---------------------------------------------------------- Kitfox-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 07/07/17: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 09:18 AM - Re: Electrical Issue (Mike Chaney) 2. 01:48 PM - Re: Electrical Issue (Guy Buchanan) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 09:18:25 AM PST US From: Mike Chaney Subject: Re: Kitfox-List: Electrical Issue Thanks for the comments. My battery is grounded to the engine and I cleaned the connection, problem remained. My ground bus bar is grounded to the frame which from what you guys are saying could be a problem. To check this I will connect this ground in a better location. I did notice that there is a small amount of current registering on the radio side of my toggle switch when it is switched off. Is there some residual power in the radio? I even disconnected the battery neg. terminal and it was still there. Mike Sent from my iPad > On Jul 6, 2017, at 6:50 PM, Michael Gibbs wrote: > > > I agree with Guy. I think a lot of times builders decide that using the fuselage weldment as a ground is the easy solution but, in my experience, it seldom provides reliable performance. My starter solenoid was originally wired that way and it seemed like everything was good but, after a while, I realized it was only working intermittently. Running a wire from the solenoid to a good ground fixed the problem. > > Mike G. > Phoenix, AZ > Kitfox IV-1200 Speedster/Series 7 > >> On Jul 6, 2017, at 2:06 PM, Guy Buchanan wrote: >> >> >> Ima gonna say bad ground, somewhere. The oil pressure is voltage based so any time an additional electrical load causes a voltage variation to the sender it will change the signal. If your's is a single wire sender then the sender's trying to ground through it's attachment, which can frequently be a problem. I changed my single wire sender to a double wire with dedicated ground for that reason. Otherwise there might be a problem with your engine ground strap. >> >> Guy Buchanan >> Ramona, CA >> Kitfox IV-1200 / 912-S / Warp 3cs / 600 hrs >> Glider pilot, too >> >> >> >>> On 7/6/2017 11:19 AM, Mike Chaney wrote: >>> >>> I would like to throw an issue to the group to see If there are any suggestions. >>> This involves a Kitfox IV with Jabiru 2200 . >>> Before departure last week I pushed the "push to talk" button to announce my intentions and noticed my electrical oil pressure gauge needle went down. The engine continued to run fine. When I released the PTT button the gauge indicated normal again. If fact any time I turned on a electrical device; strobes or transponder, the oil pressure needle went down. >>> >>> I have checked for loose wires, chafed wires, loose connections and found nothing. I replace the oil pressure gauge and the problem persisted. >>> >>> I am in no way an electrical expert and not sure if I even understand the problem let alone solve the problem. I didn't just change the oil pressure gauge as a shot in the dark hoping for a fix, there were a few other things which didn't seem right with the gauge. However, I really don't want to begin buying and replacing parts just to see if it fixes the problem. This can get expensive. >>> Any comment are welcome. >>> Mike >>> 1996 Kitfox IV, Jabiru 2200 >>> > > > > > ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 01:48:17 PM PST US Subject: Re: Kitfox-List: Electrical Issue From: Guy Buchanan Make sure you check the oil pressure sender ground. As to current with no battery, it's possible with a slowly discharging capacitor, but unless there's another battery in the system the current should eventually reach zero. Also, I have had ground straps go bad, but the first sign is difficulty starting, which I don't think you're having. Guy Buchanan Ramona, CA Kitfox IV-1200 / 912-S / Warp 3cs / 600 hrs Glider pilot, too On 7/7/2017 9:18 AM, Mike Chaney wrote: > > Thanks for the comments. My battery is grounded to the engine and I cleaned the connection, problem remained. > My ground bus bar is grounded to the frame which from what you guys are saying could be a problem. To check this I will connect this ground in a better location. > I did notice that there is a small amount of current registering on the radio side of my toggle switch when it is switched off. Is there some residual power in the radio? I even disconnected the battery neg. terminal and it was still there. > Mike > > Sent from my iPad > >> On Jul 6, 2017, at 6:50 PM, Michael Gibbs wrote: >> >> >> I agree with Guy. I think a lot of times builders decide that using the fuselage weldment as a ground is the easy solution but, in my experience, it seldom provides reliable performance. My starter solenoid was originally wired that way and it seemed like everything was good but, after a while, I realized it was only working intermittently. Running a wire from the solenoid to a good ground fixed the problem. >> >> Mike G. >> Phoenix, AZ >> Kitfox IV-1200 Speedster/Series 7 >> >>> On Jul 6, 2017, at 2:06 PM, Guy Buchanan wrote: >>> >>> >>> Ima gonna say bad ground, somewhere. The oil pressure is voltage based so any time an additional electrical load causes a voltage variation to the sender it will change the signal. If your's is a single wire sender then the sender's trying to ground through it's attachment, which can frequently be a problem. I changed my single wire sender to a double wire with dedicated ground for that reason. Otherwise there might be a problem with your engine ground strap. >>> >>> Guy Buchanan >>> Ramona, CA >>> Kitfox IV-1200 / 912-S / Warp 3cs / 600 hrs >>> Glider pilot, too >>> >>> >>> >>>> On 7/6/2017 11:19 AM, Mike Chaney wrote: >>>> >>>> I would like to throw an issue to the group to see If there are any suggestions. >>>> This involves a Kitfox IV with Jabiru 2200 . >>>> Before departure last week I pushed the "push to talk" button to announce my intentions and noticed my electrical oil pressure gauge needle went down. The engine continued to run fine. When I released the PTT button the gauge indicated normal again. If fact any time I turned on a electrical device; strobes or transponder, the oil pressure needle went down. >>>> >>>> I have checked for loose wires, chafed wires, loose connections and found nothing. I replace the oil pressure gauge and the problem persisted. >>>> >>>> I am in no way an electrical expert and not sure if I even understand the problem let alone solve the problem. I didn't just change the oil pressure gauge as a shot in the dark hoping for a fix, there were a few other things which didn't seem right with the gauge. However, I really don't want to begin buying and replacing parts just to see if it fixes the problem. This can get expensive. >>>> Any comment are welcome. >>>> Mike >>>> 1996 Kitfox IV, Jabiru 2200 >>>> >> >> >> >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message kitfox-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Kitfox-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/kitfox-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/kitfox-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.