---------------------------------------------------------- Kolb-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 10/24/13: 8 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 11:10 AM - Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks (Arizona Flyer) 2. 11:28 AM - Re: Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks (John Hauck) 3. 12:39 PM - Re: New Firestar battery Lithium Iron 1.46 lbs. (wakataka) 4. 02:40 PM - Re: New Firestar battery Lithium Iron 1.46 lbs. (Arizona Flyer) 5. 02:52 PM - Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks (Arizona Flyer) 6. 05:43 PM - Re: Electrical Problem (Gary Aman) 7. 06:15 PM - Re: Looking for an alternative to "Scat" (SPG) 8. 06:29 PM - fuel tank anchouring (Gary Aman) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 11:10:06 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks From: "Arizona Flyer" zeprep251(at)aol.com wrote: > Jeff, > Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. > G.Aman > > > > > > > -- Thanks buddy. I'm trying to enjoy it since the desert heat is finally gone but heavy rains washed out parts of my 1 1/2 mile road to my desert property and washed out part of my new runway. For 3 weeks all I do is go out on my tractor and work in the dirt & dust. And I still have to get the plane ready for it's next flight, load it on the trailer and bounce it out to my property. I'll be exhausted by the time I fly again but it will all be worth it when I'm up there free as a bird. Question... On my first 4 landings I had a problem with the plane wandering to the left. I know when I get used to it more I'll learn to track straight but was wondering if you remember it had a tendency to wander left on landing? I'm thinking maybe the left drum brake grabs a little more than the right one? Those first landings were south of my property, since I extended my runway I'll be landing there but a tree is on the left side and it haunts me thinking if I stray left again I might hit it. Next flight I hope to land on a desert road a few times until I'm confident I can track straight. Those first landings were nerve racking because the field was short and I had to lay on the brakes quickly to stop in time. I'm thinking too much was going on at the same time and now that I have more length I can roll out more relaxed and gently apply brakes and be able to pay more attention to tracking straight, I hope... -------- "Life should be lived as a bold adventure, I refuse to tiptoe through life just to arrive safely at death" Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=411339#411339 ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 11:28:45 AM PST US From: "John Hauck" Subject: RE: Kolb-List: Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks On my first 4 landings I had a problem with the plane wandering to the left. I know when I get used to it more I'll learn to track straight but was wondering if you remember it had a tendency to wander left on landing? Arizona: Push right rudder pedal on landing. ;-) john h mkIII Titus, Alabama ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 12:39:28 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: New Firestar battery Lithium Iron 1.46 lbs. From: "wakataka" I just mounted a Shorai 14 amp hour equivalent battery on my other airplane with a Kawasaki 440. I've only got 2 hours on it so far. Last evening, I flooded the engine and had to crank about 10 or 12 times to finally get it running. The battery wasn't fully charged to start with, but it managed a surprising amount of cranking. After 10 or more attempted starts it was just about done (voltage down to 12.7v). If you read the label on the battery, it only has about 4.5 amp hours of energy in it, but it can put out the equivalent starting amps of a 14 amp hour lead acid battery. So if your engine is balky, this battery would probably run down faster than the lead acid battery. It doesn't contain as much total energy. It also cautions you never to drain it all the way down or it can be permanently damaged. Lithium is much less forgiving of abuse than lead acid. But it sure puts out the amps. The starter spins faster on this battery than when I jump it off my truck battery. -------- There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact. Mark Twain Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=411348#411348 ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 02:40:08 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: New Firestar battery Lithium Iron 1.46 lbs. From: "Arizona Flyer" That's great info thanks. With my RC airplane lithium batteries I know to never drain them below about 7.2 volts for each cell or they can be ruined. They can't take discharge like a lead acid can. Glad my Rotax 503 fires right up. The only time I started running down my lead acid in the Firestar was when I first got it and the 2nd time starting it I forgot to turn the under seat ignition switches on, flipped them on and it fired right up. With lithium, for storage it's also good to bring the voltage down to 70% to 80% of full charge. They don't like to be stored at 100% and will shorten the life, they also tend to puff or swell when stored at 100% That is why I bought the charger/balancer/storage unit specially made for these Shorai lithium batteries. When my new battery & charger was delivered, I picked up the shipping box and it was so light I figured no way is there enough power in here to start a 503 or anything else, I know I will be surprised after I install it... -------- "Life should be lived as a bold adventure, I refuse to tiptoe through life just to arrive safely at death" Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=411356#411356 ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 02:52:00 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: Firestar Fuel Tanks From: "Arizona Flyer" John Hauck wrote: > On my first 4 landings I had a problem with the plane > wandering to the left. I know when I get used to it more > I'll learn to track straight but was wondering if you > remember it had a tendency to wander left on landing? > > > Arizona: > > Push right rudder pedal on landing. ;-) > > john h > mkIII > Titus, Alabama Really? My right pedal is broken, I've been using my right hand as a friction brake on the right tire during landings ;-) -------- "Life should be lived as a bold adventure, I refuse to tiptoe through life just to arrive safely at death" Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=411359#411359 ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 05:43:19 PM PST US Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Electrical Problem From: Gary Aman Hi Rick, Have a friend with a Preceptor pup /2180 VW power and that alternator syste m inside that mount/cover .The starter bolt just touched the windings on th e stator,and it took a lot of hours before the tail of the bolt wore throug h the varnish insulating coating on one of the wire windings.Just thought m aybe might be something there. G.A. -----Original Message----- From: Rick Neilsen Sent: Thu, Oct 24, 2013 5:15 am Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Electrical Problem All good suggestions. The unregulated AC voltage is app .5 volts low of the range GP specified for the alternator at 2500 RPM I assumed it might be a measurement error but? I do have a oil filter mount drilled, tapped, then bolted into the Diel accessory case in the area of the alternator. Again co ld not running the alternator wires don't show any grounding but hot and ru nning there could be a intermittent grounding. I will pull the bolts and sh orten them a bit. The alternator is pretty simple. Nothing electronic is internal in the alte rnator, just windings and magnets. Two wires go to the regulator one additi onal lead on the regulator feeds DC power. Grounding is provided by the mou nting lugs. One suggested that maybe the battery is a bit old and causing the problem. The problem started about the time I replaced the battery so maybe that is the cause. Batteries are inexpensive so worth replacing. I see two solid suggestions to check out next spring. Thanks for the help. Any other suggestions? Rick Neilsen Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC On Wed, Oct 23, 2013 at 8:40 PM, wrote: A very interesting situation! My guess is, it's a problem with the voltage sensing lead. I don't know the type of rectifier/regulator you have, but mo st have a sense input that actually allows a connection all the way to the battery, to get the best voltage regulation there at the battery. A cheaper way would be to connect the sense wire to the regulator output, right near the regulator itself. I have a suspicion that the sense wire might just be open. Since you reported nice steady 29 volt AC input to the regulator, ch anged the regulator itself, the only other source of problem behavior is th e wiring. HerbG In a message dated 10/23/2013 4:49:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, neilsenrm @gmail.com writes: I have been fighting a new electrical issue on my VW powered Kolb MKIIIC half the summer. My ammeter flutters from 10 amps plus to 10 amps minus a t cruise RPMs. The engine runs fine and even flies great but the ammeter is try to warn me something is wrong. Talking to Steve Bennet at Great Plai ns Aircraft (he sells the alternator) he says that this will happen if th e alternator regulator isn't properly grounded and that there is a diagno stic guide at the Kohler Engine web site for their V twin engines that is useful. It looks like the same alternator. Anyway I have replaced the regulator, cleaned bolts and stand offs where the regulator is bolted to the Diel accessory case, replaced the ammeter, a nd added an additional ground wire from the regulator to the engine case. I have checked the AC running voltage unregulated from the alternator (2 9VAC), verified there is no grounding of the alternator power wires (I wi ll check next spring if there is a grounding when hot), the voltage regul ator is grounded (seem like is showed .002 ohms) between the regulator an d (the engine and also the ground on the battery). I disconnected the alt ernator from the electrical system and the ammeter showed a steady 5 amp discharge so it appears it is a alternator problem. I'm at the limit of what I can do. Someone suggested I add a capacitor to smooth out the voltage but that seems like a fix for the symptoms not the problem. I'm afraid to fly out of the pattern with this going on. Does an yone have any ideas on what else I can check or what the problem is???? Thanks Rick Neilsen Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC ="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/ Navigator?Kolb-List s.matronics.com/">http://forums.matronics.com p://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution get="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List tp://forums.matronics.com _blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 06:15:12 PM PST US Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Looking for an alternative to "Scat" From: SPG Hi Rick, I hadn't received that latch yet. Have you had a chance to send it out? Thanks, Steve Glover Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 18, 2013, at 12:44, Richard Girard wrote: > > http://www.mcmaster.com/#flexible-duct-hose-for-air-knives/=ozreiq > > Rick Girard > > >> On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 10:46 AM, Nick Cassara wrot e: >> Hello Kolbers, >> >> >> >> I visited my local air parts store the other day planning to but 15 feet o f =9CScat=9D to route hot air coming from the outer surface of m y exhaust pipes down and forward to my wind shield. When they quoted a price over $200, I reconsider using Scat. Has anyone come up with an alternative i nsulated flexible piping to =9CScat=9D? >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Nick Cassara >> >> Palmer, Alaska >> >> >> >> 607AK >> >> >> >> get="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List >> tp://forums.matronics.com >> _blank">http://www.matronics.com/contribution >> > > > > -- > Zulu Delta > Mk IIIC > Thanks, Homer GBYM > > It isn't necessary to have relatives in Kansas City in order to be unhappy .. > - Groucho Marx > > > 3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D 3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 06:29:12 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: fuel tank anchouring From: Gary Aman I found the straps that hold the Firestar tanks down, at ACE hardware in th e section with bunge cords and other straps. 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