Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 10:04 am
by rdsafe
For those of you who have installed a fuel transducer; which one is working for you?
I’m using the AeroVee engine, which uses a gravity feed fuel system. The Dynon people tell me that you can use the Red Cube transducer with this setup.
Electronics International, the manufacture of these units, states that you have to use the Gold Cube transducer when you have a gravity feed fuel system. Further, it is stated in the installation instructions that the fuel line needs to run uphill after leaving the transducer. Which means it has to be installed forward of the firewall.
For those of you who have installed one of these units; which one did you install and have there been any problems?
My thanks to all who respond.
Richard
Sonex serial #: 1331
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 4:17 pm
by sonex1374
This has come up several times in the past. Many people, including me, have had good luck with the Red Cube. I installed mine right after the ball shutoff valve inside the cockpit. It works great there…very smooth delivery to the sensor, and dead-nuts accurate.
For more info, there is a SonexFlight podcast on the general subject of fuel systems.
http://www.sonexflight.com/2/index.html
Jeff
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 4:55 pm
by jjbardell
I know there are a lot of options on this, but I believe only the red cube works properly. Although it says it is for fuel injected, it works fine for gravity fed. The flow of the line should be downhill the entire way, no uphill runs at all. Be sure to put a heat sleeve from exiting the firewall to the aero injector to eliminate any burbs.
The gold cube ratings are: 3-125gph. It won’t even work below 3gph
The red cube ratings are: 0.6-70gph. It works perfect for me and MGL avionics says the red it the one to use.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:21 am
by mike.smith
The company swore up and down that the Gold Cube is the one to use for the AeroVee (gravity feed). I have a Gold Cube on the engine-side of the firewall and it doesn’t work worth a darn. I’ve contacted the company and they don’t have any bright ideas why it isn’t accurate at all. Useless extra weight at the moment.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:39 am
by WaiexN143NM
Hi all,
We have the red cube mounted firewall cockpit side. Dynon skyview. Works well, gravity feed only.
WaiexN143NM
Michael
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 12:26 pm
by LarryEWaiex121
And my Red Cube is installed on the firewall forward side. My install uses the standard Usher gascolator, forward and out of that into the fuel cube.
Basically, a classic, plans shown install for everything except the Red Fuel cube.
My install has been trouble free for 500 hrs and my readings are about .10-.15 GPH on the pessimistic side. My fuel flow normally shows about 5.5-5.6 in cruise but the actual fuel burn on fill up is running right at 5.4GPH. That is approx. .2 GPH less than my Jabiru 3300.
I believe that the Red Fuel Cube measures fuel bubbles the same as dense fuel and that accounts for the variance in quantity used, vs. measured?
That’s my guess anyways.
Larry
Waiex121YX, Camit 3300, Skyview
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 1:04 pm
by Bruce593SX
I have not done my first start, but am finally getting close, I have the old grey fuel flow sensor, is there anything wrong with using that one?
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 1:21 pm
by fastj22
I was getting erratic readings with my Red Cube and MGL xTreme. Flow would jump to 12 GPH during climb out, I know we can’t even possibly consume that amount. Then would stabilize in cruise. It was mounted firewall forward right after the gascolator.
I recently purchased a FlowScan and put it right at the tank and had both displayed on my xTreme. The Flowscan read much more consistently. I’ve since removed the Red Cube and gave it to a friend with a Grand Rapids system. No word from him on how its working out.
BTW, anyone interested in a Belite pressure fuel level probe, I’ve got one I couldn’t get to consistently work with my MGL. Make me an offer.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 5:48 pm
by Corby202
I wasted hours trying to get a red cube transducer to read accurately, the only time it did read correctly was when draining fuel into a container. I also removed my Belite fuel level transducer,worked ok for a while but then the fuel level changed from day to day even when not flying, Belite then told me it was not compatible with my MGL.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 7:33 pm
by fastj22
Corby202 wrote:I wasted hours trying to get a red cube transducer to read accurately, the only time it did read correctly was when draining fuel into a container. I also removed my Belite fuel level transducer,worked ok for a while but then the fuel level changed from day to day even when not flying, Belite then told me it was not compatible with my MGL.
Phil, I think there may be a common thread here. I think the MGL Rdac is highly sensitive to electrical noise and I suspect the jabirus are pretty noisy firewall forward. these fancy meters work fine with guys who don’t have the computer sitting on the engine side.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:20 pm
by Corby202
Maybe John. The MGL people were telling me it was almost certainly a mechanical issue (pulsation etc), but no matter what I did, change pipe lengths, change position of the red cube to different locations, fitted a pulsation damper, fitted accumulators, nothing fixed the problem when the engine was running. If I get motivated enough to have another go I might try shielded cable.
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:52 pm
by lgsievila
I have a Red Cube mounted right after gascolator and it has worked fine with Aerocarb, Rotec MK I, Rotec MK II, on an AeroVee and Bing on a CAMit 2200. Plenty of other problems with AeroVee but not with fuel flow indication on my Dynon Skyview. Consistently burning 4 gpm on the CAMit as measured with a “calibrated” stick dipping the tank.
Loren
Onex 33
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 12:57 am
by peter anson
I have one of the original MGL plastic fuel flow senders.
The fuel circuit is: Fuel tap > SU diaphragm pump > gascolator > FF sender > mechanical pump > Bing carb.
It was supplied with the Stratomaster by the Australian dealer who now supplies the Red cube. I don’t know if these are still available, but they do appear on the MGL web site. Mine has been in use for nearly 5 years and 290 hours and has been entirely reliable and apparently pretty accurate. It is enclosed in fire sleeve along with the rest of the fuel line.
Peter
Sonex 894
290 hours
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 9:52 am
by DCASonex
Red cube working just fine with my 3300. Both with original Jabiru and now CAMit. Mounted on firewall with long length of 3/8" aluminum tube before it. Is last thing in the line before Bing carb, and after both engine driven and Facet backup fuel pumps. Feeds to a GRT Sport SX. Not perfect when low RPM on ground, but right on the money for everything else.
David A. Sonex TD
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:06 pm
by mike.smith
I have had a Gold Cube installed on my AeroVee for about a year and a half and it’s always been terribly inaccurate. The readings were a joke. During this year’s condition inspection I decided to change one thing:
Previous:
- Fuel Tank, Firewall, fine mesh screen fuel filter, Gold Cube, AeroInjector
New Arrangement (swapped the location of the filter and Gold Cube): - Fuel Tank, Firewall, Gold Cube, fine mesh screen fuel filter, AeroInjector
My readings now seem to be very accurate. I’ll be keeping track of actual fuel use versus what the Cube is telling me, but so far it appears to be WAY better than it was. Turbulence from the fuel filter maybe?
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:37 pm
by sonex1374
I think ensuring smooth flow into the transducer (Red or Gold cube) is essential to getting good results. I’m partial to placing the cube before the filter, gascolator, bulkhead fittings, or tight bends or elbows, as this eliminates potential sources of turbulence into the cube. There are other ways to make it work though, so long as you keep the flow smooth!
Jeff
Re: Red Cube or Gold Cube Fuel Transducer?
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:19 am
by DCASonex
I have my red cube right before the Bing carburetor on my Camit 3300. That is after collator, the mechanical pump and the auxiliary electrical fuel pump and it has been right on the money since out of the box on day one. However, I do have a long run of 3/8" aluminum tube across half the width of firewall, then U bend in same before running into the red cube and only a short line out from that to carb.. Only noticeable error I have seen is at low RPM with auxiliary fuel pump on and that is a very small portion of typical operation.
David A. Sonex TD