brien23
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Anybody know what the "Quik-Check" drops are made of. The product truns auto fuel blue if any Alcohol is in it from 1 percent to 30 percent.
Ethanol Alcohol Fuel Test
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Troska
Pre-takeoff checklist
I don't KNOW, having never seen or used it. But after a quick glance at their webpage, it could just be a water soluble blue dye.
Tim
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N1431A
The stuff I used was sold by Sportys and turned purple when exposed to alcohol. It was made by a BB Travis PO Box 287 Lodi CA 95241
I have not been able to make contact with this BB Travis chap.
I still have a tiny bit left and would really like to get more. It is much easiet than the water & test tube method.
Cheers:
Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
I have not been able to make contact with this BB Travis chap.
I still have a tiny bit left and would really like to get more. It is much easiet than the water & test tube method.
Cheers:
Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
Color change on alcohol?
Here's a patent reference...
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4617278/description.html
Here's a patent reference...
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4617278/description.html
Troska
Pre-takeoff checklist
The quick-check stuff doesn't change color - take a look at this website selling it.
http://www.fuel-testers.com/quikcheck.html
If no ethanol, blue drops sink to bottom.
If ethanol present, sample turns blue - blue drops dissolve into the etoh.
Tim
http://www.fuel-testers.com/quikcheck.html
If no ethanol, blue drops sink to bottom.
If ethanol present, sample turns blue - blue drops dissolve into the etoh.
Tim
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
Just curious, so what's wrong with the $2 glass rain gage and a cork? Too simple?
Tim, I understand where you are coming from but I'll grant something that changes color when mixed with alcohol may be slightly easier to use.
Troska
Pre-takeoff checklist
Oh, I agree completely with you. I just don't think they worked that hard or this product.
Tim
Tom-D
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Tom-D
THe principle of the rain gauge and the watrer return method of finding alcohol is a great theory.
to find 10% alcohol by the water return method will show .130" in a quart jar.(that's just a little over 1/8th inch)
what will the water rise be at 2%"
Can you read that small of any measurement in a jar with the level moving like it does while being held?
Our state requires a min of 2% and that is what we are being sold in Wa.
Tom- that's why you use a rain gauge (or other long, thin tube) that shows these small changes accurately. A quart jar won't work well as you noted.
Of course, something that shows a color change with alcohol can be used with any container but rain guages aren't that hard to come by either.
Of course, something that shows a color change with alcohol can be used with any container but rain guages aren't that hard to come by either.
Tom-D
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The smaller the amount of fuel used the smaller the rise will be.
My eyes ain't what they used to be, but I can see a color change better than a .003" rise in water level.
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
100 times .003" is more like it. Using my method it will actually rise over a quarter of an inch. 0.3" to be exact.
All blends I've seen in the midwest are 10%. I put 1" of water in the bottom, 3" of fuel on top, shake, let settle for about 15 seconds and if there is ethanol in the gas then the water level will rise to 1.3" EVERY TIME.
It's EASY to see.
If your fuel is only 1/10 of 1% ethanol (which is what would cause a .003" rise using my method) or if the blend is some other very minor amount that doesn't allow you to readily and easily see the rise in a "test tube" then I would submit that it's not enough to harm your aircraft anyway.
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Just use the appropriate size tube for your sample. I keep a marker pen in my flight bag and mark the water level before adding the gas and look for a change. I don't need to measure precisely and all I'm looking for is a change indicating any alcohol which indicates a "no go". I use a larger ratio of gas compared to tim which makes the test more sensitive, but I really don't try to make an analytical procedure out of it- any alcohol is a no-go.
The goal is something fast, cheap, and simple- the test tube method falls into that category.
Your post seems to imply that you use a color change method- what method do you use? Your two posts in this thread are knocking the tube method but you haven't presented an alternative.
brien23
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States lettered A-M
- Alabama - AL (1 % or higher)
-- Alaska - AK Always Labels
- Arizona - AZ (1 % or higher)
- Arkansas - AR (1.5 % or higher)
-- California - CA Always Labels
- Colorado - CO (2 % or higher)
- Connecticut - CT (1 % or higher)
- Delaware - DE (1.5 % or higher)
--Florida - FL Always Labels
View more information on Florida
- Georgia - GA (1.5 % or higher)
- Hawaii - HI (1 % or higher)
- Idaho - ID (1 % or higher)
- Illinois - IL (1 % or higher)
- Iowa - IA (1 % or higher)
- Louisiana - LA (1 % or higher)
-- Maine - ME Always Labels
- Massachusetts - MA (1 % or higher)
- Mississippi - MS (1 % or higher)
- Montana - MT (1.5 % or higher)
Stay Safe & Protect your investments: Check and monitor gas with an Alcohol Fuel Test Kit and/or Quik-Check Solution.
States lettered N-W
- Nebraska - NE (1 % or higher)
- New Mexico - NM (1 % or higher)
- New York - NY (1 % or higher)
- North Dakota - ND (1 % or higher)
- Oklahoma - OK (1 % or higher)
- Oregon - OR (1.5 % or higher)
-- Pennsylvania - PA Always Labels
- Rhode Island - RI (1 % or higher)
- South Carolina - SC (1.5 % or higher)
- South Dakota - SD (2 % or higher)
- Tennessee - TN (1.5 % or higher)
- Texas - TX (1 % or higher)
- Utah - UT (1 % or higher)
- Vermont - VT (1.5 % or higher)
- Virginia - VA (1 % or higher)
- Washington - WA (Up to 10%)
- West Virginia - WV (1.5 % or higher)
-- Wisconsin - WI Always Labels
- Wyoming - WV Labels "gasahol"
The rain guage test at 10% Ethanol is easy to use a .13" or about 1/8" increase in level is not that hard to see. The problem is some Fuel being less than 10% or around 2% or a rise in the test tube of .026" or about 1/32". Can you see the rise of that small amount. The STC for my autofuel says "No Alcohol " None means not evean a small 2% amount.
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But if you use ~1 cm water and ~20 cm gas, 1% alcohol comes to just shy of 1/4 cm. You should be able to see that. This tube is about 9 inches long- similar to the long skinny fuel testers.
Just in case you get caught in the numbers: 10 units of gas to 1 unit of water (the units can be 1/2 inches rather than whole inches).
But as I mentioned earlier- this isn't an analytical procedure. Since any alcohol is a no-go, just add a little water to a long tube, mark the water level,add 10 fold gas (more makes the test more sensitive), and see if the top of the water moved. If the water level is higher than when you started, it's a no-go.
Just in case you get caught in the numbers: 10 units of gas to 1 unit of water (the units can be 1/2 inches rather than whole inches).
But as I mentioned earlier- this isn't an analytical procedure. Since any alcohol is a no-go, just add a little water to a long tube, mark the water level,add 10 fold gas (more makes the test more sensitive), and see if the top of the water moved. If the water level is higher than when you started, it's a no-go.
We can agree on that...
Blue dye- easy to use, but it is a consumed item you need to purchase periodically; isn't very readily available (as I understand the posts above). Depending on where you buy gas, you may need to remember to bring the dye with you.
Tube method- not quite as easy to use, but still fairly simple. Test equipment fairly readily available.
The sensitivity of both methods to alcohol is similar. This is turning into a high-wing/low wing debate.
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
Hmm..where are you buying fuel where you are having to worry about alcohol being in it? Generally there isn't any concern when you're just buying 100LL. I don't know of any airplane around here that is STC'd for Mogas....and....generally everything is paying wet which makes trying to find cheap gas a waste of your time.
Out east- I keep in touch with old friends and get to fly occasionally when I'm in the area.
brien23
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I tried some printer refill ink in some gas it beads up at the bottom of the sample. Then i add small amount of alcohol to it and the sample turns blue. Not sure if this is the same as they sell for checking Ethanol or not but it seems to work.
Please list the brand you use- I am assuming all ink jet formulae and dyes are not the same.
Also, what alcohol did you use? I am assuming you used ethanol, but some people assume all alcohol is the same- please forgive me for asking what is a basic question.
How much alcohol did you use in the gas (what % alcohol)?
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Greg Bockelman
Anyone buying mogas off field has to worry about it.
Yeah, but that isn't the issue.
And for those people, this thread is not relevant.
tonycondon
Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
now that is interesting. im looking forward to more info.
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
Of course Greg, that is why I was asking, Jack lives in Lincoln and rents the same airplane I do. I was curious why he was testing 100LL to put into a wet rental airplane.
Tom-D
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I understood where Jesse was coming from.
I wonder if he was hoping I found another place to rent, or maybe even had a plane I was keeping secret that he could fly.
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ok...
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
brien23
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I have a Lexmark 3200 printer and use "UNI KIT" refill kit one drop of blue ink works well. It beeds up in Ethanol free fuel and falls to the bottom of the test tube. With just a small amount of Alcohol the whole sample turns blue.
How much is a small amount? 1%? 10%?
I'm not knocking your discovery- I think it is very interesting. However it is useful to understand the lower limit of the test so those that wish to use it will know if it is applicable.
For example, if the lower detection limit is 5%, Tim can use your method with his 10% alcohol mix but Tom-D can't use it with the 2% gas that he sees.
A google search on Uni Kit brings up:
http://www.uni-kit.com/
For what appears to be general Lexmark printers:
http://www.abcink.com/refill-uni-kit-color.html
Cost is $21, but that is a lot of fuel that you can test and you may be able to use the other colors for testing as well. Does this match the part number you used?
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
All Fleet Farm stores (that I've visited) in Wisconsin do NOT have ethanol in their regular.
God, I wish we had Fleet Farm stores in Missouri...talk about a "man mall" but that's for a whole 'nother thread.
God, I wish we had Fleet Farm stores in Missouri...talk about a "man mall" but that's for a whole 'nother thread.
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
Fleet Farm in Minnesota will have ethanol -- along with every other gas station (a rare few don't..but that is for classic cars / snowmobiles / motorcycles).
brien23
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I used about 2 oz of gas in a glass jar put one drop of printer ink in and 5 drops of alcohol . I would guess less than 2% alcohol. Quik-Check sells a small amount of snake oil for $2.99 a bottle + $3.00 shipping cheaper than printer refill ink and it's the real thing. I do not have the printer ink box it came in so no idea of the part number on the box just the bottles of ink I keep in my desk to refill the printer.
Thanks for sharing. I'll repeat that I'm not deriding your technique. However flying is very unforgiving of errors- using an ink that doesn't work may cause problems down the line from undetected ethanol.
You should write this up and send it to the flying magazines. I'd be happy to look at anything you write up.
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brien23
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I tried the measurement more exact this time and got different results. Other than getting blue ink on my fingers I put 12cc of fuel in a glass jar one drop of printer ink and started putting in drop by drop till the ink went into the fuel and turned the sample blue. It took 1 cc of Alcohol to turn the sample blue or about 10% that is no better than the water test so I guess the printer ink is not the same stuff as the snake oil they sell for the test.
Actually worse than the water result which can go down to 1% detection. See post #15.