---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 02/14/11: 24 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:22 AM - Inexpensive HID light data point (Brantel) 2. 07:12 AM - Re: AOA (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 3. 07:36 AM - Re: Inexpensive HID light data point (Bill Watson) 4. 07:46 AM - HID Light marketing (Roger) 5. 08:21 AM - Re: HID Light marketing (Brantel) 6. 09:10 AM - Re: HID Light marketing (JOHN TIPTON) 7. 09:12 AM - Re: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 8. 12:14 PM - Re: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 9. 12:15 PM - Re: No click when pushing PTT (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 10. 12:25 PM - Re: Speaking of Wig Wags (Brantel) 11. 02:53 PM - Permanent Magnet Alternators - Over Voltage Protection (markcs) 12. 03:46 PM - Re: Re: HID Light marketing (Jared Yates) 13. 03:51 PM - Re: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground (Don Hudgeon) 14. 04:26 PM - Re: HID Light marketing (Brantel) 15. 05:05 PM - Re: No click when pushing PTT (N777TY) 16. 05:17 PM - Re: Re: No click when pushing PTT (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 17. 05:29 PM - Re: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 18. 05:32 PM - Re: Permanent Magnet Alternators - Over Voltage Protection (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 19. 05:41 PM - Re: Re: No click when pushing PTT (Bob McCallum) 20. 07:04 PM - Re: No click when pushing PTT (N777TY) 21. 07:39 PM - Re: Re: No click when pushing PTT (Charlie England) 22. 09:08 PM - Vx Aviation expands it's EFIS Wiring Hub Product Line (Vern Little) 23. 10:09 PM - Re: 2nd radio (James Robinson) 24. 10:30 PM - Re: Re: 2nd radio (Etienne Phillips) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:22:17 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Inexpensive HID light data point From: "Brantel" I bought a pair of 35W HID lights from Ebay to replace the bulbs in my 55w Duckworks kit that was a set of fog lights converted to use with their brackets. I got the 6000K H3 bulbs because I wanted white white light. The 55w halogens always looked very warm in color. The HID kit was advertised as a "Digital" ballast kit. After looking at a million sites selling these things it seems that almost all of them are clones of one another and or made by the same shop in China. The kit I bought was ~$37 delivered for the pair. I did open the ballast after I received them and they do appear to be mostly electronic but there was a small transformer in there. The inside was sprayed/potted with a rubber coating so it was hard to tell what was really in there. Anyway....I mounted the ballast to the back of the Duckworks bracket using the mounting bracket that came with the kit. I did modify the bracket somewhat to cut off extra that was not needed. The wiring was simple as pie. After mounting everything and turning them on, I can honestly say that these things are at least three times brighter than the 55w halogens. Here is a comparison, the left side is the HID, the right is the 55w halogen: Here they are straight on with the beam: Same shot with the old 55w: I had to leave the airport before it got dark so I did not get any other pics. One thing...I tried to wig-wag these after they warmed up but that was a no go!!! They will not wig-wag with the NAPA flasher relay!!! Maybe they would with one of the solid state wig-waggers but they won't with the NAPA relay. It just buzzed and sounded like it was going to fry itself so I stopped trying after a second or two. I have always been afraid to try and regain my night currency (never had it in a TW airplane) with those dim 55w halogens. Maybe now I can give it a whirl. Just ordered one of these http://www.soundoffsignal.com/warnamber/flashers/Headlight/ETHFSS-SP.htm . Since it is totally solid state, maybe it will work. It also has a few different flash speeds to pick from. Here is an iPhone Video of my new inexpensive HID's wig-wagging with the new flashed I installed. Works better than great!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY7UcK6XD2s To finish the story on my inexpensive HID lights, after flying with them for some time I did notice that they reflected a ton of high frequency noise back onto the power lines. This is clearly evident when listening to the background noise on any non-active com channel with the squelch in test mode or open. This noise also caused my Dynon's DSAB bus to drop out...really bad in Wig-Wag mode... The HIDs initially give a pretty good "bezerp" when they ignite and then they settle into just plain old static. The noise threshold is obvioulsy increased quite a bit. The Wig-Wag mode only exacerbates this issue. If they are warm, the Wig-Wag does not bezerp each time they come on, they ignite instantly with no "bezerp" but the noise floor is still elevated. Those that know a little about radio will understand that just because you can squelch out background noise, it is not desirable to just mask the issue since an increased or high noise threshold can cause your AGC circuit in the radio to automatically reduce the sensitivity of the receiver resulting in poor performance. That being said, Here was the fix: I installed a Ferrite Core as close to the HID ballast as possible. I wrapped the power and ground wires thru the core three times each. Ferrite cores act as a choke to high frequencies basically blocking them at the source before they can do any harm. I also installed a .1uF capacitor across the power and ground wires right behind the ferrite core. This capacitor functions as a decoupling capacitor and will shunt any high frequencies that get past the ferrite core to ground before they can travel back up the power wire. The ferrite core I used is similar to this one: The results are complete elimination of the noise reflected back onto the aircraft's systems. No noticable noise floor increase, no Dynon DSAB dropouts!!! Could not even tell I had switched them on and the Wig-Wag only results in some very slight clicks over the intercom. Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331009#331009 ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 07:12:13 AM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: AOA At 08:03 PM 2/13/2011, you wrote: >My comment on icing and AOA systems ~~If you encounter any type >of icing turn the AOA OFF unless you have full de-icing vane & >aircraft. We haven't even done R&D on a heated vane because of >liability. Even Boeing can't give you hard numbers with icing on >wings. Heated vane and icing on wings is NOT a good deal! >Elbie Mendenhall, EM Aviation, >LLC www.riteangle.com Exactly. The fleet of bizjets at HBC were all qualified for flight into known ice. Everything was heated or hammered. I'll have to call some of my jet-jockey friends at HBC and inquire as to words in the POH concerning usefulness and cautions about AOA displays on the production fleet. I worked a REALLY strange problem on the Beechjet some years back were pilots experienced loss of IAS on BOTH sides of the airplane. Displays always recovered at lower, warmer altitudes. This often occurred in relatively clear air. There was a LOT of brainstorming by a LOT of grey beards as to the physics behind this rare but disturbing event. My task involved cutting a pitot tube open, peppering it with thermocouples and putting it back together again so that we could study not only temperatures at the surfaces to be de-iced but internally. There was some question of ice crystals bouncing through the labyrinth of pressure channels only to melt and re-freeze inside the pitot tube. During the fire drill for sniffing out root cause, somebody asked the question: "How does the existence of a working AOA display help the pilot who is temporarily deprived of IAS?" Good question. The Beechjet had been fitted with AOA indication since its birth as the Mitusbishi Diamondjet. But nobody had ever researched and written the approve procedure for using AOA as an aid to maneuvering without IAS. That amendment was quickly added to the POH. I'm not sure we ever deduced how pitot pressure was being obstructed. I'll have to ask how that problem resolved too. But it was interesting that a perfectly useful display had existed for so long but was never fully developed as a component of plan-b, plan-c, etc. Shucks, with DUAL air data systems, what are the odds? Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:36:40 AM PST US From: Bill Watson Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Inexpensive HID light data point Thanks for the detail write-up. I bought and installed by Duckworks lights over 2 years ago and just getting ready to fly with them. I've already killed a deer on our grass strip so I'm really looking forward to lighting the place up compared to the single incandescent bulb on the Maule. Night TW - If you can, treat yourself to some night landings on grass. Slightly uphill if possible. So Sweet! do not archive Bill "waiting for painting temps this weekend, at last" Watson On 2/14/2011 8:17 AM, Brantel wrote: > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Brantel" > > I bought a pair of 35W HID lights from Ebay to replace the bulbs in my 55w Duckworks kit that was a set of fog lights converted to use with their brackets. I got the 6000K H3 bulbs because I wanted white white light. > After mounting everything and turning them on, I can honestly say that these things are at least three times brighter than the 55w halogens. ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 07:46:43 AM PST US From: "Roger" Subject: AeroElectric-List: HID Light marketing There seems to be a lot of marketing ploys etc. for the HID lights. I have a couple of questions to help clearify the hype. Some of the descriptions say HID type lights with halogen bulbs, and some are HID devices with xenon bulbs. 1. Does a true HID light use only a xenon lamp? 2. Is a so called HID type Halogen a real HID light, with the same brightness as a xenon? 3. Does anyone have a temperature/color spectrum chart for HID lights? example: 6000K, 10000k 4. Does anyone have a chart/description for Lamp configurations? Example: H3 Roger ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 08:21:20 AM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: HID Light marketing From: "Brantel" HID Lights use an Arc Tube bulb. No filament like a Halogen HID Type Halogens are not HID I used the 6000K H3 bulbs. 5000K-6000K is about as white as white can get! Here you go: Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331029#331029 ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 09:10:35 AM PST US From: "JOHN TIPTON" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: HID Light marketing If you have a look at an e-bay listing (example here - e-bay listing # 280629659435) they give a colour chart v Ktemps John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger" Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 3:37 PM Subject: AeroElectric-List: HID Light marketing > > > There seems to be a lot of marketing ploys etc. for the HID lights. I > have a couple of questions to help clearify the hype. Some of the > descriptions say HID type lights with halogen bulbs, and some are HID > devices with xenon bulbs. > > 1. Does a true HID light use only a xenon lamp? > > 2. Is a so called HID type Halogen a real HID light, with the same > brightness as a xenon? > > 3. Does anyone have a temperature/color spectrum chart for HID lights? > example: 6000K, 10000k > > 4. Does anyone have a chart/description for Lamp configurations? > Example: H3 > > Roger > > > ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 09:12:45 AM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground > Can I hook the power supply up to the battery + and - terminals > and use it as a "battery booster" (or would this toast the > battery)? Should I just use the battery and charge it overnight > with the BatteryMINDer? Other? Most power supplies are NOT intended to work in conjunction with a battery. The primary difficulty arises when the battery is connected to a powered down power supply. Output monitoring and ov protection in many supplies do not like to be "back fed" from an external power source. My favorite technique uses a hefty switchmode power supply similar to this: http://tinyurl.com/4aoszlf Combine this supply with a power diode (to prevent back feeding) and a relay to emulate the "field control" input on your ship's alternator. The relay controls 120 vac going into the power supply. You can connect this AC mains powered "alternator" in place of the ship's alternator. With the alternator emulator ON, adjust the power supply for a 14.2 volt bus. The ship's load meter (if installed) can be used to monitor loads on the power supply. This will allow you to run the ship's battery in parallel to let it pick up any transient loads that might exceed the ratings of the power supply. >I intend to bring up one circuit at a time and I want to measure >each circuit's actual power consumption and I'll need to be careful >not to overload the power supply. If it's a switchmode supply, it will have built in overload protection. Further, the supply I linked above has a thermostatically controlled fan built in that turns on when the supply is being taxed to rated output. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 12:14:09 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground >I have a BatteryMINDer charger/maintainer and a Radio Shack power >supply whose output is rated at 13.8 VDC at 15 Amps. > >Should I just disconnect the main battery and use the power supply >in its place? Can I hook the power supply up to the battery + and - >terminals and use it as a "battery booster" (or would this toast the battery)? Forgot to touch on this. Your existing supply output voltage is not high enough to hook directly across a battery and still have the recommended isolation (back feed prevention) diode. So you can use the power supply to emulate a battery. Disconnect the battery and put the power supply in its place. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 12:15:32 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: No click when pushing PTT At 10:32 PM 2/13/2011, you wrote: > >Just trying to start the troubleshooting of a strange issue I have >in my plane. When I push PTT button while COM2 is selected, I don't >get that click at the beginning of transmission... The radio >transmits just fine.. just doesn't give that click. COM1 works >fine. Both are using same PTT button and are wired into the PSE >8000 audio panel. (COM1 is Garmin 530W and COM2 is Garmin 430W) > >Since the radio works fine it's a somewhat lower priority issue, but >it does cause a problem when flying at night... I cannot turn on the >runway lights with the second radio because the click isn't there... > >Tried swapping antenna leads but that didn't help... haven't tried >anything else yet.. looking for some ideas.. Thanks! Are you expecting to get an audible click from the radio itself? I think the use of electro-mechanical relays common to transceivers for 50 years have been replaced with all solid state switching. If the radio is working, it's probably performing as advertised. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 12:25:13 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Speaking of Wig Wags From: "Brantel" Tom, You can Wig-Wag HID's with the right flasher. The Napa relay won't work but this one will: http://www.soundoffsignal.com/warnamber/flashers/Headlight/ETHFSS-SP.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY7UcK6XD2s Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331052#331052 ________________________________ Message 11 ____________________________________ Time: 02:53:57 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Permanent Magnet Alternators - Over Voltage Protection From: "markcs" I live in the UK where the Rotax 912 with its 18 amp Permanent Magnet Alternator (PMA) is ubiquitous. Many folks are now fitting very expensive avionics in their Rotax engined aircraft and are keen to guard against over voltage (I know how rare that is with PMA regulators - but it does occasionally happen). The only device that I have come across to meet this need is the excellent B&C 505-1 (I have B&C alternators on my RV - outstanding pieces of kit). I spoke to TJ at B&C who could not have been more helpful but did explain that the 505 had not been tested an any other PMA other than their own alternators and so he could not formally recommend it for the Rotax PMA or any other PMA for that matter - a position which I understand. As I understand it the 505 OV module controls the relay which takes the output from the PMA regulator. If an OV event occurs the OV module releases the main relay contacts and so cuts off the supply voltage to the main bus. If my understanding is not wildly out it would appear that the 505 could be used successfully on almost any PMA (Relay current limitations not withstanding) including the Rotax. I would be grateful for any experiences of members who have used the 505 on PMA's such as the Rotax etc, or any another comments about the 505 generic suitability, and who could confirm whether or not they agree that the 505 seems suitable as a generic PMA OV device. Many thanks Mark Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331083#331083 ________________________________ Message 12 ____________________________________ Time: 03:46:04 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: HID Light marketing From: Jared Yates Thanks for your article in the previous message. Do you have any more specifics about the bulbs that you are using? On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 11:13 AM, Brantel wrote: > > HID Lights use an Arc Tube bulb. No filament like a Halogen > > HID Type Halogens are not HID > > I used the 6000K H3 bulbs. 5000K-6000K is about as white as white can get! > > Here you go: > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331029#331029 > > ________________________________ Message 13 ____________________________________ Time: 03:51:38 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground From: Don Hudgeon This may be slightly off topic but is there anything wrong with charging my a/c battery (modern automatic charger) without disconnecting from the battery terminals from the a/c? I hook up the charger occasionally in order to maintain the battery if I am not flying regularly. Also,if I am testing electrical components such as radios or lights I have the charger hooked up in order to more accurately simulate actual alternator operation. The a/c engine is a Rotax 912UL. Is there something wrong with this reasoning? Don On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 12:10 PM, Robert L. Nuckolls, III < nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com> wrote: > nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com> > > > I have a BatteryMINDer charger/maintainer and a Radio Shack power supply >> whose output is rated at 13.8 VDC at 15 Amps. >> >> Should I just disconnect the main battery and use the power supply in its >> place? Can I hook the power supply up to the battery + and - terminals and >> use it as a "battery booster" (or would this toast the battery)? >> > > Forgot to touch on this. Your existing supply output > voltage is not high enough to hook directly across a > battery and still have the recommended isolation > (back feed prevention) diode. So you can use the > power supply to emulate a battery. Disconnect > the battery and put the power supply in its place. > > > Bob . . . > > ________________________________ Message 14 ____________________________________ Time: 04:26:57 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: HID Light marketing From: "Brantel" I used the 6000K H3 bulbs Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331090#331090 ________________________________ Message 15 ____________________________________ Time: 05:05:56 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT From: "N777TY" Yes, I'm expecting a click.. Considering that the other one which is same technology (ie, not a case of old vs. new) I'd think the expectation is reasonable :) Don't remember last time I ran into this situation in any plane ... so what I'm experiencing on COM2 is not typical.. Looking for ideas what to look at.. -------- RV-7A N777TY Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331092#331092 ________________________________ Message 16 ____________________________________ Time: 05:17:23 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT At 07:02 PM 2/14/2011, you wrote: > >Yes, I'm expecting a click.. Considering that the other one which >is same technology (ie, not a case of old vs. new) I'd think the >expectation is reasonable :) Don't remember last time I ran into >this situation in any plane ... so what I'm experiencing on COM2 is >not typical.. Looking for ideas what to look at.. Maybe I missed something . . . is the radio misbehaving in any other way that being free of audible noises when you hit the PTT button? Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 17 ____________________________________ Time: 05:29:39 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground At 05:49 PM 2/14/2011, you wrote: >This may be slightly off topic but is there anything wrong with >charging my a/c battery (modern automatic charger) without >disconnecting from the battery terminals from the a/c? I hook up the >charger occasionally in order to maintain the battery if I am not >flying regularly. Also,if I am testing electrical components such as >radios or lights I have the charger hooked up in order to more >accurately simulate actual alternator operation. The a/c engine is a >Rotax 912UL. Is there something wrong with this reasoning? No, as long as your external power source is INTENDED to be connected across a battery (and will not be damaged if the input power is disconnected while the battery is still attached) then there's no reason not to leave it connected during ground ops. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 18 ____________________________________ Time: 05:32:09 PM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Permanent Magnet Alternators - Over Voltage Protection At 04:49 PM 2/14/2011, you wrote: > >I live in the UK where the Rotax 912 with its 18 amp Permanent >Magnet Alternator (PMA) is ubiquitous. > >Many folks are now fitting very expensive avionics in their Rotax >engined aircraft and are keen to guard against over voltage (I know >how rare that is with PMA regulators - but it does occasionally happen). Recommend you use the parts supplied in the BC505-1 kit and wire per http://www.aeroelectric.com/PPS/Adobe_Architecture_Pdfs/Z16M.pdf Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 19 ____________________________________ Time: 05:41:02 PM PST US From: Bob McCallum Subject: RE: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT Bob; I think you might have missed the part where he said that his com 2 radio will not activate pilot controlled lighting whereas his com 1 will. He is associating the "missing click" with the inability to activate the lighting systems. Other than this one item it operates "normally" Bob McC > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list- > server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Robert L. Nuckolls, III > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 8:13 PM > To: aeroelectric-list@matronics.com > Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT > > > > At 07:02 PM 2/14/2011, you wrote: > > > >Yes, I'm expecting a click.. Considering that the other one which > >is same technology (ie, not a case of old vs. new) I'd think the > >expectation is reasonable :) Don't remember last time I ran into > >this situation in any plane ... so what I'm experiencing on COM2 is > >not typical.. Looking for ideas what to look at.. > > Maybe I missed something . . . is the radio > misbehaving in any other way that being > free of audible noises when you hit the > PTT button? > > Bob . . . > > > _- > ==================================================== > ====== > _- > ==================================================== > ====== > _- > ==================================================== > ====== > _- > ==================================================== > ====== > > ________________________________ Message 20 ____________________________________ Time: 07:04:05 PM PST US Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT From: "N777TY" Yes, the radio works fine otherwise (as in, it transmits fine). COM1 produces the click (hence I can turn on the runway lights). COM2 doesn't do that. It's not audible, and consequently lights don't come on.. I can hear the click on COM1 (and as a result, lights can be turned on, for example).. -------- RV-7A N777TY Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=331101#331101 ________________________________ Message 21 ____________________________________ Time: 07:39:59 PM PST US From: Charlie England Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: No click when pushing PTT On 2/14/2011 8:58 PM, N777TY wrote: > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "N777TY" > > Yes, the radio works fine otherwise (as in, it transmits fine). COM1 produces the click (hence I can turn on the runway lights). COM2 doesn't do that. It's not audible, and consequently lights don't come on.. > > I can hear the click on COM1 (and as a result, lights can be turned on, for example).. > > -------- > RV-7A > N777TY I would expect the light control radio to trigger on just the carrier, but for troubleshooting purposes you might try synthesizing a click verbally while holding the xmit button for each trigger, & see if the light control radio would respond to that, assuming that it really needs to see audio on the carrier. I'd also ask the control radio's mfgr about whether it just listens for carrier or not. Charlie ________________________________ Message 22 ____________________________________ Time: 09:08:10 PM PST US From: "Vern Little" Subject: AeroElectric-List: Vx Aviation expands it's EFIS Wiring Hub Product Line This is a follow up to a previous announcement made on 'Lectric List. I've been a long time follower and contributer, and I hope this is of interest to many. Thanks, Vern Little Vx Aviation www.vx-aviation.com Summary of Announcement: ======================== Vx Aviation Enhances EFIS Wiring Hub Family VICTORIA, BC---February 15, 2011---Vx Aviation today announced the introduction of three new AXIS wiring hub devices for the interconnect of Electronic Flight Information Systems (EFIS) to other avionics and instrumentation behind the instrument panel in owner-built aircraft. The new AXIS-9A, AXIS-25A and GBX-25A join the previously announced AXIS-15A to provide a complete family of wiring hubs. The AXIS-9A is specific to the Dynon SkyView Network and functions as a multi-port splitter, providing a 9-wire backplane and allowing up to five SkyView Network compatible instruments to be connected together. The AXIS-25A is a general-purpose 25-wire backplane with five connectors that facilitate the wiring of modern avionics panels that have a large number of RS-232, ARINC-429 and similar data interconnects, such as would be found on IFR panels. The GBX-25A is a ground bus wiring block that simplifies the distribution of low-current ground or power by providing 25 bused connections. ======================== ________________________________ Message 23 ____________________________________ Time: 10:09:50 PM PST US From: James Robinson Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: 2nd radio I am considering a second radio. I currently have a SL30. I would like to add a second radio, but only have 1 antenna. Can 2 radios share 1 antenna? Are there problems with this approach? Will I have to add a audio panel? Jim James Robinson Glasair lll N79R Spanish Fork UT U77 ________________________________ From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Sent: Mon, February 14, 2011 9:06:47 AM Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Power for Checking Systems Out on the Ground Can I hook the power supply up to the battery + and - terminals and use it as a "battery booster" (or would this toast the battery)? Should I just use the battery and charge it overnight with the BatteryMINDer? Other? Most power supplies are NOT intended to work in conjunction with a battery. The primary difficulty arises when the battery is connected to a powered down power supply. Output monitoring and ov protection in many supplies do not like to be "back fed" from an external power source. My favorite technique uses a hefty switchmode power supply similar to this: http://tinyurl.com/4aoszlf Combine this supply with a power diode (to prevent back feeding) and a relay to emulate the "field control" input on your ship's alternator. The relay controls 120 vac going into the power supply. You can connect this AC mains powered "alternator" in place of the ship's alternator. With the alternator emulator ON, adjust the power supply for a 14.2 volt bus. The ship's load meter (if installed) can be used to monitor loads on the power supply. This will allow you to run the ship's battery in parallel to let it pick up any transient loads that might exceed the ratings of the power supply. I intend to bring up one circuit at a time and I want to measure each circuit's actual power consumption and I'll need to be careful not to overload the power supply. If it's a switchmode supply, it will have built in overload protection. Further, the supply I linked above has a thermostatically controlled fan built in that turns on when the supply is being taxed to rated output. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 24 ____________________________________ Time: 10:30:11 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: 2nd radio From: Etienne Phillips Hi Jim If it is possible to share an aerial, do you want to? It would be a single point of failure for both radios... Every time I've has an issue with my radio, it's been an antenna problem (about 4 times in 12 years). Having an independent radio is more useful to me as a backup than a convenience, and so would require an independent aerial. But that's me! Thanks Etienne On 15 February 2011 08:05, James Robinson wrote: > I am considering a second radio. I currently have a SL30. I would like to > add a second radio, but only have 1 antenna. Can 2 radios share 1 antenna? > Are there problems with this approach? Will I have to add a audio panel? > Jim > > James Robinson > Glasair lll N79R > Spanish Fork UT U77 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message aeroelectric-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/AeroElectric-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/aeroelectric-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/aeroelectric-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.