Pitot Heat Failure in a Piper

[Marco Leon]

I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south. The
circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?

Thanks,

Marco



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[Jim Burns]

I would check the switch first, relatively cheap. Had the same problem. At
first it wouldn't blow the circuit breaker, it simply wouldn't warm up.
After we started checking wires and connections, we found the switch was
bad. After we played with the switch, the circuit breaker would blow.
Jim

"Marco Leon" <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote in message
...
> I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south.
The
> circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
> suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
> by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
> heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
> separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Marco
>
>
>
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[RK Henry]

In my Warrior it was broken wires at the pitot. The avionics shop
noticed it during the 24 mo. certification. Easily corrected for no
more cost than connector and shop time.

RK Henry

On Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:41:29 -0600, "Jim Burns"
> wrote:

>I would check the switch first, relatively cheap. Had the same problem. At
>first it wouldn't blow the circuit breaker, it simply wouldn't warm up.
>After we started checking wires and connections, we found the switch was
>bad. After we played with the switch, the circuit breaker would blow.
>Jim
>
>"Marco Leon" <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote in message
...
>> I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south.
>The
>> circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
>> suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
>> by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
>> heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
>> separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Marco
>>
>>
>>
>> Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
>> ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
>> ----------------------------------------------------------
>> http://www.usenet.com
>

[joe]

Marco, You can have them repaired at airparts of lock haven. They did
mine a few yrs. ago.@100 bucks... quick turn around time....
I would check for power out at the pitot tube first though.


http://www.airpartsoflockhaven.com/


RK Henry wrote:
> In my Warrior it was broken wires at the pitot. The avionics shop
> noticed it during the 24 mo. certification. Easily corrected for no
> more cost than connector and shop time.
>
> RK Henry
>
> On Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:41:29 -0600, "Jim Burns"
> > wrote:
>
> >I would check the switch first, relatively cheap. Had the same problem. At
> >first it wouldn't blow the circuit breaker, it simply wouldn't warm up.
> >After we started checking wires and connections, we found the switch was
> >bad. After we played with the switch, the circuit breaker would blow.
> >Jim
> >
> >"Marco Leon" <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote in message
> ...
> >> I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south.
> >The
> >> circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
> >> suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
> >> by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
> >> heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
> >> separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Marco
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
> >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> >> ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
> >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> >> http://www.usenet.com
> >

[Marco Leon]

Thanks for the info. Nice website. It looks like checking the wiring is the
prudent way to go before I order anything. Oh well, I guess it's gonna be a
VFR trip this weekend.

Marco

"joe" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Marco, You can have them repaired at airparts of lock haven. They did
> mine a few yrs. ago.@100 bucks... quick turn around time....
> I would check for power out at the pitot tube first though.
>
>
> http://www.airpartsoflockhaven.com/
>
>
> RK Henry wrote:
> > In my Warrior it was broken wires at the pitot. The avionics shop
> > noticed it during the 24 mo. certification. Easily corrected for no
> > more cost than connector and shop time.
> >
> > RK Henry
> >
> > On Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:41:29 -0600, "Jim Burns"
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >I would check the switch first, relatively cheap. Had the same
problem. At
> > >first it wouldn't blow the circuit breaker, it simply wouldn't warm up.
> > >After we started checking wires and connections, we found the switch
was
> > >bad. After we played with the switch, the circuit breaker would blow.
> > >Jim
> > >
> > >"Marco Leon" <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > ...
> > >> I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went
south.
> > >The
> > >> circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open
to
> > >> suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head
start
> > >> by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
> > >> heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
> > >> separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >>
> > >> Marco
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
> > >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >> ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
> > >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >> http://www.usenet.com
> > >
>



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[LWG]

My guess is that it is not the heating element. I had the same thing happen
on a Sundowner. I went ahead and ordered the part after the avionics tech
who was doing the IFR cert assured me it was the element. My A&P tested the
old one after he took the $450.00 new part out of the box and installed it.
The old one was fine, it turned out it was the ground wire in the wing. He
said he threw it in a bucket he has of old, functional heated pitot tubes.


"Marco Leon" <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote in message
...
>I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south. The
> circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
> suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
> by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
> heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
> separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Marco
>
>
>
> Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.usenet.com

[Montblack]

("LWG" wrote)
[snip]
> My A&P tested the old one after he took the $450.00 new part out of the
> box and installed it. The old one was fine, it turned out it was the
> ground wire in the wing. He said he threw it in a bucket he has of old,
> functional heated pitot tubes.


It's like those Capital One credit card commercial - NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

The answer is always ...."The ground!"

(Doesn't it seem like that's the case sometimes?)


Montblack

[Aaron Coolidge]

Marco Leon <mmleon(at)yahoo.com> wrote:
: I have a 1978 Warrior II and it looks like the heat element went south. The
: circuit breaker is fine so I believe that's the problem but I'm open to
: suggestions. My A&P is out of town so I'd like to try and get a head start
: by ordering parts if possible. Can anyone recommend a source to get a
: heating element for a Piper pitot tube? Is it recommended to get that
: separately or is a new pitot unit the way to go?

The heating elements - there are 2 in the pitot tube - are supposedly
not repairable. I had one bad heating element a few years ago and a
new heated pitot tube from DMFS was "only" about $250. If the pitot tube
is replaced you are supposed to re-do the transponder/IFR cal as you are
"opening the static system".

--
Aaron C.

[[email protected]]

Aaron Coolidge > wrote:
: The heating elements - there are 2 in the pitot tube - are supposedly
: not repairable. I had one bad heating element a few years ago and a
: new heated pitot tube from DMFS was "only" about $250. If the pitot tube
: is replaced you are supposed to re-do the transponder/IFR cal as you are
: "opening the static system".

Supposed to be, perhaps. When we upgraded to a heated pitot on our PA28, we
bought a salvage one with dead heaters. I forget where we bought replacement heaters,
but they basically slid out and slid in new ones. They were pretty pricey for what
they were ($100 for the two comes to mind). If necessary I can try to look up where I
got them, but I'd agree a wiring troubleshoot is in order first.

-Cory


--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

[Mike]

"Aaron Coolidge" > wrote in message
...
> The heating elements - there are 2 in the pitot tube - are supposedly
> not repairable. I had one bad heating element a few years ago and a
> new heated pitot tube from DMFS was "only" about $250. If the pitot tube
> is replaced you are supposed to re-do the transponder/IFR cal as you are
> "opening the static system".

After working on the static system, all you need to do is check for leaks.
An airframe mechanic can perform the check and recertify the static system.
Pump the static system until the altimeter reads 1000' above field elevation
and check for leaks (less than 100 fpm is passing). No requirement to
recertify the altimeter, encoder or transponder.

Mike F.

[zatatime]

On Fri, 3 Feb 2006 15:50:32 +0000 (UTC), Aaron Coolidge
> wrote:

>The heating elements - there are 2 in the pitot tube - are supposedly
>not repairable. I had one bad heating element a few years ago and a
>new heated pitot tube from DMFS was "only" about $250. If the pitot tube
>is replaced you are supposed to re-do the transponder/IFR cal as you are
>"opening the static system".
>
>--
>Aaron C.


They are repairable. The older ones need to be drilled out, the newer
ones are easily removed and replaced. I've done both. Airparts of
Lockhaven is the right place to go......After you check the electrical
like everyone else has stated.

z