Angier,

 

Not to worry.  If the lights are green, the over centers are locked and the rat trap springs and gas spring will keep them locked.

 

Did you land at any of those airports?  If so, it worked then.........

 

Considering your last hiccup, one would think a fast-on came off.  Or the pressure switch did not close or the relay wouldn't close or the switch didn't work or the motor is kaput. 

 

 Once on the ground, did you re-engage the breakers and note whether anything happened?  If the motor is bad, the "transition" light would be on.  If the transition light did not come on, the relay did not close.  If the relay did not close is has locked up or did not get power.  If the pressure switch was not closed (lo pressure), no power would get to the relay coils. If the switch is bad, no power would get to the pressure switch.  If the switch is good, the relay breaker is bad, etc.

 

A common failure is the intermittent relay going bad because at sometime it was selected for a long period of time and its coil deteriorated.

 

Of course, then there are all those pesky connections made with crimped connectors.

 

Good luck, let us know.

 

Grayhawk

 

PS Nice handling of the problem whilst flying the airplane.

 

Today's 2.5hr flight KBVY-EEN-KLEB-KBTV-KSFM-KBVY was normal right up to the point
when I dropped the gear switch as I turned from base to final...nothing happened, no transition light, no air noise as the
gear doors open, no pump sound, nada... So I exit the pattern and climb to 2500ft while I begin to contemplate my naval as well as my options.
Pump and relay breakers had not popped. High pressure indicated 1400psi/30psi low, normal. So I returned
to the airport at 2000ft while numerous aircraft were in the pattern at 1200ft, pulled pump and relay breakers, lowered the gear switch at 120 and opened the dump valve and high/low psi drop to zero. Left main was first to go green, right rudder resulted in right main green, nose was stubborn until 85 and with a tug of up elevator, it went green. With pump and relay breakers in, still no pump, no down pressure. I advised the tower I was coming straight to the runway. All the while, there is this mental image forming of a loosening sphincter muscle and prematurely shortened lifespan. The soon to be closed tower said the gear appeared to be down. Gear lights indicated down and locked, but would they all hold with no down pressure?
In the end, it was the best squeaker landing yet, if I do say so myself. :-)

So tomorrow brings the post mortem analysis.

Angier Ames
N4ZQ
18hrs
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