AC Ducting
This is going to be a double post but I need to start to get parts in soon, I think my plane my come home in a month or two, it’s ugly they likely want it out of their shop fast.
The air duct on a 1973 Piper Arrow that moves air from the tail vent to the distribution ducts is trashed on my plane. I don’t know what it is called to look it up to but it on line.
Here is what it looks like. It runs on the ceiling.
How do I look this up?
I can’t put a picture on this post.
The air duct on a 1973 Piper Arrow that moves air from the tail vent to the distribution ducts is trashed on my plane. I don’t know what it is called to look it up to but it on line.
Here is what it looks like. It runs on the ceiling.
How do I look this up?
I can’t put a picture on this post.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
Comments
I cannot get the photo to attach. It is not known as an ac duct. How do I look it up?
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
The ducts or plenums are available from Knots2U at https://www.knots2u.net/categories/piper-single-engine-models/pa-28r-180-pa-28r-200-models/interior-parts.html?sort=featured&page=2 . Check out this link.
Scott Sherer
Wright Brothers Master Pilot, FAA Commercial Pilot
Aviation Director, Piper Owner Society Forum Moderator and Pipers Author.
Need help? Let me know!
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
I would say almost all of them are trashed - just some are more obvious than others. www.planeparts.com also has them. They get very brittle when old and how they were attached in the first place is not ideal.
The other challenge is it is not a proper plenum as too many turns, too rough, and not enough pressure from the vent fan. Should have either boost fans, or dedicated hose to vent outlets. I only care when it is hot and it is cooling off around here now...
Eric Panning
1981 Seneca III
Hillsboro, OR (KHIO)
This is not the highly trained weather guesser in me just the dude that will get his plane home in a month or so, this year will have no fall we will go right on into icing followed by blowing snow and hangar collapsing ice storms.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
Jim "Doc Griff" Griffin
PA28 - 161
Chicago area
That way our hanger can fall on it. Followed by a loaded cement truck having a brake failure then running the remains over and dumping its load on my new instruments and engine.
I am the eternal optimist.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
You also want to check your duct work in the tail of the plane for any cracks in the SCAT hoses. You may need to disconnect one end and shine a light on the outside of the hose. If you have any cracks, replace the hoses with SCEET. Cracked hoses can cause dissimilar metal corrosion in the tail section from the rusted spring inside the hose. The SCEET hose will encase the spring helping to prevent this in the future.
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
If you or your mechanic are back in the tail area I would highly recommend a tail stand just in case. If you have a fresh air fan it would be a good time to check the brushes and bearings on it. Any weakness in the fan or leak in the hoses will dramatically lower the airflow in the cabin.
I think there are three primary variants.
1) Vent only with air coming from the an inlet near the vertical stabilizer
2) Vent + electric fan with two settings
3) Vent + A/C including fan and evaporator
Eric Panning
1981 Seneca III
Hillsboro, OR (KHIO)
1973 Arrow II factory AC removed
G5’S, G275, GNX375 Still can get lost.
Old motors generally wear down the brushes until the carbon dust or brush holder shorts out the windings. The bearings can also fail.
Eric Panning
1981 Seneca III
Hillsboro, OR (KHIO)