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Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:51:30 -0800
Message-ID: <1c23473f0912191751q14a4b04aif17aa3e33a12270d@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Real Life No Alternator test
From: David Leonard <wdleonard@gmail.com>
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
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I have been having an intermittent and slowly worsening problem with high
voltage.  Over most of the last 30 hrs or so it settled in around 14.6 or
14.7 volts.  But on yesterday's flight home from Mammoth I noticed it
hovering around 15V and some of my avionics were acting up, so I decided to
do a little alternator out experiment.

I turned off the alternator and all unnecessary draw - radio, strobes, Blue
Mountain EFIS, electric AI.  I kept on the engine instrumentation,
transponder, music (a most critical item given the beauty of the sunset),
audio panel, rocky mountain microencoder, and trio auto pilot (also allowing
me to more fully enjoy the flight). I was showing 8 amps to run the engine
bus (coils and injectors).

With my 33 amp hour Panasonic SLA battery I flew for 45 minutes and 200
miles over the Sierras, passing dozens of airports, and into the LA basin
before it got dark enough that I decided to turn the lights on.  The plan
was to turn the alternator back on when the voltage dropped below 11.5 volts
but it never dropped below 11.9V.  It did charge at a brisk 60amps when I
turned the alternator back on so there couldn't have been too much time
left.  Still, that did quite a bit of confidence building regarding the
ability to carry on in the event of an alternator failure.

I also set a personal record for the most beautiful and clear sunset I have
seen while flying.  I could see San Nicholas Island from over 150 miles
away.

Time to install a spare alternator.

-- 
David Leonard

Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net
http://RotaryRoster.net

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<div>I have been having an intermittent and slowly worsening problem with h=
igh voltage.=A0 Over most of the last 30 hrs or so it settled in around 14.=
6 or 14.7 volts.=A0 But on yesterday&#39;s flight home from Mammoth I notic=
ed it hovering around 15V and some of my avionics were acting up, so I deci=
ded to do a little alternator out experiment.</div>

<div>=A0</div>
<div>I turned off the alternator and all unnecessary draw - radio, strobes,=
 Blue Mountain EFIS, electric AI.=A0 I kept on the engine instrumentation, =
transponder, music (a most critical item given the beauty of the sunset), a=
udio panel, rocky mountain microencoder, and trio auto pilot (also allowing=
 me to more fully enjoy the flight). I was showing 8 amps to run the engine=
 bus (coils and injectors).=A0 </div>

<div>=A0</div>
<div>With my 33 amp hour Panasonic SLA battery I flew for 45 minutes and=A0=
200 miles over the Sierras, passing dozens of airports,=A0and into the LA b=
asin before it got dark enough that I decided to turn the lights on.=A0 The=
 plan was to turn the alternator back on when the voltage dropped below 11.=
5 volts but it never dropped below 11.9V.=A0 It did charge at a brisk 60amp=
s when I turned the alternator back on so there couldn&#39;t have been too =
much time left.=A0 Still, that did quite a bit of confidence building regar=
ding the ability to carry on in the event of an alternator failure.</div>

<div>=A0</div>
<div>I also set a personal record for the most beautiful and clear sunset I=
 have seen while flying.=A0 I could see San Nicholas Island from over 150 m=
iles away.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>Time to install a spare alternator.</div>
<div><br>-- <br>David Leonard<br><br>Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY<br><a href=3D"h=
ttp://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net">http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net</a><br><a href=3D=
"http://RotaryRoster.net">http://RotaryRoster.net</a><br></div>

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