OAT Sensor location

[swatson999]

Looking for options for good locations for the OAT probe. I have an RV-7A, and I put mine at the aft end of the fuselage, under the empennage fairing. It's always read high, which of course throws off DA and TAS calculations, etc. I thought perhaps it was picking up conducted heat from the metal skin (unpainted for the time being, hope to get it painted early next year), so last week I put a rubber grommet on it to somewhat isolate it from any such effect. I think it helped some, but not enough...I think it's because there's little to no airflow through that space, and the air is getting heated up from solar radiation on the fuselage/empennage.

So...with annual condition inspection coming up, that would be a good time to relocate it. Any suggestions for an unobtrusive yet more accurate location?

TIA!

Steve

 

[MCRider]

The high temperatures are probably caused by the exhaust and/or airstream from the coolers. I had the same effect on my Dyn'Aero MCR01 with the factory installed OAT sensor (maybe 6 feet behind exhaust and coolers). You could even see the OAT rising with a certain delay after power was increased (see attachment).

Now it is under the wing (in the base plate of the pitot tube mount - because it was the easiest place to run the the wires to without disassembling the whole wing) and everything is working fine.

MCRider

 

[Garrett]

I had to move the temp sensor's to the side and in a sun shaded area for accurate readings.

 

[jdubner]

... RV-7A, and I put mine at the aft end of the fuselage, under the empennage fairing ...

Steve, I wanted to do the same in my RV-8A due to the proximity of the ADAHRS but was concerned it would be heated by warm air leaking from the fuselage.  So I put it up into the vertical stabilizer (mounted vertically on the accessible lower rib).  Of course, while parked on the ramp in the sun it will heat up but in my hangar, taxiing, and most importantly in flight it performs well.

--
Joe

 

[Dynon]

Sunlight exposure and exhaust gas exposure are the two things you want to avoid. Under the wing somewhere, far enough outboard to keep it away from exhaust, works well. So sometimes can under the horizontal stab, on the rear fuse, depending on the exhaust influence.

 

[Edwardoc]

I mounted mine in the NACA duct under the right wing on my RV-8. Was not easy to snake the wires through the rib and into the fuselage but got it done. It is shaded there and seems to work fine.

 

[swatson999]

I mounted mine in the NACA duct under the right wing on my RV-8.  Was not easy to snake the wires through the rib and into the fuselage but got it done.  It is shaded there and seems to work fine.   

That's nice, but I don't *have* a NACA scoop under the wing...on my *7*.

 

[lindsayj]

I mounted mine in the NACA duct under the right wing on my RV-8.  Was not easy to snake the wires through the rib and into the fuselage but got it done.  It is shaded there and seems to work fine.   

That's nice, but I don't *have* a NACA scoop under the wing...on my *7*.

I put mine in the NACA duct located on the left side of the fuselage in front to the canopy on the RV-8A. I have two of them in there and they both work within a couple of degrees of each other. Jack L

 

[60av8tor]

I mounted mine in the NACA duct under the right wing on my RV-8.  Was not easy to snake the wires through the rib and into the fuselage but got it done.  It is shaded there and seems to work fine.   

That's nice, but I don't *have* a NACA scoop under the wing...on my *7*.

Steve - When I purchased my 7A it had the probe installed in the right fuse NACA duct - horrible location. I purchased another probe and installed it in the middle inspection panel of the right wing. Simple retrofit and works perfectly in that location.