Do you use a UAT on your smoke system??
#1
Thread Starter
Do you use a UAT on your smoke system??
hey everyone, do you all use a UAT on your smoke setup?? This is going to be my first one so I want to make sure I plumb it with the right stuff.
Thanks
Joe
Thanks
Joe
#4
My Feedback: (21)
I use them on my smoke systems. The reason is to supply a steady flow of smoke oil so you don't get the little burps of air when the clunk in the main tank passes through air. This causes the intermittent smoke clouds while flying. I set the UAT up with a clunk just like a small fuel tank. I use a 4 oz. fuel tank for this. Don't use the pre built UAT's as they will restrict the flow because some of them use a sock style pick up and others use a pleated filter for pick up. In reality you are setting up a hopper tank.
Joe Lewis
Kingtech
K-80, K-140, K-180
owner
Joe Lewis
Kingtech
K-80, K-140, K-180
owner
Last edited by Jetpilot24; 01-19-2018 at 07:54 AM. Reason: wording
#6
My Feedback: (7)
If you are going to be doing normal flying then don't bother with the hopper tank, I carrie a 50 oz smoke tank but only fill it up to half most of the time and do normal flying with my Boomerang, I haven't seen what the other guys describe yet.
Last edited by CARS II; 01-19-2018 at 09:35 AM.
#9
My Feedback: (53)
I had read that it help....oh well I have one jet with a Intairco mini UAT and one without, both with the same pump....if I see restriction I will just removed that UAT.....my first summer of smoke, on jets....
#11
My Feedback: (40)
Depends on how well your main smoke tank feeds consistently in all attitudes and maneuvers. I've had some that weren't so good and would spit out intermittent smoke, particularly as the tank got low on fluid. On my last install, I put in a 12oz header tank (not UAT) with 3/16" lines and a very heavy clunk. It produces nice, uninterrupted smoke. Just my preference. This is what it looks like.
Craig
Craig
#13
My Feedback: (10)
Ditto what Craig said, in my experience, the configuration of the main smoke tank has a bearing on this.
I had a very large center line smoke tank, and due to the lack of a fore-aft baffle, you could easily get air in the pickup, just the facts of life. I ran a very small (2 to 4 ounce, I can't remember) header, just a little normal hobby Sullivan tank with a central rigid pickup. It helped a lot to for a steady stream of smoke.
I had a very large center line smoke tank, and due to the lack of a fore-aft baffle, you could easily get air in the pickup, just the facts of life. I ran a very small (2 to 4 ounce, I can't remember) header, just a little normal hobby Sullivan tank with a central rigid pickup. It helped a lot to for a steady stream of smoke.
#14
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, AUSTRALIA
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I have a mixture of different smoke installations. Some without any UAT or hopper tank, some with a hopper tank, some with the usual fuel UAT (mainly CAT), some with the special CAT Smoke UAT. Absolutely no difference, EXCEPT in my CARF Ultra Lightning which uses the flat-in-between-the-intakes extra tank with a special CAT Smoke UAT - it splutters and spits very quickly and is rather disappointing. I think the main problem lies with the main smoke tank that is not a good shape to start with and sucks air easily, then the Smoke CAT quickly get too much air and cannot cope.
My conclusion - fit an easy flow UAT/Smoke CAT if you have the space or like the idea - otherwise don't worry about it and just make sure you always use a regular shape tank that allows proper movement for a decent heavy clunk.
Cheers,
Jan
My conclusion - fit an easy flow UAT/Smoke CAT if you have the space or like the idea - otherwise don't worry about it and just make sure you always use a regular shape tank that allows proper movement for a decent heavy clunk.
Cheers,
Jan
#18
My Feedback: (27)
I have been using a BVM UAT on my jets and turbo props for the past ten or so years on the smoke system. Absolutely I would recommend using a UAT and no, it's not too restrictive.
I have burned over 250 gallons of smoke oil so I can verify first hand the advantage of using a UAT.
Beave
I have burned over 250 gallons of smoke oil so I can verify first hand the advantage of using a UAT.
Beave
#19
My Feedback: (21)
Here is video of an F-15 I did with smoke. I installed a center line drop tank for the smoke system. The pump, tank, batteries for the pump and a 2oz. hopper tank are all in the drop tank. I made the tank removable so if I wanted to fly with out the smoke. The only two hook ups I had was a servo extension for the smoke pump and the oil supply line to plug into the line going to the smoke nozzle. My smoke nozzle was run down between the double walled pipe and exited at the tail pipe. One other thing I did was to install a one way check valve that would be pushed open from the pressure from the pump. This was done so as not to loose the prime on the pump when the smoke was turned off. The oil in this video was cement form release. It came in a 5 gallon pale and I added 1 gallon of the Tiki torch oil to it to thin in some. It worked ok but did not have the hang time the commercial based oils have.
Joe Lewis
Kingtech
K-80, K-140, K-180
owner
Joe Lewis
Kingtech
K-80, K-140, K-180
owner
Last edited by Jetpilot24; 01-20-2018 at 05:25 AM. Reason: wording
#22
My Feedback: (27)
On the other hand, it also depends on the type of flying you do. If you are a race track pattern flyer or just do loops and so forth...a UAT is probably not needed.
I do lots of high energy aerobatics, lots of positive to negative and back transitions constantly so my exposure to unporting the clunk is quite high and used to happen frequently. I started installing UATs and presto...no more problem.
YMMV,
B
I do lots of high energy aerobatics, lots of positive to negative and back transitions constantly so my exposure to unporting the clunk is quite high and used to happen frequently. I started installing UATs and presto...no more problem.
YMMV,
B