Yes indeed there is a post-installation test procedure in the STC documents which involves attaching lengths of gutter
under the wings etc, draining into buckets, running the system for x time, and weighing the buckets. This is almost never done because it is blindingly obvious that the system is working, or not.
Also I see no mechanism for the panels to get blocked just by sitting in the hangar. It has to be contamination of some sort.
It could be something in the fluid, but I never use TKS fluid straight as it comes. I filter it via a 1 micron filter
so I am not relying on the filter next to the TKS pump to pick up dirt; that filter is a lot harder to change.
Peter wrote:
lengths of gutter
Thx!
Peter wrote:
I see no mechanism for the panels to get blocked just by sitting in the hangar
This seems to tie in with my one data point of the 210 sitting in hangar for months and working flawlessly
I made the adaptor
and tested it, going over the affected areas several times, having previously soaked them in IPA
with no success whatever. So whoever pressed against these areas must have had something “interesting” on his hands…
I have two ideas left:
Is there a bacterium that can live on the fluid? There are ones that live on Jet fuel in their tanks if water is available.
I don’t think it is that. The HS and VS panels are 100% perfect. Only the wings, and only in places where they are generally touched when pushing (around the middle).
Peter wrote:
only in places where they are generally touched when pushing
There’s another good reason why high wing is better than low wing.
Now seriously, any idea how much vacuum you have with that thing? I bet it’s not much. You can create 14psi with a regular syringe, why dont you try that? You need to figure out some kind of adapter with good sealing and little volume compared to the syringe volume
If that does not help, you can try creating a vacuum bag like the ones used for composites layup. An internet search will show multiple sources for the bagging film, edge sealing tape, breather cloth, adapter valve and fitting and vacuum pump. You however need to figure a way to power it from mains.
You have to ensure the panel feed line is vented to atmosphere or if that does not work (perhaps too little vacuum pressure due to multiple holes), to a can full of clean TKS. (If you do not vent the panel feed line you could damage the panel). I would enclose the whole panel with the bagging, so you do not have to worry about the adhesive on the bag edges clogging holes. Because of the large number of holes perhaps you will not create enough vacuum with just air, but with TKS you have to ensure you do not create enough vacuum to deform the panel. Of course you will need a vacuum bottle to capture the fluid so it does not get to the pump.
It wasn’t much vacuum; true. I have a proper mains-motor-powered vac pump (ex TB20) for spinning up a KI256, and that gets down to a few inches of mercury. I will try that next.
For sure I would not want to rip the panel off the wing 
How big are the holes? Can you not poke them with a needle? A bit non-technical I know, and it means you might be pushing the blockage back in, but you might be able to unplug it enough to get some flow going which might finish the job.
Can you turn the system ‘on’ to pressurise it and stop debris going back into the holes and then ‘tickle’ them with some sort of ultra fine brush? Are there any ultrasonic tools which might encourage the debris to leave the hole?
It has already been suggested earlier by WarleyAir, but you are going to get way more differential with pressure rather than suction. Obviously check the spec of the hose and the fittings and any other components first, but I think you will rupture the hose before you force off a correctly tightened fitting (tightened as per the fitting manufacturer’s instructions). If you know that all of the fittings have been tightened correctly, then you are probably safe going to a pressure of many bar. I recently pressure tested 8mm plastic hose with a 1mm wall thickness and it ruptured at 54 bar. Another type of 8 mm hose I tested recently went to 150 bar….albeit with specialised fittings. Each hose and fitting system will have it’s own ratings, but you get the idea.
It will make a mess spraying fluid out of all the other holes, but if all other techniques fail, then pressure might not be a bad option…
Best of luck.
