DA150 Fuel Consumption

[plane]

I'm not trying to start an engine war, I repeat I'm not trying to start an engine war.

I'm a diehard 3W guy and have always been curious as to why DA150's gobble so much gas. All of my DA buddies set their timers between 12-15 minutes of flight. I set mine at 20 minutes on my 3W157 with KS1090's. I can fly up to 25 minutes safely but don't because people get irritated as it is at my 20 minute flights.

[japan3d]

My DA150 gets about 8 minutes per 50oz of gas.

[TheTank]

Depends on the style of flying you do. I could easily get 20+ minutes out of my DA150 flying 3D with MTW110s and my Mejzlik 28.5x12. I set my timer for 12, and If I fly constant IMAC sequences for 12 mintues, I usually come down with about 1/3 tank, average that out, thats about 16 to 18 minutes I could fly without running out of fuel with a 50 ounce tank. Plus you said they set their timers at that time setting, have you ever asked them how much fuel they come down with when they land??? Maybe they prefer not to fly 20 mintues... or maybe they like a little added cushion. At perfect combustion of 14.7:1 fuel to air ratio (tuned properly-not taking into account a tuned exhaust which will increase efficiency of any motor-or saying that exhaust tuning was a constant between the two), if you are makin more power, you are burning more fuel.

[TheTank]

	Quote: Originally Posted by japan3d
	My DA150 gets about 8 minutes per 50oz of gas.

You've got that thing running slobbering rich then and your running wide open throttle the whole time, or perhaps you have converted it to alcohol. Thats over 6oz/minute, way above normal consumption for any of these motors.

[CAP232CM]

I don't know why but on my DA150 I get 6 maybe 7 flights on 2 gal of gas.

[Rolling Thunder]

I set my timer for 12 minutes, the timer only runs when I am on throttle it is off at idle. I land with about a quarter tank after flying IMAC sequences.

[3Dkid330]

I agree with Tank; my DA 100 can get about 15 minutes of 3D and higher throttle flying safely(32 oz.), but to be safer, I start thinking about landing at around 12-14 mins. Though, if I am flying higher/full power settings (lots of uplines, high speed, some IMAC figures and just messing around in the pattern through most of the flight(some 3d too), I can run it dry in a little under 9 minutes if I want to.(with a 32 oz.) Seems like most engines are in this area, but if you have a gas guzzler, it's usually because of a rich carb setting, but, like Tank says, it also depends on how you like to fly. (more fast and/or tall maneuvers, or just 3D alone) On one of my glow airplanes with a Moki, I could get about 12 minutes when it was tuned just right, but when I ran it richer, in 9 minutes I would be pushing it. (I was surprised at that one; I didn't think it would run it down as fast as it did!)

Brandon

[Bat Fastard]

Hey plane, what size tank is your buddies using? You didn't say.
I used to have one 32oz tank and it was good for about 8 to 12min. depending on flight style. So I used a timer on every flight. Now I use 2-32oz tanks on my 3W 150. I just fly till I get tired and dont have to worry about runnin' dry.

Jamie

[TheTank]

	Quote: Originally Posted by CAP232CM
	I don't know why but on my DA150 I get 6 maybe 7 flights on 2 gal of gas.

Thats not to bad, your burning just over 2/3 of a 50 ounce tank per flight in that scenario, which isnt bad at all.

[japan3d]

	Quote: Originally Posted by TheTank
	You've got that thing running slobbering rich then and your running wide open throttle the whole time, or perhaps you have converted it to alcohol. Thats over 6oz/minute, way above normal consumption for any of these motors.

The engine is not running rich. Rips a NX 32 x10 prop. Most of the flight is run at full throttle. The DA website says "3 oz a minute". Is that wishful thinking? Maybe I should convertit to alcohol, would get more RPMs out of it.

[plane]

All my buddies use 50oz. tanks on their DA150's

>I don't know why but on my DA150 I get 6 maybe 7 flights on 2 gal of gas.

Cap, you forgot to mention how long a flight lasts?

My thinking is the port timing is why the DA's use more fuel. Longer exhaust duration?

[DA2000]

Japan3D, do you have an anti-siphon loop on your vent line?

Every time I see a DA using that much gas, it is almost always because it is being vented overboard.

Run the vent line over the top of the tank, back behind the stopper, then back forward in front of the stopper, then overboard. If you already have, then I'm not sure why you are using so much.

[DKnippen]

I think Dan solved your problem.
The next time you go to a contest and the Sun is just right you can tell the guys that don't run there vent lines over the stopper and loop it in back of the tank. On there down lines you will see gas siphoning from the vent line.

[japan3d]

I don't have the vent line looped back. Will try that when I fly the plane again.

[Shawn Berkheimer]

Something to investigate, In Japan, what gas blend is being formulated? Is it strait protrolium gas of is there an ethanol blend? That may or may not affect consomption rates.

Shawn