kid chuckles


 

Posts: 611
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Granbury, TX, USA
Status: offline 		How do you keep your homes from just sinking with that much water around them? Head for higher ground kimosabe.

(in reply to scottrc)
       Post #: 11

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/21/2008 12:14:38 AM   
Ugo Ferrari



Posts: 402
Joined: 1/15/2002
From: Ft.Walton Bch.|, FL, USA
Status: offline 		PRIORITIES, Pipe ! PRIORITIES ! Wife, Downstairs, Planes, Upstairs !!


_____________________________

Ugo Ferrari
Fort Walton Beach,

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 12

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/21/2008 5:40:26 AM   
PipeMajor



Posts: 571
Joined: 5/5/2003
From: Twin Cities, MN, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: scottrc

All my planes are in a basement that without a sump pump would be a big underground swimming pool. I have two pumps, one is a backup in case the first one fails. I also have a generator close by in case we have a power outage.

The cost of a alarm, back up pump, and a generator is still less then a fully equipped plane.

Yeah, I'm definitely going with some type of high water alarm. Insurance Co. says they won't cover that (they are covering the models/engines as well as the carpets, drywall, etc). I was thinking a generator might be too much overkill - until we also lost electrical power Friday night.

Edit - and why all of a sudden is the forum software converting apostrophes to double quote marks?

< Message edited by PipeMajor -- 4/21/2008 5:41:58 AM >

(in reply to scottrc)
       Post #: 13

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/21/2008 9:02:01 AM   
speedster 1919



Posts: 1463
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Martinsville, IN, USA
Status: offline 		If any of the wing tips got wet- This will be a long term problem. The covering will keep them from drying out and condensation will form over and over. the end result will be jungle rott in the wood. Long term fix is remove covering on the tips and apply some chlorine bleach to wet wood to stop fungus. Let dry in the sun. Check for warpage and splitting. Then recover when completely dry.

_____________________________

Hey Buddy -That was the most spectacular crash I've ever seen , That rolling cart wheel with parts slinging out was cool...

(in reply to PipeMajor)
       Post #: 14

RE: My airplanes are drowning - 4/26/2008 12:02:17 AM