Actually I had to spend it Thursday for road service or whatever you call it when you have to get a mechanic to drive 45 minutes to a deserted airport.
Tenth Anniversary Celebration (BAC TAC)
- Thread starter Clinderman
- Start date
Actually I had to spend it Thursday for road service or whatever you call it when you have to get a mechanic to drive 45 minutes to a deserted airport.
Hmmmmm?
You might want to remove the old alternator and take her down to an auto parts store that can bench check it.
The POH/AFM covers Electrical System Failures, under Emergency Procedures. For Alternator-Out, it ask you to turn the ALT Switch to Off, then BAC to ON. This action resets the overvoltage relay. That 35 year old relay could be the problem. I would jerk that thing out like a bad tooth.
And just a note for our younger readers, you are only allowed a single reset of a tripped circuit breaker.
jhbecker
Around The Moon
I had the same problem a few years ago on a long x-country. After spending a bunch of money testing and rebuilding the alternator the problem turned out to be a bad Over Voltage Relay. It would reset and work fine until I went to full throttle for take-off, then it would trip again and I would be back to battery power only. A relatively cheap part, but the last thing the everyone who worked on my plane checked. It took 2 shops, 1 rebuilt alternator and 2 bench tests, 6 test flights and 3 weeks before it was identified, then 10 minutes to fix. Ruined a couple planned trips for us.
Sadly, a lot of mechanics are not strong avionics - electrical troubleshooters. It is challenging which makes it fun.
Yoda recommended we remove the overvoltage relay and the voltage regulator, to be replaced with a Zeftronics or PlanePower electronic type electrical system management device. I second that motion!
The Zeftronics unit that I installed even aligned with two of the existing nut plates on the firewall. And the third nut plate was perfect for installing the unit's ground wire. This unit also has a warning light output to power a panel mount LED.
Panel mounted LED, like the one I hope you have installed for a starter engaged warning light LED. If you do not have one, like a very few of the later models have, you should get one. The POH/AFM ask you to monitor the AMP meter for discharge, so you do not takeoff with the starter engaged. Anybody doing that? I do not think, so. If it does show a discharge, maybe the battery is low voltage and taking a charge. If you have installed the light you know the starter is not hung up and you can go flying and charge your battery, while you have fun.
Those old electrical voltage regulators, overvoltage relays and hung starters can ruin your day of flying fun. Or even cause you to miss BAC TAC. A few simple cheap modifications can add to your confidence in and the reliability of your electrical system.
I hope this helps some of you, that may still be hanging onto your first dollar.
Yoda recommended we remove the overvoltage relay and the voltage regulator, to be replaced with a Zeftronics or PlanePower electronic type electrical system management device. I second that motion!
The Zeftronics unit that I installed even aligned with two of the existing nut plates on the firewall. And the third nut plate was perfect for installing the unit's ground wire. This unit also has a warning light output to power a panel mount LED.
Panel mounted LED, like the one I hope you have installed for a starter engaged warning light LED. If you do not have one, like a very few of the later models have, you should get one. The POH/AFM ask you to monitor the AMP meter for discharge, so you do not takeoff with the starter engaged. Anybody doing that? I do not think, so. If it does show a discharge, maybe the battery is low voltage and taking a charge. If you have installed the light you know the starter is not hung up and you can go flying and charge your battery, while you have fun.
Those old electrical voltage regulators, overvoltage relays and hung starters can ruin your day of flying fun. Or even cause you to miss BAC TAC. A few simple cheap modifications can add to your confidence in and the reliability of your electrical system.
I hope this helps some of you, that may still be hanging onto your first dollar.
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bmitchell
Flight Levels
Even though a few had to cancel late, the 20 of us that gathered in Wichita had a great time. It was fun seeing friends and making new ones. Hope everyone's travel goes well and that the Fairbanks Four have a great trip. Ann and I have stopped at Kentucky Lake state park to overnight then on home tomorrow. Until the next gathering, blue skies and tailwinds to all.
wdnd5960, the "old alternator" is a Plane Power with maybe 25 hours on it.
Going to put on a Zeftronics VR and OVR.
BTW it's installed in a plane that actually flies, not a static display.
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JOHNNYXRAY
Orbiting Earth
Thanks for the update Brad. Any pictures anyone?
Well there is new hope for my Sport. AEC is shipping me some new replacement donuts that could lift the belly and prop off the ground. I may have enough prop clearance to start the engine, again. Up ladder! Make a hole!
Don't kill yourself trying to squeeze that dollar.
Who would install a $600 PlanePower alternator and not change the old pos OVR & VR to a modern controller? But that could be the reason that your so rich and I'm so poor.
It's a shame you missed out on that refund, for your fly-in. That must have hurt, a bunch!
Following the POH/AFM Emergency Procedures might of helped out.
I will donate my troubleshooting on this issue, to help with your expenses, but I don't know about Jack.
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niechiro
Around The Moon
The Beech factory tour was great although we were not allowed to take pictures. We saw two lines of assemply. The Bonanza and Baron line which utilizes the same fuselage produces a new plane about every three days. They said a new Bonanza starts at around $800K and a new Baron at about $1.500K. The line that makes the various models of King Air's was the other line and it puts out a new plane about every 1 1/2 days. They did not want us passing out so they did not tell us what those cost. Plant IV, which we toured, is about 10 acres under roof. They never heat or cool it and it never gets below 80 F. even in the winter. It seemed odd that we all had to wear safety glasses because the employees didn't. Our guide was excellent and had worked for Beech for over 20 years. He did show us some videos and one of the most memorable for me was the one of the T6 which is a military Bonanza. They have different models including a trainer and another that is armed for combat. Both are turboprop. They are hoping the military decides to buy some of them. Later Friday Linda and I went back to visit Flight Safety where they train Beech pilots on simulators. I have a high school class mate who works there. He had gone back home to Nebraska for the weekend, but his boss was gracious and give us a tour. We saw full motion simulators for everything from the Bonanza to the Beech Jet. She allowed us to board a Beech Jet simulator. We aren't sure, but it looked like they had from between 15 and 20 huge simulators for the various Beech models. On Saturday Bob Schmidt with Mark and his buddy, Steve Powers and I and LInda all flew to Stearman Field at Benton, KS which is 7 miles N.E. of Jabara. They were having their annual Stearman fly-in and car show. We met Don Olson and his wife there who hangar their Sierra on that field. He brought his Sierra out to park it next to ours as it is the same year, make and model as ours and has the identical red, white and blue paint job. We had lunch there while a band began to entertain the crowd. Before we left, 5 military helicopters flew in. I cannot tell you what models they were, but there did not appear armed and had the large round globe above the rotors. I think that is for radar. The weather was plenty warm with highs about 90 F. However, storms did stay away. Saturday and Sunday the WWII bomber Memphis Belle was giving rides at Jabara. They frequently went over Stearman field while we were they. None of us had rides in it as they cost about $450. Even the Stearman rides were $150 so our group did not take one of those either. Steve Powers did fly over to and land at the Belmont Hotel grass strip. He said it was very well kept. It will make a great fly-in some day. I did not count, but I think there were 8 to 10 Musketeers on the line in our group at Jabara. They were impressed.
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Minnie looks good. Looks like you're taking good care of her.