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1. 12:29 PM - Re: Electrical Problem (Rick Neilsen)
2. 03:59 PM - Re: Electrical Problem (Gary Aman)
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| Subject: | Re: Electrical Problem |
Gary
I wish I could make a quick trip to the airport to look at the starter
bolts but it seems like the starter bolts are well outside the diameter of
the alternator. I will check that also when I get back to Michigan in the
spring.
Thanks
Rick Neilsen
Redrive VW powered MKIIIC
On Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 8:43 PM, Gary Aman <zeprep251@aol.com> wrote:
> Hi Rick,
> Have a friend with a Preceptor pup /2180 VW power and that alternator
> system inside that mount/cover .The starter bolt just touched the windings
> on the stator,and it took a lot of hours before the tail of the bolt wore
> through the varnish insulating coating on one of the wire windings.Just
> thought maybe might be something there.
> G.A.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rick Neilsen <neilsenrm@gmail.com>
> To: kolb-list <kolb-list@matronics.com>
> 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 cold not running the alternator wires don't show any grounding but
> hot and running there could be a intermittent grounding. I will pull the
> bolts and shorten them a bit.
>
> The alternator is pretty simple. Nothing electronic is internal in the
> alternator, just windings and magnets. Two wires go to the regulator one
> additional lead on the regulator feeds DC power. Grounding is provided by
> the mounting 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, <HGRAFF@aol.com> 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 most 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, changed the regulator itself, the only other source of
>> problem behavior is the 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 at 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 Plains Aircraft (he sells the alternator) he says that this will
>> happen if the alternator regulator isn't properly grounded and that there
>> is a diagnostic 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, and added an additional ground wire from the regulator to the
>> engine case. I have checked the AC running voltage unregulated from the
>> alternator (29VAC), verified there is no grounding of the alternator power
>> wires (I will check next spring if there is a grounding when hot), the
>> voltage regulator is grounded (seem like is showed .002 ohms) between the
>> regulator and (the engine and also the ground on the battery). I
>> disconnected the alternator 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
>> anyone 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-Lists.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
>> *
>>
>>
> *
>
>
> tor?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List
> tp://forums.matronics.com
>
> bution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
> *
>
> *
>
> *
>
>
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: Electrical Problem |
Well, I know where you are now! Enjoy!
G.A.
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Neilsen <neilsenrm@gmail.com>
Sent: Fri, Oct 25, 2013 3:29 pm
Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Electrical Problem
Gary
I wish I could make a quick trip to the airport to look at the starter bolt
s but it seems like the starter bolts are well outside the diameter of the
alternator. I will check that also when I get back to Michigan in the sprin
g.
Thanks
Rick Neilsen
Redrive VW powered MKIIIC
On Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 8:43 PM, Gary Aman <zeprep251@aol.com> wrote:
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 <neilsenrm@gmail.com>
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, <HGRAFF@aol.com> 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/
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