Daida
Well Known Member
Sum-up: Electric puzzle, no game - real troubleshoot
Hi Folks,
this is gonna be a longer one, but help is much appreciated.
I equipped my plane with a complete Dynon SV (Display, COM, XPDR, GPS, ADHRS, EMS, INTERCOM and a D6 as Backup). B&C light weight starter and Plane Power Alternator (AL12-EI60/V internal Voltage Regulator) and Concord Battery RG-25XC.
I am deep in Phase 1, adjusting the EFIS (IAS, HDG,.....).
On the last flight i had the CAUTION ALERT of HIGH AMPS of the Alternator.
Readout was +54 Amps positiv charge.
One thing i learned so far is that the Audio alert is only coming through when the INTERCOM is switched on. When i fly solo, i usually switch the INTERCOM OFF because the COM is working anyways. In the future i will switch the INTERCOM ON at all times!
Due to the issue above and my distraction on other things (calibrating the EFIS) i flew around with this high Amp charge for approximatly 20 minutes before i noticed it.
I immediately re-cycled the Alternator with no change of the Situation.
i switched off the Alternator and directly returned home, which took another 5 minutes. After i switched off the Alternator, i reduced the electrical load by switching off all unnecessary consumers and the ampermeter showed -2 Amps, which i consider a normal reading when only the SV is running.
On the Ground i shut down, waited 3 minutes and tried to restart to look if the Situation would be the same or not.
Battery Voltage was 12.7V, i engaged the starter, the prop did half of a turn and came to a stop. Battery voltage dropped down to 8V while the starter was engaged.
i de-cowled the front and started investigating.
i checked my battery with a battery tester, indication was normal, charge 50%.
i charged my battery and tried again, no change. Voltage drop down to 8V, half turn of the prop.
i disconnected the battery and jump-wired a car battery to the System. The car battery was tested as well, indication was good.
i engaged the starter, voltage drop to 8V. half turn of the prop.
i disconnected the car battery.
i got the jump-starter kit from my flying club, hooked it up to the plane, no additional battery connected, engaged the starter, half turn of the prop, voltage drop to 8V.
The AWG#2 wire from the battery to the master relay was warm after all the starting attempts. The AWG#2 wire from the master relay to the starter relay was not as warm but still warm.
The AWG#2 wire from the starter relay to the starter was Cold.
i figured that a bad contact in the starter relay was the probable cause and replaced it with a new master relay that i still had. (master relay insead of starter relay should work, right?)
Tried again, prop turned 2 rotations (now back on the re-charged, hooked up Aircraft battery), voltage drop to 8V.
I am running out of ideas what the Problem might be.
next steps are:
1. powering the starter directly to see what happens
2. replacing the master relay (bad contacts in there??)
3.checking the whole System for bad Connections, loose nuts (especially on the shunt)
I still don´t know what caused the high Amp charge of the Alternator.
As the Alternator is rated up to 60 Amps and the max value was 54 Amps, i don´t think that the Alternator is broken.
Questions are:
-did i fry my battery due to monumental discharge? (i know that they don´t like that but the battery tester indicates different)
-did i fry my battery with the high Amp charge from the Alternator for 20 minutes?
-might the Alternator be the cause?
-might the starter be the cause?
The Alternator switch is a 5 Amp braeker-switch as recommended by the manufacturer.
The 50A Fuse from the Alternator to the main bus as depicted in the scheme is a 60A Fuse
Hi Folks,
this is gonna be a longer one, but help is much appreciated.
I equipped my plane with a complete Dynon SV (Display, COM, XPDR, GPS, ADHRS, EMS, INTERCOM and a D6 as Backup). B&C light weight starter and Plane Power Alternator (AL12-EI60/V internal Voltage Regulator) and Concord Battery RG-25XC.
I am deep in Phase 1, adjusting the EFIS (IAS, HDG,.....).
On the last flight i had the CAUTION ALERT of HIGH AMPS of the Alternator.
Readout was +54 Amps positiv charge.
One thing i learned so far is that the Audio alert is only coming through when the INTERCOM is switched on. When i fly solo, i usually switch the INTERCOM OFF because the COM is working anyways. In the future i will switch the INTERCOM ON at all times!
Due to the issue above and my distraction on other things (calibrating the EFIS) i flew around with this high Amp charge for approximatly 20 minutes before i noticed it.
I immediately re-cycled the Alternator with no change of the Situation.
i switched off the Alternator and directly returned home, which took another 5 minutes. After i switched off the Alternator, i reduced the electrical load by switching off all unnecessary consumers and the ampermeter showed -2 Amps, which i consider a normal reading when only the SV is running.
On the Ground i shut down, waited 3 minutes and tried to restart to look if the Situation would be the same or not.
Battery Voltage was 12.7V, i engaged the starter, the prop did half of a turn and came to a stop. Battery voltage dropped down to 8V while the starter was engaged.
i de-cowled the front and started investigating.
i checked my battery with a battery tester, indication was normal, charge 50%.
i charged my battery and tried again, no change. Voltage drop down to 8V, half turn of the prop.
i disconnected the battery and jump-wired a car battery to the System. The car battery was tested as well, indication was good.
i engaged the starter, voltage drop to 8V. half turn of the prop.
i disconnected the car battery.
i got the jump-starter kit from my flying club, hooked it up to the plane, no additional battery connected, engaged the starter, half turn of the prop, voltage drop to 8V.
The AWG#2 wire from the battery to the master relay was warm after all the starting attempts. The AWG#2 wire from the master relay to the starter relay was not as warm but still warm.
The AWG#2 wire from the starter relay to the starter was Cold.
i figured that a bad contact in the starter relay was the probable cause and replaced it with a new master relay that i still had. (master relay insead of starter relay should work, right?)
Tried again, prop turned 2 rotations (now back on the re-charged, hooked up Aircraft battery), voltage drop to 8V.
I am running out of ideas what the Problem might be.
next steps are:
1. powering the starter directly to see what happens
2. replacing the master relay (bad contacts in there??)
3.checking the whole System for bad Connections, loose nuts (especially on the shunt)
I still don´t know what caused the high Amp charge of the Alternator.
As the Alternator is rated up to 60 Amps and the max value was 54 Amps, i don´t think that the Alternator is broken.
Questions are:
-did i fry my battery due to monumental discharge? (i know that they don´t like that but the battery tester indicates different)
-did i fry my battery with the high Amp charge from the Alternator for 20 minutes?
-might the Alternator be the cause?
-might the starter be the cause?
The Alternator switch is a 5 Amp braeker-switch as recommended by the manufacturer.
The 50A Fuse from the Alternator to the main bus as depicted in the scheme is a 60A Fuse
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