Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #34042
From: Tracy Crook <lors01@msn.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Fuse Ratings for Wiring??
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:07:24 -0400
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
I can understand the confusion on this (logic wise) but the answer for me are the real world causes of over-current conditions. 
 
 A fault in equipment can cause an over-current condition and still leave the device completely or  partially operational.   A solder splash or metal chip bouncing around can do it too.   Any number of unanticipated things in a wiring harness can cause an intermittent short (wire chaffing etc.).  We like to think our wiring skills would never allow this to happen but these things *do* occur, especially when builders are new to electrical wiring.
 
On the ground it probably makes more sense to fuse or CB the circuit closer to the actual load.  It *might* prevent further damage to the equipment.  The game is completely different in the air.  I want the last second of operation out of every piece of gear on the plane when I'm in the air.  I'll worry about the cost of repairs later when I'm safely on the ground.
 
Others  have already stated the right reason for protecting the wire:  Prevention of in-flight fire or smoke in the cockpit.  That is the ONLY reason I want any system on the plane to shut down.
 
Tracy
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006 8:43 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Fuse Ratings for Wiring??

Yes, Bill, that is what I understand as well.  BUT, if you are fused for the
equipment load, the wiring is automatically protected (in a proper design).
In fact, by using a smaller rated fuse (designed just to protect the
equipment rather than the wiring) you are even better ensuring that the
wiring won't carry a dangerous load and catch fire.  So again, I can see no
rational reason for fusing to protect the wire rather than a lower rated
fuse/CB to protect the equipment (regardless of whether it actually protects
the equipment).  But, then I've never been accused of being the brightest
turnip on the tomato truck.

Ed
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Schertz" <wschertz@comcast.net>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 11:24 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Fuse Ratings for Wiring??


> Ed,
> I think the objective is to keep from having a wire-induced fire when you
> get a short to ground. If the insulation rubs and a short develops, you
> want a fuse/breaker sized to pop before the wire melts and causes a fire.
>
> If the equipment has an internal problem, the fuse/breaker isn't going to
> help save it.
> Bill Schertz
> KIS Cruiser # 4045
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ed Anderson" <eanderson@carolina.rr.com>
> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 5:12 PM
> Subject: [FlyRotary] Fuse Ratings for Wiring??
>
>
>> One thing  I have never really understood  regarding  fuses (or CB for
>> that matter) is  - why you would use a fuse/CB with the rating set to
>> protect the wire!!!   If you have a system operating off a power wire, it
>> is highly likely that the wire will flow much more current than the
>> system requires by quite a bit.  So if you select a fuse or CB rating
>> that protects the equipment then automatically it will protect the wire.
>>
>>  However, if you select the rating to protect the wire, the system could
>> easily fry and the fuse or CB might never trigger.  Just one of those
>> things (wire size) that everybody uses as a guide for selecting the
>> ratings (Fuse/CB) and yet, it has never made sense to me (and still does
>> not) {:>)
>>
>> I guess IF you put more system load  that used more current than a wire
>> was rated for then a fuse sized for the system would not protect the wire
>> which could over heat.  But, that is simply a bad wiring decision in
>> selecting too small a wire in the first place. I guess the rational is
>> better the system fry than the wire - but not certain I buy it.
>>
>> I don't really lose sleep over this one - but, I do wonder from time to
>> time about things we come to accept {:>)
>>
>>
>> Ed
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ed Anderson" <eanderson@carolina.rr.com>
>> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
>> Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 5:47 PM
>> Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Injector Switches !!! was Re: Powering fuel
>> injectors
>>
>>
>>> Welcome, Greg.
>>>
>>> Yes, there are arguments pro and con about fuses and CB - its about the
>>> only thing I disagreed with Bob Nuckolls about {:>).  Probably
>>> influenced by my years flying military aircraft - where CB are
>>> everywhere and fuses no where {:>)
>>>
>>> In any case, glad you are now aware of the "disable" switch function
>>> regarding doubling the fuel flow through on pair of injectors when the
>>> other is turned off.  You can fly easily on one pair - provided it is
>>> doing double duty with the fuel flow.
>>>
>>> Ed
>>>
>>>
>>>> Thanks for that Ed,  I am using the EC2 but I hadn't gone through the
>>>> install of it thoroughly yet and wasn't aware of that mode.  I'll make
>>>> sure that it's done now.
>>>>
>>>> I follow what you're saying about breakers instead of fuses and I have
>>>> to agree,  but following the Bob Nuckolls school of wiring means that
>>>> the fuses/breakers should be no more than 6" to a foot from the power
>>>> source (battery) and the batteries are behind the rear baggage area and
>>>> no where near the panel.  The argument for the fuses to be near the
>>>> source of electric power is also valid considering the fuses are there
>>>> to protect the wiring.
>>>>
>>>> Greg
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Greg,
>>>>>
>>>>> Looks like a good electrical system over all.      However, I would
>>>>> not feel comfortable with fuses in my critical system power line.
>>>>> But, I see that you are routing two power sources to each switch of
>>>>> your critical system which means if one fuse blows due to a transit
>>>>> spike, the other one, hopefully, will not.  Again, this is my own
>>>>> personal bias against fuses in critical systems - there are arguments
>>>>> to the contrary for sure.
>>>>>
>>>>> One thing I did notice, is looking at your injector power switches, I
>>>>> am not certain if these are meant to be the same as Tracy Crook's
>>>>> Injector disable switches.  If they are (and they may not be), I do
>>>>> not see the connection that automatically grounds the "cold Start"
>>>>> mode in the EC2 when either injector pair are disabled (turned off).
>>>>>
>>>>>  This may be a detail just not shown on the drawing - but it is
>>>>> crucially important.  If the injector power switch does not have the
>>>>> "cold start" grounding provision, then if you ever switch off one of
>>>>> the injector pairs, your fuel flow will drop approx by 1/2 half.  The
>>>>> reason is that (with Tracy's recommended switch set up) when you turn
>>>>> off one pair of injectors , that automatically grounds the "cold
>>>>> start" pin which causes the EC2 to double the duration of the PW
>>>>> (Pulse Width) signal to the remaining injector pair.  This in turn
>>>>> doubles the amount of fuel from the active pair of injectors.  If the
>>>>> "cold start" is not activated (by automatic grounding of the cold
>>>>> start pin through a DPDT switch) when an injector pair is switched
>>>>> off,  then the PW signal does NOT double and the fuel flow through the
>>>>> one injector pair will only be 1/2 of what the engine needs.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Ed
>>>>>
>>>>> Ed Anderson
>>>>> Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered
>>>>> Matthews, NC
>>>>> eanderson@carolina.rr.com
>>>>> http://members.cox.net/rogersda/rotary/configs.htm#N494BW
>>>>> http://www.dmack.net/mazda/index.html
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Greg@itmack" <greg@itmack.com>
>>>>> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
>>>>> Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 3:33 AM
>>>>> Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Powering fuel injectors
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm trying to keep the number of switched down as well,  I attached a
>>>>>> pdf
>>>>>> with my schematic which is a work in progress for your review.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have noted that a lot of builders reduce a lot of this complexity
>>>>>> by just
>>>>>> hanging everything off 1 or 2 fuses which is fine until a fuse blows
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> then everything stops.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Greg RV8 down under
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I am using Z-19 from the Aeroelectric Connection as a guide for
>>>>>>>wiring
>>>>>>> my plane.  I would like to power the injectors from the battery
>>>>>>> buss.
>>>>>>> Looking at Z-19, do I need to install a complete switch and diode
>>>>>>> system
>>>>>>> for the injectors like is done for the fuel pump and ECU, or can I
>>>>>>> tie
>>>>>>> on to the fuel pump OR the ECU system after either the switch (add a
>>>>>>> separate diode) or after one of the diodes?
>>>>>>> There will be the two DPDT switches to disable the primary and
>>>>>>> secondary
>>>>>>> injectors after this connection.
>>>>>>> My panel is becoming somewhat switch festooned and I would like to
>>>>>>> keep
>>>>>>> more switches to a minimum.
>>>>>>> How have you guys accomplished this?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>>> Bill B
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
>>>>>>> Archive and UnSub:   http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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