AeroElectric-List Digest Archive

Tue 10/16/18


Total Messages Posted: 3



Today's Message Index:
----------------------
 
     1. 07:24 AM - DIY Over Voltage Protection (user9253)
     2. 07:35 AM - Total Power Failure? (Dr. Andrew Elliott)
     3. 02:37 PM - Re: Total Power Failure? (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
 
 
 


Message 1


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    Time: 07:24:04 AM PST US
    Subject: DIY Over Voltage Protection
    From: "user9253" <fransew@gmail.com>
    Bob, I added a 0.1 MFD capacitor across the 2K49 resistor in the lower left corner. This has resulted in much improved stability and consistent operation. -------- Joe Gores Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=483838#483838 Attachments: http://forums.matronics.com//files/ov_using_lm431_by_bob_nuckolls__210.jpg


    Message 2


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    Time: 07:35:09 AM PST US
    From: "Dr. Andrew Elliott" <a.s.elliott@cox.net>
    Subject: Total Power Failure?
    Just a reply to Bob=92s question: But why this extra hardware? How does one experience a total failure of the DC power system in an airplane? My particular airplane has a single alternator, single main battery. And I do fly IFR and at night. While *I* have never had a paired battery/alternator failure, most assuredly I have read accident cases of those who did. Often, this was due to a combination of poor maintenance and poor pilot decisions. My last electrically-dependent airplane (dual electric fuel pumps, no mechanical pump) had dual batteries and was set up according to the appropriate Z-diagram. The Precision Airmotive Eagle system is clearly designed as a *retrofit* for existing typical single-battery GA installations, and therefore includes its own back-up battery. My panel also has internal back-up batteries for the EFISes. These would also be redundant for a properly designed dual-battery system. But even out where I live in the mountains, it is hard to imagine not being able to get the plane on the ground within 30 minutes, with the engine running, EFIS alive and tablet working. Andy ------------------------ Andrew S. Elliott, CFI Servicios A=E9reos, LLC Dynamic Propeller Balancing, Flight Instruction PH: 720-460-1823


    Message 3


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    Time: 02:37:13 PM PST US
    From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com>
    Subject: Re: Total Power Failure?
    At 09:33 AM 10/16/2018, you wrote: >Just a reply to Bob's question: > > But why this extra hardware? How does one > experience a total failure of the DC > power system in an airplane? > >My particular airplane has a single alternator, single main >battery. And I do fly IFR and at night. While *I* have never had a >paired battery/alternator failure, most assuredly I have read >accident cases of those who did. Often, this was due to a >combination of poor maintenance and poor pilot decisions. Agreed. I would venture to take it a bit further and replace "often" to "mostly". I used to analyze what I called "Dark-n-Stormy Night" stories from the popular journals to see if there was measurable value for having read these narratives. I found them particularly un-informative. While they all purported to arm the reader with information that might serve help them in a similar situation, virtually all of the stories were devoid of cause/effect/ remedy details and/or critique of poor design and/or maintenance. Chapter 17 in the 'Connection features one such story . . . http://www.aeroelectric.com/Book/AEC_R12A.pdf I ended the chapter with this: Emacs! Some years later, I heard from Mr. Gomez. He allowed as how my analysis of his story was correct.He said he was considering an OBAM aviation project! > >My last electrically-dependent airplane (dual electric fuel pumps, >no mechanical pump) had dual batteries and was set up according to >the appropriate Z-diagram. The Precision Airmotive Eagle system is >clearly designed as a *retrofit* for existing typical single-battery >GA installations, and therefore includes its own back-up battery. If we think about it, our airplanes have been 'electrically dependent' nearly since day-one. While early gyros for light aircraft were vacuum driven, we still had rudimentary radio-navigation aids. An uncle of mine used to own a Tri-Pacer with a belly mounted, manual DF loop on his Single Lear LTRA6 transceiver with an OmniScope. A heavy, rather robust trio of boxes full of vacuum tubes. He was instrument rated. The equipment was capable of non-precision approaches but if only one of those vacuum tubes went belly up, or a power supply shorted . . . he was committed to depend on iron gyros and reserve fuel to navigate to nearest predicted conditions for safe descent to terra firma. But it was only 10 years later that S.E. aircraft began to be fitted with dual nav/coms, glide slope, ADFs, marker beacons and transponders. I used to work for a company that built electrically driven stand by vacuum pumps. But even with all that 'redundancy' the airplanes still had one alternator and one battery . . . BOTH rather fragile components compared to today's hardware. YET . . . there must have been tens of thousands of successful approaches and/or escapes from un- anticipated turns of event as long as the most ignored and abused component of the electrical system was maintained to minimum conditions for continued airworthiness . . . the battery. Many dark-n-stormy night stories featured weak or failed batteries . . . no doubt, similar stories were never written because the pilot did not survive to transcribe his/her experience. > >My panel also has internal back-up batteries for the EFISes. These >would also be redundant for a properly designed dual-battery >system. But even out where I live in the mountains, it is hard to >imagine not being able to get the plane on the ground within 30 >minutes, with the engine running, EFIS alive and tablet working. Yeah, the manufacturers of these products are kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place. They KNOW that a prudently maintained electrical system is about as reliable as prop bolts . . . but . . . out of the hundreds of thousands of light aircraft flying around today . . . how many carry an un-airworthy battery? So, let's say you're marketing a really snazzy electro-whizzie with a prominent role to play in comfortable termination of some flights. Okay, what control do YOU have over the design, operation and maintenance policies for the customer's electrical system? Easy, it's ZERO. Hmmmm . . . you can see it now. There's a momma sitting at the plaintiff's table, three kiddies are sitting in the front row of the spectator's gallery with grandma. Momma's lawyer is hammering your engineers, marketing people, indeed ANYONE and EVERYONE who touched her husband's airplane perhaps years before it flew into a mountainside. What's a poor entrepreneur to do? Eureka! An internal back-up battery! At least YOUR product will continue to function even if everybody else's electro-whizzies are off line due to loss of power. The guy's engine may be dead but at least he'll hit the ground wings level and knowing what his heading is to within a degree or two. Now, we're a few milestones further down the technological highway and there are even more electro-whizzies necessary for comfortable arrival with the earth. If every supplier of such products had his way, they'd all get back-up batteries . . . mostly because they have no control over how well the primary energy sources will be designed, fabricated and maintained. If all suppliers of electro-whizzies fondest dreams were realized, there would be a family of batteries scattered about the airplane, each one intended to make up for potential if not realized deficiencies in the ship's primary energy source. Problem is, if the primary energy source is poorly designed or neglected, what's to say that the back up battery(ies) will not be similarly compromised? Further, every battery in the system, represents one more preventative maintenance item demanding $resources$ to secure airworthiness. If one is inclined to take good care of the primary system, the last thing the owner needs is to spend more $resources$ on maintenance of battery(ies) with an exceedingly low probability of being pressed into service. I cringe when I read 'back up battery' knowing that it is (1) possible to reduce its contribution to system reliability to near zero and (2) the very presence of back up batteries can lull some owners into a false sense of security. Yeah, total loss of power has happened. The last one I was aware of happened in a B390 in South Bend on March 17, 2013. A sad but interesting read can be found here . . . http://www.aeroelectric.com/Reference_Docs/Accidents/N26DK_Mar2013/20130317-0_PRM1_N26DK.pdf The guys up front on this airplane managed to turn lots of things OFF . . . engines . . . battery . . . oh well . . . some days the gods of energy management are simply not on your side. Concorde received the battery for evaluation MONTHS after the accident. The battery had received NO interim maintenance or examination. Concorde found it to STILL possessed a high percentage of its specified energy storage. A dozen back up batteries wouldn't have helped these guys All you need to do is properly size the battery to a KNOWN endurance requirement and then give it the same attention as you do the tires, prop and engine oil. It WILL be there when you need it most. Bob . . .




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