Winter flying, increasing fuel pressure

[Damien Cundy]

We all find that during winter and the cooler weather, fuel pressure decreases. What options does one choose to warm the tanks and increase fuel pressure?

[Justin Galbraith]

I agree with Paul, Damien. First if you have nothing else but a cover on the basket (I always cover my basket), take the tanks inside and install them in the morning. I've only done this with Grasshopper once as it was -5 every morning and I like a good straight powerful flame on inflation. It worked well as the stainless tanks hold their temperature much better that the alloy ones. By the time I've inflated and flown off the tanks don't seem to have a problem with pressure, but again it does seem like kavs aren't affected as much as some other brands.

With Toystory I found an easier and cheap way. Go to bunnings and buy a shed worklight, either 100W or 500W depending on money. I got a 100W one on a small yellow frame with a cage protecting the globe. At night feed an extention cord in thru the foot step and plug the light in sitting in the middle of the basket. Throw on the basket cover.

I have measured the temperature inside the basket on a zero degree morning and it was 24degrees. Unplug, go and fly. As the tanks have been slowly heated all night and are stainless steel they hold their temperature even driving from Adelaide to the valley.

Works a treat.

[jared miller]

I have an electric space heater that cost me $21 at Wal-Mart. It has a Thermostat on it and I heat it at 70-75 degrees overnight with the basket cover on. I just unplug and load my basket never taking the cover off until the absolute last minute. The tanks have been nice and warm when I have done this but I've never flown below 30 degrees F. I have also been a little nervous through the night and usually wake and check it a couple of times. Has anyone else done it this way?

[Howard Andrews]

In the uk its common practice to spike tanks with nitrogen in the winter, i recently
spoke to an experienced mountain flyer who uses methane to pressure his tanks but its always nitrogen at the winter meets here..

[Sky Drifters Ballooning]

I am not sure I would use a regular electric space heater. If a PRV pops the resulting explosion could be significant............

[jared miller]

Yeah, it has made me a little nervous, there is no exposed coil like the old style, and the thermostat cuts it off whenever it reaches the pre-set temperature, as the temp inside the room (basket) decreases it turns back on maintaining a certain temperature range, I doubt the PRV would pop unless there was a malfunction of some kind with the thermostat. I'm not sure what generates the heat.

[matthew scaife]

Nitrogen is the simple way. You now the pressure of the tanks is consistent every time you go flying. We fly 350's so pressured tanks are essential when flying in cold conditions. We spike the tanks to 120 psi on the smaller balloons and 180 psi on the big balloons. If you have a problem with spiking the master tanks, just run your vapor lines into a separate little 10 litre bottle.

[Damien Cundy]

Great idea Justin. I reckon I'll try the shed work light trick, sounds quick & simple. I have the larger SS tanks and they get jolly heavy trying to lug them in & out the basket on your own. I'm going to get a custom made basket cover soon too, just got to take it around for the bloke to measure it all up. At Renmark last year I covered the basket with some foam underlay & then tarped it over while it sat outside over night to help insulate it.
I know that BA used nitrogen last year during winter. I'll speak to them this weekend when we go out flying.

[Marty Miller]

Hi Damien
Interesting topic...The guys here use nitrogen. but hey it never freezing!

What 2x size tanks do you fly in the 65? with 1 person then with 2 say 160KGs pilot/passengers...just curious? I have 2x SS 55ltrs and 2 old worthingtons 44ltrs..just trying to figure out the best combo .Marty

[Vesa Lensu]

Hello fellows from Finland. I love winter flying and most coldest flight have been at - 31 C. Flight took 1 h 45 min and I was outdoor 6 hours.

The best way is to keep tanks in warm. If you just but nitrogen to tank the pressure is Ok, but liqued is cold and it´s very bad for burner. All so small bits of propane don´t burn. They hit to envelope and burn there and you get small burns to your envelope. If you don´t have a warm and isolated place to keep tanks, you can heat propane with warm water. Then you might get wet and that´s not fun in very cold wether. Vesa