Pitot Tubes
Finding
a heated pitot tube is getting harder and harder
these days.... Currently, you don't have very many good cheap
choices.
SteinAir
- They are offering a
heated pitot now listed as AN-5812 standard size. 8A @ 12V
for
$465.00 This is my current choice in pitots given
today's
market.
Gretz
Aero - Gretz Aero finally
released it's GA-1000 pitot early this
July 2005.
Pricing is
said to be expected to be in the $375 range, but I'm not sure if final
pricing is posted yet. To people who were on the waiting
list,
previously quoted pricing applied. I placed my order within a
couple of hours of the notice of availability, so I'm likely the first
person to have one in-hand. They also offer an
excellent pitot mount kit, that ships quickly, installs easily, and
should work great. Do buy some spare .063 or .125 AL angle
to
have on hand for the install though.
Aircraft
Spruce - They offer the
"Homebuilders" heated Pitot Tube, for
$464.95 (12V version). I've heard a couple of
negative
stories about it's durability, however. They
also offer the
AN5812 Pitot Tube, for $1135 in 12V version. (AN5812-12)
Aero
Instruments - They now offer a
PH502 Heated pitot. P/N
PH502-12CR. This info courtesy of John Cox.
Gretz
GA-1000 Heated Pitot
Here are pictures of my
components as shipped. I have not
yet opened any of the plastic bags. The system comes with a
Pitot, made with a non-metallic compound. It has internal
temperature sensing, and instead of heating to 300-400 degrees
at a constant power draw, this pitot will maintain it's external
temperature at 100 degrees. It is on/off thermostatically
controlled by it's own circuitry, and comes with indicated LED's for
remote mounting that will indicate the status of the pitot.
It
will tell you if it's heating, faulted, or idle. If this
heated
pitot works as described, it should be a great way to have a heated
pitot that will save lots of draw on your electrical system, and
prevent itself from burning out if you accidently leave it on.
During the warmer seasons, even if it were on, it would do
nothing but sit idle.
Cosmetically, it's not bad. It's a dark grey pitot, not
something
you can paint. If you're into the chrome look, you'll have to
both pay more, and suffer with more power draw.