Chip Detector

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

I have a UH-1H chip detector, and was wondering the best place in the lubrication system to install it. Ideas?

[R. Pare]

Haven't the time to read through all of this as yet, but you might find out where the army found it best to place it. Interesting device! Are they commercially available?

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/b083462.pdf

[Rick Kirchner]

I'd think the front of the bottom of the pan. Braking forces ought to throw any crap that comes down into that area first. That would give you early detection, but possibly false alarms.

If you had a remote filter and could put it in the outlet, that would tell you when the filter went into bypass - but then it's just too late anyway.

[Rick Iverson]

RP;

A good read, recommend it. The ODDS, brings back memories.

They probably are available commercially, but as an aviation necessity, crazy expensive.

I picked this up in 1984 from our Maintenance Officer at AASF St. Paul (Property Book surpluses are a NO-GO). At that precise moment, MILSpec Engineering became a reality. These are dry break connectors that are opened routinely to take the AOAP (Army Oil Analysis Program) samples. But the DOD wide Aviation Commands never developed a sound procedure to get the oil out of the turbine(s) oil reservoirs, transmissions or intermediate and 90 degree gear boxes. The typical procedure was to remove the male electrical end, stick an 18” semi-flexible poly tube (DOD supplied, at least 0.0625” smaller OD than the ID of the female receptacle), into the female receptacle, the other end of the tube into a one ounce bottle.

Feature this: one Crew Chief, one hand inserting the poly tube into the female receptacle, simultaneously bending the poly tube downwards and placing the other end into the one ounce container with the other hand. Gently inducing pressure (not) into the female end to open the dry break. Typically, 50% of the oil goes into the bottle, the rest onto the fuselage. Routinely, when the tube is removed from the female end, the quick brake button sticks open, and the oil gushes like Old Faithful. I stood in the corner and thought about it for thirty minutes and came up with the perfect solution.

Tools require:

• a fabricated a male end out of aluminum minus the electrical attachment
• a medical threaded syringe to screw into the male end (all oil reservoirs and gear box cavities are vented)

Procedure:

• screw syringe into the male end
• remove the chip detector
• insert adapter w/syringe
• draw 0.5 - 0.75 oz oil
• remove
• insert chip detector

No fuss no muss. Easy, neat, clean......... Did it happen? Nope. You couldn’t possibly comprehend the DOD procurement program, circa 1984. Eff’in cretins. If it makes sense, don’t use it.

Haven't the time to read through all of this as yet, but you might find out where the army found it best to place it. Interesting device! Are they commercially available?

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/b083462.pdf

[mikey]

Well Rick,
you must have seen pentagon wars movie then. Lol.

[DanW]

I have used sample ports similar to this type for the last 30 years for my OAP.

https://www.tricocorp.com/product/sample-ports/