All panels are working fine except for the right inboard panel. It doesn’t wet out in flight on Normal or High and just a little on the wasteful High/Max setting. When testing on the ground fluid absolutely pours out along the whole panel except for the distal 12 inches. Hooking up a pressure pump to the individual line, with low or high pressure the panel was drenched except for the final 12 inches. Couldn’t get the last foot of panel to wet out no matter the pressure. We removed the proportioning unit and sent it to CAV. After reinstalling there was no change, good flow on the ground but no better in the air.
CAV says there must be a break in the membrane inside the panel and that is why there is no flow from the distal 12-18 inches even when high pressure is applied. How does a strip of material encased inside a titanium sleeve break? They say the reason it looks good on the ground but not in flight is because of ram air effect on the TKS panel when flying. Replacing the panel is the next step.
Always ran the system monthly. The problem started a few months ago between one month and the next.
One year out of warranty of course.
The panels are not designed to be easily replaced. There is potential to mess up the wing. Paint repair may be required. It would be nice to find someone with experience doing this on a Diamond. Premier in Florida said they can't do it and that it should go to the factory. The factory said sorry, too busy, call a service center. I found a number of shops that have replaced panels on a Cirrus but so far only a place in Ohio that has done this on one DA62. Anybody here have suggestions or a recommendations for a shop that has done this on a Diamond?
Thanks.
