Header tank
05-29-2008, 08:45 AM
#2
RE: Header tank
A header tank is a tool borrowed from the ducted fan (airplane) guys. With high vibrations the fuel creates foam (trapped air in the fuel). The job of the header tank is to trap the air (and foam) and feed only fuel to the engine. The closer the header tank is to the carb, the best it will do it's job.
If you have a vibration free helicopter, and do not intend on doing aggressive maneuvers; you will not benefit from a header tank. If you do maneuvers where the fuel gets splashed around the tank violently, then the possibility of the fuel pickup being exposed to air increases, so the benefits of the header tank will become obvious.
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes. That is the beauty of a nitro heli, you can refuel and go again while the electric guys are charging batteries.
Attached is a picture of a header tank and it's plumbing. Can't take credit for the picture, I found it using google, and its located right here in RCU.
Rafael
If you have a vibration free helicopter, and do not intend on doing aggressive maneuvers; you will not benefit from a header tank. If you do maneuvers where the fuel gets splashed around the tank violently, then the possibility of the fuel pickup being exposed to air increases, so the benefits of the header tank will become obvious.
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes. That is the beauty of a nitro heli, you can refuel and go again while the electric guys are charging batteries.
Attached is a picture of a header tank and it's plumbing. Can't take credit for the picture, I found it using google, and its located right here in RCU.
Rafael
05-29-2008, 08:50 AM
#3
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RE: Header tank
So, when i refuel the main tank, do i let some fuel goes into the header too? Even some? What are the consequences of filling the header tank fuel? About your photo, i can see a fuel filter at the middle of the fuel line from the main tank to the header tank. If i put it on the fuel line from header tank to carb, is it going to hurt anything?
05-29-2008, 08:55 AM
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RE: Header tank
ORIGINAL: Osirisf16
What exactly is it and what is its percise job? I read that you can't use it for extra fuel. Why not? It's a tank anyway
What exactly is it and what is its percise job? I read that you can't use it for extra fuel. Why not? It's a tank anyway
well to start with you cant use it as a extra tank and the reason why is it just isn't large enough. it is used as a tank though but its used as a gage of how much fuel you have left as most helicopters have there tanks under the canopy and you can see how much fuel you have. nitro from your main tank is moved to your header tank when you see air in your header tank then you know your almost out of gas as your main tank is now empty and all you have is the fuel in the header tank and its time to land. also a header tank will make your motor run smoother than with out one if you have a tiny hole in your line and air gets in it wont get to the carb. instead it gets trapped in your header tank and there wont be any air after leaves the header tank as it traps the air and still supplies fuel to your motor.
For example i had a muffler almost fell off once and the header tank is the only thing that saved my heli i lost power but the motor kept running until i was able to land safely. and all but one of my helicopters have there main tanks under the canopy and i cant see them and one of them wont run at peek performance with out a header tank.
05-29-2008, 08:57 AM
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RE: Header tank
ORIGINAL: Rafael23cc
A header tank is a tool borrowed from the ducted fan (airplane) guys. With high vibrations the fuel creates foam (trapped air in the fuel). The job of the header tank is to trap the air (and foam) and feed only fuel to the engine. The closer the header tank is to the carb, the best it will do it's job.
If you have a vibration free helicopter, and do not intend on doing aggressive maneuvers; you will not benefit from a header tank. If you do maneuvers where the fuel gets splashed around the tank violently, then the possibility of the fuel pickup being exposed to air increases, so the benefits of the header tank will become obvious.
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes. That is the beauty of a nitro heli, you can refuel and go again while the electric guys are charging batteries.
Attached is a picture of a header tank and it's plumbing. Can't take credit for the picture, I found it using google, and its located right here in RCU.
Rafael
A header tank is a tool borrowed from the ducted fan (airplane) guys. With high vibrations the fuel creates foam (trapped air in the fuel). The job of the header tank is to trap the air (and foam) and feed only fuel to the engine. The closer the header tank is to the carb, the best it will do it's job.
If you have a vibration free helicopter, and do not intend on doing aggressive maneuvers; you will not benefit from a header tank. If you do maneuvers where the fuel gets splashed around the tank violently, then the possibility of the fuel pickup being exposed to air increases, so the benefits of the header tank will become obvious.
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes. That is the beauty of a nitro heli, you can refuel and go again while the electric guys are charging batteries.
Attached is a picture of a header tank and it's plumbing. Can't take credit for the picture, I found it using google, and its located right here in RCU.
Rafael
what he said ....lol we where typing at the same time
05-29-2008, 09:14 AM
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RE: Header tank
Hey bro,
You'll see the others are telling you NOT to use it as an "extra" tank of fuel. What I do is fly until I see that my main tank is just about empty....then I land and refuel.
When you fill up your tank, you fill both the main and header tank.
Skarn
You'll see the others are telling you NOT to use it as an "extra" tank of fuel. What I do is fly until I see that my main tank is just about empty....then I land and refuel.
When you fill up your tank, you fill both the main and header tank.
Skarn
05-29-2008, 09:17 AM
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RE: Header tank
Yeah. To flow fuel to the carb, first the header tank must fill with fuel, that's what i mean. So, why not full both tanks so we can achieve maximum runtime?
05-29-2008, 09:18 AM
#9
RE: Header tank
ORIGINAL: Osirisf16
So, when i refuel the main tank, do i let some fuel goes into the header too? Even some? What are the consequences of filling the header tank fuel? About your photo, i can see a fuel filter at the middle of the fuel line from the main tank to the header tank. If i put it on the fuel line from header tank to carb, is it going to hurt anything?
So, when i refuel the main tank, do i let some fuel goes into the header too? Even some? What are the consequences of filling the header tank fuel? About your photo, i can see a fuel filter at the middle of the fuel line from the main tank to the header tank. If i put it on the fuel line from header tank to carb, is it going to hurt anything?
You fill yout main fuel tank thru the header tank, thus making sure your header tank is completely full of fuel and has the minimum amount of air bubble possible.
The fuel filter can go anywhere between the main tank and the carb. I have my fuel filter between the header and the carb, just as you describe.
So, the header tank fills with fuel. So you can use it as a tank of extra fuel right?
Rafael
Anyway thanks guys. I'm looking forward for your answers in my other thread too (Heli Tools) 
05-29-2008, 09:22 AM
#11
RE: Header tank
ORIGINAL: Osirisf16
Yeah. To flow fuel to the carb, first the header tank must fill with fuel, that's what i mean. So, why not full both tanks so we can achieve maximum runtime?
Yeah. To flow fuel to the carb, first the header tank must fill with fuel, that's what i mean. So, why not full both tanks so we can achieve maximum runtime?
ORIGINAL: Rafael23cc
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes.
Flying until your main tank runs dry, and you start sucking fuel out of your header defeats the whole purpose of having a header tank. The pickup in the main tank will be permanently exposed to air, and your header tank will start to empty. As the header tank empties the possibility of suking air into the carb and killing the engine increases dramatically. Personally, I would not risk a forced auto because I wanted to fly a few extra minutes.
Anyway, thanks 
