---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 12/14/02: 12 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 04:31 AM - Van's instrument lighting ? (BillRVSIX@aol.com) 2. 04:44 AM - Lightspeed hall effect module failure (Fred Stucklen) 3. 06:56 AM - Re: Lightspeed hall effect module failure (DHPHKH@aol.com) 4. 08:12 AM - Re: Lightspeed hall effect module failure (Dennis O'Connor) 5. 08:15 AM - Re: Lightspeed hall effect module failure (richard@riley.net) 6. 08:27 AM - Re: Lightspeed hall effect module failure (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 7. 09:59 AM - crimping solid conductors no-no? (czechsix@juno.com) 8. 12:03 PM - Re: crimping solid conductors no-no? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 9. 12:06 PM - Re: Bob - AEC70.zip (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 10. 12:53 PM - Re: crimping solid conductors no-no? (David Swartzendruber) 11. 02:41 PM - Re: Ground strap (DMarti1029@aol.com) 12. 10:08 PM - Re: Bob - AEC70.zip (Dave Grosvenor) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 04:31:29 AM PST US From: BillRVSIX@aol.com Subject: AeroElectric-List: Van's instrument lighting ? --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: BillRVSIX@aol.com Hello IM trying to figure out the breaker size for van's lighted instruments. I have six lighted instrument connecting to a breaker but I don't know how many amps or watts the lights are to figure out the breaker and wire size. its a 12 volt system. 2 ?-- My six flight instruments will all be lite by the EL light bezels and I was wondering if any one new if the van's lighted instruments are going to match or look the same color white/blue color as the light bezels or is it such a problem to match lighted instruments I shouldn't worry about it. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 04:44:18 AM PST US From: "Fred Stucklen" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Fred Stucklen" Hall Effect sensors, and for that matter, inductive sensors, can and do fail. Most failures are Quality related. I had an inductive sensor fail on a Jeff Rose electronic ignition. The failure was due to a QC issue during the manufacturing process. Jeff changed his source, and the problem went away.... Fred Stucklen Working on a new RV-6A Time: 02:02:13 PM PST US Subject: Lightspeed hall effect module failure From: czechsix@juno.com --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: czechsix@juno.com Anyone else had, or heard of, a failure like this? I have dual crank-triggered Lightspeeds so this failure mode won't affect me, but I thought I'd pass along the info FYI... --Mark Navratil Cedar Rapids, Iowa RV-8A N2D finishing.... IAD03IA017 Incident occurred Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at LEESBURG, VA Aircraft:CRAIG N. MOEN RV-8, registration: N184CM Injuries: 1 Uninjured. This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. On October 22, 2002, about 1600 eastern standard time, a homebuilt RV-8, N184CM, experienced a failure of the right ignition system during descent into Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO), Leesburg, Virginia. The airplane landed uneventfully, and the certificated private pilot/builder/owner was not injured. No flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Elizabethtown Airport, (4W1), Elizabethtown, North Carolina, about 1400. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he was on a return flight from Florida, when he was forced to land at Elizabethtown due to weather. While in the traffic pattern the engine backfired a few times. After landing, and while taxiing to the ramp, he determined that the right ignition source was working intermittently. ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 06:56:30 AM PST US From: DHPHKH@aol.com Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: DHPHKH@aol.com Gang, Not a Hall effect module failure, but... We had some previous discussion about melting the RG58 A/U leads from the electronics boxes to the coils (Thanks, Richard). I'd already installed a set, but I went back and did a little test. Stuck a piece of RG58 in front of a heat gun, warmed it up to about 200F (I have a Raytec to check temp), then mashed it with a pair of pliers. Soft as bubble gum, easily shorts the center conductor to the braid. Tells me the stuff has no business in an engine compartment; it has the potential to short almost anyplace it's clamped, squeezed, or in a tight radius. RG400 passed the same test with ease, so that's what I have installed now. However, there's no free lunch. Two possible downsides. RG400 is much stiffer, so it required more care in arranging things for strain relief and fixation. Second, the outer insulation (covering the braid) is tough, but very thin and seems to be notch sensitive. An outer braid rupture to ground may have the potential for a tiny arc. Maybe not, don't know coil supply voltage, coil resistance, or internal supression in the black box, so don't know voltage on what I'm seeing as the ground side of the coil circuit. Probably won't fail the ignition, but it may cause a mystery radio noise? I'm guessing. Anyway, I used nothing but rubber lined MS clamps to fixate the cable runs, avoiding other surface contact. Good practice anyway. Dan Horton ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 08:12:30 AM PST US From: "Dennis O'Connor" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Dennis O'Connor" Straight RG58U , Trade Number 9201, with the polyethylene insulation is rated to 75 degs. Centigrade... It is the foam insulator that makes the coax more flexible than the solid ethylene insulator, but the foam softens at a much lower temperature, also.. Denny ----- Original Message ----- From: Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: DHPHKH@aol.com > > Gang, > Not a Hall effect module failure, but... > > We had some previous discussion about melting the RG58 A/U leads from > the electronics boxes to the coils (Thanks, Richard). I'd already installed > a set, but I went back and did a little test. Stuck a piece of RG58 in front > of a heat gun, warmed it up to about 200F (I have a Raytec to check temp), > then mashed it with a pair of pliers. Soft as bubble gum, easily shorts the > center conductor to the braid. Tells me the stuff has no business in an > engine compartment; it has the potential to short almost anyplace it's > clamped, squeezed, or in a tight radius. > > RG400 passed the same test with ease, so that's what I have installed > now. However, there's no free lunch. Two possible downsides. RG400 is much > stiffer, so it required more care in arranging things for strain relief and > fixation. Second, the outer insulation (covering the braid) is tough, but > very thin and seems to be notch sensitive. An outer braid rupture to ground > may have the potential for a tiny arc. Maybe not, don't know coil supply > voltage, coil resistance, or internal supression in the black box, so don't > know voltage on what I'm seeing as the ground side of the coil circuit. > Probably won't fail the ignition, but it may cause a mystery radio noise? > I'm guessing. Anyway, I used nothing but rubber lined MS clamps to fixate > the cable runs, avoiding other surface contact. Good practice anyway. > > Dan Horton > > ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 08:15:10 AM PST US From: richard@riley.net Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: richard@riley.net At 09:54 AM 12/14/02 -0500, you wrote: >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: DHPHKH@aol.com > >Gang, > Not a Hall effect module failure, but... > > We had some previous discussion about melting the RG58 A/U leads from >the electronics boxes to the coils (Thanks, Richard). I'd already installed >a set, but I went back and did a little test. Stuck a piece of RG58 in front >of a heat gun, warmed it up to about 200F (I have a Raytec to check temp), >then mashed it with a pair of pliers. Soft as bubble gum, easily shorts the >center conductor to the braid. Tells me the stuff has no business in an >engine compartment; it has the potential to short almost anyplace it's >clamped, squeezed, or in a tight radius. Thanks for doing the test, it's nice to have verification! > RG400 passed the same test with ease, so that's what I have > installed >now. However, there's no free lunch. Two possible downsides. RG400 is much >stiffer, so it required more care in arranging things for strain relief and >fixation. Second, the outer insulation (covering the braid) is tough, but >very thin and seems to be notch sensitive. An outer braid rupture to ground >may have the potential for a tiny arc. Maybe not, don't know coil supply >voltage, coil resistance, or internal supression in the black box, so don't >know voltage on what I'm seeing as the ground side of the coil circuit. >Probably won't fail the ignition, but it may cause a mystery radio noise? >I'm guessing. Anyway, I used nothing but rubber lined MS clamps to fixate >the cable runs, avoiding other surface contact. Good practice anyway. In my new installation I've covered the RG400 with shrink tube. May be overkill - and it does end up even stiffer - but i agree with your concern about the outer insulator. ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 08:27:04 AM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Lightspeed hall effect module failure --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" At 07:45 AM 12/14/2002 -0500, you wrote: >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Fred Stucklen" > >Hall Effect sensors, and for that matter, inductive sensors, can and do >fail. Most failures are Quality related. I had an inductive sensor fail on >a Jeff Rose electronic ignition. The failure was due to a QC issue during >the manufacturing process. Jeff changed his source, and the problem went >away.... > >Fred Stucklen >Working on a new RV-6A According to the preliminary report, it seems this device suffered some sort of mechanical failure. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 09:59:54 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: crimping solid conductors no-no? From: czechsix@juno.com --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: czechsix@juno.com From the RV-List....is this really a no-no to put a crimp connector on a solid wire conductor like a diode has? Understand it may not be optimal but for a joint that's not really critical or under much mechanical stress like the spike diode in this case, is it really something to be concerned about? --Mark Navratil Cedar Rapids, Iowa RV-8A N2D fiberglassing.... The ACS A-510-2 ignition switch comes with a diode to put across the starter solenoid winding but I did not use it because it had the connecting terminals crimped on to the diode wires (solid conductors) which is bad practice, as solid copper wire will "cold flow" and the terminals will become loose, which was the case with that diode. So I used another diode with stranded wire pig-tails soldered to it and terminals crimped on them. ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 12:03:06 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: crimping solid conductors no-no? --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" At 11:58 AM 12/14/2002 -0600, you wrote: >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: czechsix@juno.com > > From the RV-List....is this really a no-no to put a crimp connector on a >solid wire conductor like a diode has? Understand it may not be optimal >but for a joint that's not really critical or under much mechanical >stress like the spike diode in this case, is it really something to be >concerned about? Sure . . . why not? Consider that when you put a full crimp on stranded wires, the area under the crimp becomes 'gas tight' meaning that not one molecule of anything is going to get inside . . . sounds pretty SOLID to me. >--Mark Navratil >Cedar Rapids, Iowa >RV-8A N2D fiberglassing.... > > > >The ACS A-510-2 ignition switch comes with a diode to put across the >starter >solenoid winding but I did not use it because it had the connecting >terminals crimped on to the diode wires (solid conductors) which is bad >practice, as solid copper wire will "cold flow" and the terminals will >become loose, which was the case with that diode. So I used another diode >with stranded wire pig-tails soldered to it and terminals crimped on >them. Interesting. When the AD was first issued against the A-510 series switches, a diode was added across the switch contacts . . . which we could deduce was not effective. See: http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/spikecatcher.pdf . . . if they now recommend that the diode be placed across the contactor coil instead, then it's a good thing. Solid copper wire doesn't "cold flow" . . . if terminals become loose on the wire with time, it's because the crimp was incomplete or inadequate in the first place. If you check out the picture of our S702-1 crossfeed contactor with diodes installed at http://www.aeroelectric.com/Catalog/switch/s701-2.jpg . . . you will see PIDG terminals installed on solid conductor diode leads. I'll draw your attention to something else in the picture . . . the diodes are 1N5400 series devices rated at 3A and electrically oversized to the task by about 100 times. The reason I selected these devices is because of their heavier, mechanically more robust packaging features not the least of which was fatter wires that do a better job of mating up with a PIDG crimp. 1N4000 series diodes are often recommended . . . if I don't have fat-wire alternatives to the 1A diodes, I'll double the end of the leadwire back on itself about 1/4" before putting the finer wire into the wiregrip area of the terminal. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 12:06:16 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Bob - AEC70.zip --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" At 06:52 AM 12/14/2002 +0200, you wrote: >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Dave Grosvenor" > >Bob, is your AEC70.zip file still available on the web somewhere? I tried >the old link but it wasn't there. >Dave Try http://216.55.140.222/CD/AEC7_0.zip Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 12:53:28 PM PST US From: "David Swartzendruber" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: crimping solid conductors no-no? --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "David Swartzendruber" My preference would be to use a non-insulated terminal and soldering it to the lead of the diode, then cover the whole thing, except for the ring ends of the terminals, with heat shrink tubing. I'm not convinced that crimping onto the solid lead results in everything becoming solid inside. Perhaps some of the space is still air. David Swartzendruber Wichita > > From the RV-List....is this really a no-no to put a crimp connector on a > >solid wire conductor like a diode has? Understand it may not be optimal > >but for a joint that's not really critical or under much mechanical > >stress like the spike diode in this case, is it really something to be > >concerned about? > > Sure . . . why not? Consider that when you put a full crimp > on stranded wires, the area under the crimp becomes 'gas tight' > meaning that not one molecule of anything is going to get > inside . . . sounds pretty SOLID to me. > ________________________________ Message 11 ____________________________________ Time: 02:41:31 PM PST US From: DMarti1029@aol.com Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Ground strap --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: DMarti1029@aol.com If possible I Would like one too DENNIS Martin 9311 Fairground Rd. Louisville Ky, 40291 ________________________________ Message 12 ____________________________________ Time: 10:08:38 PM PST US From: "Dave Grosvenor" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Bob - AEC70.zip --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Dave Grosvenor" Thanks Bob, got it. Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Bob - AEC70.zip > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" > > At 06:52 AM 12/14/2002 +0200, you wrote: > >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Dave Grosvenor" > > > >Bob, is your AEC70.zip file still available on the web somewhere? I tried > >the old link but it wasn't there. > >Dave > > Try http://216.55.140.222/CD/AEC7_0.zip > > Bob . . . > >