TE Probe repairable?

If strengthening is what you're after, how about using thin-wall stainless
steel tubing for the reinforcement, rather than brass?

I agree, the no hassle fix is to buy a new one from Tim Mara. However, if
making a completely new end fitting on a lathe, I'd be tempted to make it
out of stainless.

Thin-wall and seamless stainless tubing is, like most other good things in
life, available from McMaster-Carr on-line.

bumper

"Bob Gibbons" wrote in message
. ..
Bill, I had te same thing happen to my ESA probe last year. Broke
right at one of the o-ring grooves. Upon inspection I could not
believe how thin the tube diameter was beneath the o-ring grooves.
They really need to thicken up the probe end socket wall thickness.

At any rate, since I was not aware Tim had replacement sockets, I cut
off a small section of thin wall brass tube that matched the inner ID
of the socket. I inserted this as an inner sleeve and expoxied this
inner sleeve in place to hold the broken socket together. I had to be
careful not to let the o-ring groove become filled with the epoxy. It
took several tries to get a leak proof joint, but it was not
difficult. As an added bonus in leak checking the repaired socket, I
discovered that both of the carbon tube joints futher (where the tube
reduces in diameter) out were leaking. Note: leak check was with the
usual pump bulb pressurization and soap bubble solution leak test.

End result was a fully functional and much stronger probe.

If I had to do it over again, knowing Tim has replacement sockets
available, I would probably go that route, but I would still insert a
strengthening brass sleeve into the inner diameter. The sleeve wall
thickness is just too thin for robust use.

Bob

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 07:55:02 -0600, "Bill Daniels"
bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote:

I broke my TE probe at the fin socket. (Imagine cussing and dirt kicking)
After a bit more cussing, I managed to fish the broken end out of the fin
socket. (Of course, I did this AFTER assembling the Nimbus.)

The TE probe appears to have been a RU single function type with aluminum
two-hole tip, O-ring end that inserts into the 8mm fin socket and carbon
fiber tube between. The break was at one of the O-ring grooves. The
probe
forward of the break is good. It seems possible that a new O-ring plug
end
could be epoxied to the carbon tube.

Q's

Should I just buy a new probe?
Is there a source for the aluminum O-ring part to repair the broken
probe?
Should I abandon the fin mounting altogether and consider converting to a
less vunerable fuselage probe over the wing?

Bill Daniels