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Old September 6th 16, 02:40 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Suction cup damaging canopy?

On Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 8:34:50 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Friday, September 2, 2016 at 11:02:16 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Ever known a suction cup mount (RAM) to mar or distort a canopy?


If surfaces are not clean eventually there will be a bit of dulling due to abrasion. There is not enough force in a cup the size commonly used to cause distortion.
UH


Tend to disagree! My new (used) glider shows a large (6"-8" dia.) circular distortion in the forward, flat part of the canopy, where a suction cup was attached - apparently over a longer period of time. Depending on the size of these cups, the force they can exert is considerable - certainly enough to stress and eventually distort the Plexiglas.
Assuming one can draw a 100% vacuum on the cup, a 8" (0.2m) diameter cup can exert over 3,000N (675lbs(f)!
Uli