---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 05/31/04: 7 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:51 AM - Re: Diode on starter relay (solenoid) (Brian Lloyd) 2. 08:26 AM - Slobovia Outernational Airport BBQ (Charlie England) 3. 10:13 AM - Light potentiometer ? (Finn Lassen) 4. 03:16 PM - Z-13 power distribution: main bus lower voltage (Treff, Arthur) 5. 04:28 PM - RG142 and the Jones boy (Fergus Kyle) 6. 07:03 PM - Re: Z-13 power distribution: main bus lower voltage (LarryRobertHelming) 7. 07:39 PM - [ Matt Dralle ] : New Email List Photo Share Available! (Email List Photo Shares) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:51:55 AM PST US From: Brian Lloyd Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Diode on starter relay (solenoid) --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Brian Lloyd Jim Anglin wrote: > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Jim Anglin" > > I have my HR II all wired and my neighbor showed me a wiring diagram of a > starter solenoid with a diode between the S terminal and ground. I have > owned 3 planes that didn't have this. What is the thinking behind this? It is a "snubber" diode. It absorbs the energy of the voltage spike caused by removing the excitation of the starter solenoid when you release the start button or release the key from the start position. The collapsing magnetic field generates a big voltage spike just like it does in the primary circuit of your magneto. The diode just shunts this spike to ground. While avionics and lights, etc., are unlikely to be damaged by this transient, it will cause an arc across the contacts of the start button or key switch ultimately leading to earlier than normal failure. It is a good idea to install one. -- Brian Lloyd 6501 Red Hook Plaza brianl@lloyd.com Suite 201 http://www.lloyd.com St. Thomas, VI 00802 +1.340.998.9447 (voice) +1.360.838.9669 (fax) There is a time to laud one's country and a time to protest. A good citizen is prepared to do either as the need arises. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:26:05 AM PST US From: Charlie England Subject: AeroElectric-List: Slobovia Outernational Airport BBQ --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Charlie England Five days to BBQ DAY. Please plan to visit with us, eat some BBQ & talk airplanes. Location: Slobovia Outernational Airport (MS71) 10 mi north of Jackson MS on the Memphis sectional Approx. 4000' usable with decent approaches. Email me direct for a map if you are driving. (Don't trust the online mapping services for this one.) You are welcome to come for the day, or stay the weekend. Just throw a bedroll in the plane/car & we'll find you a place to sleep that's out of the heat. If you plan to overnight, please call us at 601-879-9596 or drop us an email at ceengland@bellsouth.net so we can get breakfast stuff lined up. If you've never done any a/c metal work, you can come & play with drills & rivet guns. Alternative engine discussions will probably revolve around the Mazda rotary. (Sorry 'bout that. :-) ) No formal seminars, but lots of knowledge is in the air when we have these events. Come on down! Charlie Slobovia Outernational Airport ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 10:13:13 AM PST US From: Finn Lassen Subject: AeroElectric-List: Light potentiometer ? --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Finn Lassen Yesterday I took apart my old Turn & Bank Coordinator (a little sping connecting the gyro with the indicator had popped loose). I knew it had an "auto-pilot" sensor built into it, but I'd never used that nor looked at it before. What I found was a wierd part I'd not seen before: It works as a potentiometer, but I don't understand how it works. I'll try to describe it: Two parallel strips (probably on some base material like glass). One strip has wires connected at each end (0 and 10 Volts). The other strip just one wire (output). The "arm" "connecting" the two strips is a LED (mounted on the gyro) with no physical connection to the strips (Actually the LED is mounted inside a plastic tube). An oddity is that the output did vary even with the LED off as the gyro was moved. There's a note on the housing saying to only test/calibrate with the housing on (I suppose to remove ambient light. Anybody know what such a potentiometer is called and how it works? Photocell potentiometer? Finn ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 03:16:08 PM PST US From: "Treff, Arthur" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Z-13 power distribution: main bus lower voltage --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Treff, Arthur" I've wired my RV-8 per appx Z-13 "All electric plane on a budget", with the main bus feeding the Ess bus thru the B&C diode. With a 13.8 power supply (delivers up to 23 amps, constant voltage) on the main bus, I show 12.7 volts on the main bus fuse outputs. When I switch off the main bus, and switch on the Ess bus, power is now thru the Battery bus thru a fuseable link and switch. The ess bus fuse outputs show 13.8 volts. The only thing I can think of is I must be using the wrong poles of the diode. IT has 4 teminals, and I thought I had the two correct ones. Any thoughts? Art ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 04:28:52 PM PST US From: "Fergus Kyle" Subject: AeroElectric-List: RG142 and the Jones boy --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Fergus Kyle" Eric! In no way was I attempting a competitive stance! My remarks were for ground strap use. I thought your excellent RG142 was meant for RF to the antenna, not to produce ground strapping.......... "By the way, regarding Ferg's comment on coaxial cable wearing out---Quite true! A high-powered transmitter can change the characteristics of a cable in reasonably short order. So buy my RG+142." I'll endorse Eric's remarks all the way............! Cheers, Ferg PS: I don't plan a high-powered transmitter, but hope to install a 100W HF and retractable long wire for those long flights......... I think RG8 will handle that PS current. ----- Original Message ----- From: "AeroElectric-List Digest Server" Subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 7 Msgs - 05/30/04 | * | | ================================================== | Online Versions of Today's List Digest Archive | ================================================== | | Today's complete AeroElectric-List Digest can be also be found in either | of the two Web Links listed below. The .html file includes the Digest | formatted in HTML for viewing with a web browser and features Hyperlinked | Indexes and Message Navigation. The .txt file includes the plain ASCII | version of the AeroElectric-List Digest and can be viewed with a generic | text editor such as Notepad or with a web browser. | | HTML Version: | | http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list/Digest.AeroElectric-List.2004-05-30.html | | Text Version: | | http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list/Digest.AeroElectric-List.2004-05-30.txt | | | ================================================ | EMail Version of Today's List Digest Archive | ================================================ | | | AeroElectric-List Digest Archive | --- | Total Messages Posted Sun 05/30/04: 7 | | | Today's Message Index: | ---------------------- | | 1. 06:11 AM - Grounding strap (Fergus Kyle) | 2. 06:17 AM - Grounding strap/wire (Fergus Kyle) | 3. 06:22 AM - Re: Ground wire (Gary Casey) | 4. 08:08 AM - Re: Ground wire (Eric M. Jones) | 5. 08:49 AM - Re:Flat grounding cable (Alex Balic) | 6. 09:23 AM - Re: Re:Flat grounding cable (Matt Prather) | 7. 10:57 PM - Diode on starter relay (solenoid) (Jim Anglin) | | | | ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 06:11:47 AM PST US | From: "Fergus Kyle" | Subject: AeroElectric-List: Grounding strap | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Fergus Kyle" | | " | Time: 04:59:32 AM PST US | From: "Gary Casey" | Subject: AeroElectric-List: Ground wire | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Gary Casey" | I plan to use a flat braided ground cable for my rear-mounted battery, but | I'm having trouble finding some. Aircraft Spruce will sell a 2-gage cable | by the foot at something less than $1 an inch (ouch). But I would like to | have something heavier than that and Alpha makes cable in either 3-gage or | 0/2, which is what I would prefer. Unfortunately, the only way I can find | it is by the 100-foot reel. Anyone know of a way to buy this stuff in | shorter lengths? Or do you think the 0/2-gage is an overkill? I will be | cranking an IO-540 in my plastic airplane. Gary Casey LES #157" | | Gary, | It's been a tradition of hams to use the outer braid of coaxial | cable for grounding straps. RG8 (common 1/2" cable) braid will carry about | 20A or more so you would have to add copies in parallel to accomodate higher | current. Many hams throw out the cable (it deteriorates as constant | impedance over several years) and you might acquire same from locals, strip | cover and press braid off the internal insulation. If you take the trouble | to strip the central wire out of the insulation and thread it through the | braid, then pound flat, you can carry 40A fairly safely. | Ferg, Europa A064 | yeah, but the price is right | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 06:17:05 AM PST US | From: "Fergus Kyle" | Subject: AeroElectric-List: Grounding strap/wire | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Fergus Kyle" | | There's another alternative to welding wire for fat grounding - apparently | the kids are wiring their junkers with heavy-duty power cable to accomodate | the vital thumpthump 'music' which must be pumped out of their jalopies at | 100db. I priced some at the local autoradio shop and it's not bad in short | lengths. The usual sizes are #2-0 and 4. | Ferg | Europa A064 | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 06:22:51 AM PST US | From: "Gary Casey" | Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Ground wire | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Gary Casey" | | <> | | A most excellent suggestion and I didn't know that your wire is now | available. Compared to prices I have found from various sources the cost of | weight saved for your wire comes out to about $28 a pound, a bargain | compared to other methods. In that case I might change my design around and | use one of your insulated wires for the ground return instead of a braid. | But what does your wire look like if the insulation is pulled off? Wouldn't | it tend to unravel even if it is twisted (some wire is twisted, but most | isn't)? | | Gary Casey | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 08:08:20 AM PST US | From: "Eric M. Jones" | Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Ground wire | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Eric M. Jones" | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Gary Casey" | | >A most excellent suggestion and I didn't know that your wire is now | >available. | | Yep, A giant spool of Super-2-CCA sits ten feet from me. | | >Compared to prices I have found from various sources the cost of | >weight saved for your wire comes out to about $28 a pound, a bargain | >compared to other methods. In that case I might change my design around | and | >use one of your insulated wires for the ground return instead of a braid. | >But what does your wire look like if the insulation is pulled off? | Wouldn't | >it tend to unravel even if it is twisted (some wire is twisted, but most | >isn't)? | >Gary Casey | | The wire is made up of 15 groups of 17 wires of AWG 23 (0.0226") Copper-Clad | Aluminum, all twisted. It won't unravel easily. | | By the way, regarding Ferg's comment on coaxial cable wearing out---Quite | true! A high-powered transmitter can change the characteristics of a cable | in reasonably short order. So buy my RG+142. | | Regards, | Eric M. Jones | www.PerihelionDesign.com | 113 Brentwood Drive | Southbridge MA 01550-2705 | Phone (508) 764-2072 | Email: emjones@charter.net | | "So in the ninth inning; score is tied, bases loaded; two outs; ---when | suddenly an angel came down from Heaven and knocked the ball out of the | park. Some say it was a miracle, but others say it was just a lucky | ng." --Anon | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 08:49:33 AM PST US | From: Alex Balic | Subject: AeroElectric-List: RE:Flat grounding cable | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Alex Balic | | | Gary- | | I am using braided hose cover fro my ground strap- it is normally used to | dress up radiator hoses in cars- I bought an entire "kit" to do a 350 | Chevy - cost about 25 bucks and it has an entire assortment including about | 6' of some heavy gauge in there for the radiator hoses- it is at least #2 | since I had to really compress it to fit into the swage connectors- it is | made from tinned copper just like the expensive stuff from spruce- you can | get it from any auto supply, but I ordered mine from summit racing... | | Alex | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 09:23:08 AM PST US | Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: RE:Flat grounding cable | From: "Matt Prather" | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Matt Prather" | | Are you sure its tinned copper, and not stainless (or tinned | steel)? | | Regards, | | Matt- | N34RD | | > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Alex Balic | > | > | > | > Gary- | > | > I am using braided hose cover fro my ground strap- it is normally used | > to dress up radiator hoses in cars- I bought an entire "kit" to do a 350 | > Chevy - cost about 25 bucks and it has an entire assortment including | > about 6' of some heavy gauge in there for the radiator hoses- it is at | > least #2 since I had to really compress it to fit into the swage | > connectors- it is made from tinned copper just like the expensive stuff | > from spruce- you can get it from any auto supply, but I ordered mine | > from summit racing... | > | > Alex | > | > | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ | | | Time: 10:57:29 PM PST US | From: "Jim Anglin" | Subject: AeroElectric-List: Diode on starter relay (solenoid) | | --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Jim Anglin" | | I have my HR II all wired and my neighbor showed me a wiring diagram of a | starter solenoid with a diode between the S terminal and ground. I have | owned 3 planes that didn't have this. What is the thinking behind this? I | also have Van's RV-8 wiring schematic that comes with the wiring kit and it | doesn't call out a diode. However, the diagram I saw with the diode was | from Van's. | | ????????? | | Jim | HR-II #153 flying soon............ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 07:03:50 PM PST US From: "LarryRobertHelming" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Z-13 power distribution: main bus lower voltage --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "LarryRobertHelming" You do get a voltage drop with the diode bridge. You can use a ammeter with diode tester to measure the drop. It is different and could be more if you are using the wrong terminals. I think the drip is about 1/2 amp when wired correctly. Indiana Larry, RV7 TipUp "SunSeeker" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Treff, Arthur" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Z-13 power distribution: main bus lower voltage > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Treff, Arthur" > > I've wired my RV-8 per appx Z-13 "All electric plane on a budget", with the > main bus feeding the Ess bus thru the B&C diode. With a 13.8 power supply > (delivers up to 23 amps, constant voltage) on the main bus, I show 12.7 > volts on the main bus fuse outputs. When I switch off the main bus, and > switch on the Ess bus, power is now thru the Battery bus thru a fuseable > link and switch. The ess bus fuse outputs show 13.8 volts. The only thing > I can think of is I must be using the wrong poles of the diode. IT has 4 > teminals, and I thought I had the two correct ones. Any thoughts? > > Art > > ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 07:39:17 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: [ Matt Dralle ] : New Email List Photo Share Available! From: Email List Photo Shares --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Email List Photo Shares A new Email List Photo Share is available: Poster: Matt Dralle Subject: WWII Bombers at Livermore California - May 31 2004 http://www.matronics.com/photoshare/dralle@matronics.com.05.31.2004/index.html o Main Photo Share Index http://www.matronics.com/photoshare o Submitting a Photo Share If you wish to submit a Photo Share of your own, please include the following information along with your email message and files: 1) Email List or Lists that they are related to: 2) Your Full Name: 3) Your Email Address: 4) One line Subject description: 5) Multi-line, multi-paragraph description of topic: 6) One-line Description of each photo or file: Email the information above and your files and photos to: pictures@matronics.com