New Video - CiES Operation

Cardinal Flyers Organization Digest - Sun & Fun

FROM THE Cardinal Flyers Organization DIGEST 

JP Instruments, the engine monitor folks, shared that they continue to work with CIES, a friend of CFO's, who have introduced a superior design fuel level transmitter.

JPI EDM 930

The JPI930 certified engine instrument replacement already works with the CIES transmitter in native mode, frequency domain.

JPI EDM 900

The JPI900 certified engine instrument replacement works with the CIES transmitter in voltage or current mode.

CiES Inc 177 Fuel Senders 

Several Cardinal owners have already ordered the CIES transmitters to improve repeatability and accuracy of their fuel level measurements, while reducing installation cost and fuss, and hopefully achieving longer term reliability.

www.jpinstruments.com

www.ciescorp.net

Cessna - New Technology Non-Contact Fuel Level Sender

CiES Inc, Cessna Fuel Level Sender 

We are in the process of serial manufacture of a Cessna Fuel Level Sensor.  

Cessna Fuel Level Sender 

This fuel level sensor utilizes our patented magnetic field technology and carries FAA TSO Approval.  

Note:  TSO Approval is FAA component approval and not FAA installation approval.

We set out in 2010 to change the dialogue about fuel level indication in aircraft & we accomplished this by building an aerospace specific fuel sender design.  

Fuel Level Sender Exploded View

This new fuel sender design, while resembling older technology potentiometer fuel level senders, centers around a robust patented non contact sensor technology.  

The only common part between our fuel level sender and old technology is the float.  You can see the CiES attention to detail we are internationally known for.

Our goal was to design a fuel level system that had the potential of replacing many legacy aircraft fuel senders in the field.  Our initial fuel sender production was utilized almost exclusively by OEM aircraft manufacturers and to meet OEM requirements they utilized a robust proprietary digital output.  Unfortunately this output was only suitable for Garmin G1000, JPI 930 & Aerospace Logic displays and instrumentation.   We have produced over 7,500 non contact fuel level senders in this configuration and the results have been exceptional.

Our recently issued TSO allows us to reach and support a broader range of cockpit fuel indication interfaces and as a correlation allow CiES to spread it's wings so to speak.   This new sender design allows the CiES fuel level sender to output a variable voltage or resistive load giving us a nearly universal capability to support legacy aircraft.

As such, we are actively working on CiES fuel level solutions for many popular aircraft. 

Contact us and see if we have a solution for your aircraft.

Learn more on the CIES Inc Website

Cessna Cardinal 177 & 177 RG Fuel Level Sensor

Well we produced another configuration of our fuel level sender for a very popular Cessna Aircraft model with a rabid and enthusiastic following.

---- Yes the Cessna Cardinal 177 ----

We had sought out common aviation fuel level sensors to copy into our format and we had a few mixed results, for example owners of Cessna 177's would send in the sensors per our request,  but the part numbers of the units supplied only matched up to another model Cessna Aircraft and did not match any of the Cessna Fuel Level drawings we have on hand.  

Finally, last year we got what we were looking for - Senders from an aircraft that matched the P/N for the aircraft. 

Note:  When you get involved in this small segment of aviation - It becomes very clear why fuel level in aviation has a very low reputation.

A Cardinal Aircraft owner tells a better story: 

Anyway, I saw the mention of CiES on one of the Cardinal Flyers Digests and gave them a call.  I spoke with Scott Philiben, who said that they could build them for me, and it would interface correctly with the JPI.  JPI confirmed this.  This was last FEB 2014 when I initially purchased the JPI, based on that answer.  

I had to wait till July 1 to start install, both due to the cold weather here, and because that was my annual date  (I also wanted to install an Oilamatic Pre-oiler and an Alpha Systems AOA Gauge).  

What Scott didn't tell me initially, was that I was to be the guinea pig for them getting a TSO sender for Cardinals as this minor variation needed to be sent to the FAA and approved - they had predicted an October delivery.

Scott & company finally came thru with fully TSO'd senders in late Nov, but I then encountered the passing of my Mom, which has led to further down time - anyway, FINALLY got the senders installed last Saturday.

CiES Above - Competitor Below

I was quite impressed on the substantial difference internally between CiES senders and the Electronics International ones.  The electronics in CiES look great, and based on the digital freq meter I have, they work VERY smoothly. I am also impressed with the machining on the fuel senders.

For JPI's part, their wire harness to the wing has three wires - +5V, Ground, and Signal. The JPI diagram says NOT to connect the +5V for CiES, but what they didnt say, and I didnt know until early Nov (when I mentioned that to Scott at CiES) is that the CiES units need +12V!! Turned out not to be an issue - the JPI harness has a "Y" connection in the harness shortly after the harness leaves the JPI box enroute to the wings - I unpinned the +5 wire that comes from the JPI and capped it off, and instead ran a +12 supply from one of the Circuit Breakers (dont remember which at the moment) into the same pin spot. (There is NO interface box as there is with some other senders. Not sure if my JPI is any different internally - JPI could answer though.) Works great (again, on my digital freq meter out at the sender)

One thing I particularly like about the CiES is that the float arm wire is 3x as thick as the one from Cessna, BUT the CiES float arm easily disconnects from the sender, making installation MUCH MUCH MUCH easier. I placed a long tie wrap on the fuel sender arm (in case I dropped the float/arm combination into the tank while working the sender into position) and then after the sender was connected and small cotter pin inserted, the tie wrap was removed. The senders come with a new rubber gasket, and there is no chance of leakage in the middle (like Cessna supplied Rochester, Stewart Warner, or Leigh senders) as there is no pass-thru screw terminal.  CiES uses a 3-pin connector with a twist lock shield. VERY easy to plug in.

At first, Scott and his engineers were concerned about MIN/MAX settings, but they had an epiphany one night and realized that all measurements are relative. They were worried about setting hard "stops" these are the little metal tabs on Cessna original equipment fuel senders that limit the float arm travel.   Turns out the CIES senders have the capability to move thru-out an almost 180 degree range from straight down to straight up.  The original equipment Cessna fuel sender contained a 60 degree potentiometer which limited the angle range allowed by these senders.   The calibration in the JPI is what establishes the fuel level limits and the physical limits of the fuel tank are the physical limits of the sender.

Scott Philiben's phone number is 541-408-1095 - they are in Oregon, so there is a 3hr time difference for me. His email is scott.philiben@ciescorp.com I still have the prototype sender/float combination that we used for testing and verification that this new simpler configuration would not hit any internal ribs/structure. Can't see internally, but externally it looks exactly like the ones with the TSO labels on them!

Update - Installed and calibrated - first impressions are good