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Message-ID: <4B081FB9.3090704@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:13:29 -0500
From: Steve Brooks <cozy4pilot@gmail.com>
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To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Need a sanity check
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That is a good idea about the Bob Nuckolls list.  I have a split 
electrical system, with a battery in the front for all of the radios and 
instruments, and then a battery in the rear for the engine systems.  
There is an isolator from the alternator, for charging both batteries.  
The only connec6tion tot he front is a #10 ground wire which runs 
between the two buses.    I have pretty large cables (0 gauge I think) 
that connect from the battery to the engine block for ground, and the 
starter on the positive side.  There is another tap on the positive side 
that feeds through a master relay to the distribution buss for the fuel 
pumps, coils, injectors, and EC-2.  Most of the wiring from front to 
back, for sensors, relays, etc, run through a duct on the passenger side 
of the plane.  The wiring duct on the pilot side of the plane has the 
EC-2 to panel wiring, and that is all.  

This set up worked fine for about three years.  I had a problem with the 
ignition switch, which is a standard Cessna type ignition, with the mag 
test positions.  The starter solenoid contact had some crud on it, and I 
had to hit the start position several times before it would engage the 
starter.  I removed the ignition switch, took it apart, cleaned it up 
and reassembled it.  That fixed the problem, but it seems that my 
starting difficulties began shortly after that.  I have verified all 
connections from the ignition switch, as I do use the mag test positions 
to disable a set of coils at a time for the controller B test. 

I don't know if this answers your question or not.

Steve

Bill Bradburry wrote:
> Steve,
> Can you describe your wiring setup? Schematic and describe how the wires are
> routed?  Are you using one of the Aeroelectric architectures?
> I also suggest you put this question to Bob Nuckolls list. 
>
> (aeroelectric-list@matronics.com)
>
> Bill B 
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
> Behalf Of Steve Brooks
> Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:50 AM
> To: Rotary motors in aircraft
> Subject: [FlyRotary] Need a sanity check
>
> I have been working on an issue for three weeks now, with very intermittent
> spark when cranking the engine.  Needless to say, it won't start either.
> I have a spark plug out of each rotor, and have them clamped to a good
> ground, so that I can see a spark on the front and rear rotor.
> If i rotate the CAS by hand, or turn the prop by hand, I get good spark. 
> When cranking with the starter, I get an initial spark, and then an
> occasional spark on the front or rear rotor.  Interesting, when I let off
> the starter, I get a couple of good sparks as it coasts to a stop.  
> Both controllers do the same thing BTW.
>
> I had emailed Tracy, as at one time I thought that the EC-2 had an issue.
> Tracy said that he had seen this symptom a couple of times before, and it is
> caused by noise from the starter interfering with the CAS signal.  He
> suggested that I install a 1K resistor across each of the crank angle
> sensors.  I installed the resistors, but it did not cure the problem.
>
> This morning, determined to get to the bottom of this, I removed the battery
> cable running to the starter, and using a spare battery, and a jumper cable
> for the ground, I cranked the starter with this battery, which was isolated
> from the airplanes electrical system.  It had good spark on both rotors ....
> yeah !!!
>
> So then, I decided to reroute the starter cable on the other side of the
> engine, which keeps it away from the other wiring.  I hooked it back up to
> the aircraft battery, crossed my fingers and cranked the started.  
> Same problem.   I thought that perhaps the noise was getting into the 
> EC-2, so I put the spare battery in the back seat (pusher aircraft), and
> using some jumper clips, I hooked the EC-2 through a fuse to the isolated
> battery.  Same problem.
>
> I had extended the CAS wiring when I replaced the engine, so I decided to
> reroute the shielded CAS wiring, so that I could eliminate the unshielded
> wires, which were about 12" long.  Same problem.
>
> I am struggling with what to try next.  This problem started before I
> swapped the engine, as it was very hard to get started, though for three
> years prior to that, I had no issues, and it started easily.
>
> Has anyone else seen this type of problem, or have any suggestions ?
>
> Steve Brooks
> Cozy MKIV 13BT
>
>
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