---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 04/06/12: 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:55 AM - Re: Re: Converting to externally reg alternator (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 2. 08:31 AM - Re: OT: low voltage bulb base *NOT LAMP HOLDER* (Bob McCallum) 3. 09:12 AM - Re: OT: low voltage bulb base *NOT LAMP HOLDER* (Robert L. Nuckolls, III) 4. 08:35 PM - Re: Re: Converting to externally reg alternator (Richard Girard) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:55:10 AM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Converting to externally reg alternator At 08:43 PM 4/4/2012, you wrote: > >Ah! Since anecdotal evidence is apparently compelling, my Ford had >a runaway alternator, which resulted in a battery explosion, which >peppered the underside of the hood with acid burns. Bummer. > >Paul Good morning Paul, long time no hear! As I was talking to the chief engineer at MPA about this experiences with alternators, it would have been interesting to know how what percentage of alternators coming in the door had failed regulators . . . and what the failure modes were. The only alternators that they routinely examined for fault analysis were those returned on warranty. As I stated in the narrative of my visit the rate of returns had mostly to do with the skills of the installer. An exceedingly small number of warranty returns had any failures at all. Of course, ALL alternators coming through the rebuild stream had been replaced for reasons some mechanic thought were good. At the same time, I've encountered few mechanics that REALLY understand how the alternator works and how to accurately troubleshoot systems that exhibit less than gross failure. Virtually none of the normal work stream was evaluated for failure modes. It would have been VERY interesting to see how many had failed regulators in a runaway mode. But alas, 22,000 items passed through that facility every day. Any effort to glean such information from those carcasses would have been very difficult/expensive. The bottom line is that the best source of data we have comes from the aviation community . . . and that data will be anecdotal at best. The bright side is that the astute system designer needs only to know that risk for regulator failure in any system is not zero and happily, insurance against such failures is inexpensive. As the personable spokesperson for Allstate might suggest, "You're in good hands with OV protection." Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:31:04 AM PST US From: Bob McCallum Subject: RE: AeroElectric-List: OT: low voltage bulb base *NOT LAMP HOLDER* Raymond; Here's a link to a fairly extensive selection of both empty bases and also bases with wire leads in place of the lamp element. Scroll waaaay down for some of them. http://tinyurl.com/7mmne4u Bob McC > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list- > server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of rayj > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 11:55 PM > To: aeroelectric-list@matronics.com > Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: OT: low voltage bulb base *NOT LAMP HOLDER* > > > Greetings, > > I finally got around to further attempts to salvage lamp bases. I tried > every solvent I had on the shelf. From water to acetone to MEK. The > bulbs were soaked for about a week in each. No luck with any of them. ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 09:12:23 AM PST US From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" Subject: RE: AeroElectric-List: OT: low voltage bulb base *NOT LAMP HOLDER* At 10:29 AM 4/6/2012, you wrote: > > >http://tinyurl.com/7mmne4u Interesting array of products! Thanks for the heads-up. Bob . . . ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 08:35:32 PM PST US Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Converting to externally reg alternator From: Richard Girard Bob, all, Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but I don't understand the problem here. I use the Z-17 architecture that has the Rotax dynamo output connected to the battery via relay. If the relay is powered down the dynamos output goes to ground through a capacitor. At least that's my understanding. If that is correct, why can't a single wire alternator be controlled in the same way. In the event of a voltage regulator failure and a runaway alternator ensues would not the overvoltage module do the same to a relay connecting the single wire to the battery? Obviously this sounds simple for an electronic illiterate like me. What am I missing that makes such a scenario unworkable. Rick Girard On Fri, Apr 6, 2012 at 7:53 AM, Robert L. Nuckolls, III < nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com> wrote: > nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com**> > > > At 08:43 PM 4/4/2012, you wrote: > >> >> Ah! Since anecdotal evidence is apparently compelling, my Ford had a >> runaway alternator, which resulted in a battery explosion, which peppered >> the underside of the hood with acid burns. Bummer. >> >> Paul >> > > Good morning Paul, long time no hear! > > As I was talking to the chief engineer at > MPA about this experiences with alternators, > it would have been interesting to know how > what percentage of alternators coming in > the door had failed regulators . . . and what > the failure modes were. > > The only alternators that they routinely examined > for fault analysis were those returned on > warranty. As I stated in the narrative of my visit > the rate of returns had mostly to do with the > skills of the installer. An exceedingly small > number of warranty returns had any failures at > all. > > Of course, ALL alternators coming through the > rebuild stream had been replaced for reasons > some mechanic thought were good. At the same > time, I've encountered few mechanics that > REALLY understand how the alternator works and > how to accurately troubleshoot systems that > exhibit less than gross failure. > > Virtually none of the normal work stream was > evaluated for failure modes. It would have > been VERY interesting to see how many had > failed regulators in a runaway mode. But alas, > 22,000 items passed through that facility > every day. Any effort to glean such information > from those carcasses would have been very > difficult/expensive. > > The bottom line is that the best source of > data we have comes from the aviation community > . . . and that data will be anecdotal at best. > The bright side is that the astute system > designer needs only to know that risk for > regulator failure in any system is not zero > and happily, insurance against such failures > is inexpensive. > > As the personable spokesperson for Allstate > might suggest, "You're in good hands with > OV protection." > > > Bob . . . > > -- Zulu Delta Mk IIIC Thanks, Homer GBYM It isn't necessary to have relatives in Kansas City in order to be unhappy. - Groucho Marx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.