Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 07:56 AM - Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC (Rick Neilsen)
2. 11:23 AM - New video program (Larry Cottrell)
3. 07:34 PM - Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC (Charlie England)
4. 09:49 PM - Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC (Rick Neilsen)
Message 1
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Subject: | Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC |
Charlie
Lithium batteries have been used in cell phones, and laptop computers for
years and ARE known for their large total capacity. We are now seeing them
in cordless drills because people want light long lasting power. I
understand the drill market is driving lithium development at a much faster
pace than expected. My lead acid battery was a 12 AMPH it would just barely
start the engine and if it got below 50 degrees F it wouldn't without a
jump from my external charger. When I installed the new lithium battery I
turned off the master fuel valve and cranked five times for 5-10 seconds
with a cool down with no change in cranking speed. My old lead acid battery
would drop off near the end of the second crank. When I first got the
lithium battery I was convinced they forgot to put the guts in the battery
case it is that light.
Yes my ignition system is electrically dependent. Luckily I have a
alternator that is bolted to the flywheel so as long as the engine is
turning it will produce current. It does have a external regulator which
could fail but so far it has been much more reliable than my fuel pumps.
Even though the external regulator hadn't really failed it is now new as is
most of the electrical system along with extra ground wires, switches, fuel
pumps, fuel filters, and a host of other things that I fixed looking for my
electrical issue.
Also my empty weight was 598lbs with the new battery and lighter redrive it
is 587lbs.
Rick Neilsen
Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 10:01 PM, Charlie England <ceengland7@gmail.com>
wrote:
> On 6/27/2014 5:48 PM, Rick Neilsen wrote:
>
> It is finally Fixed.
>
> Thanks for everyone's input on the issue I was having with my VW powered
> Kolb MKIIIC. You may not remember but I had a ammeter that started
> fluttering from -20 amps to + 20 amps. Turns out it was the primary fuel
> pump. Since it just started doing it after 12 years it was likely it was in
> short failure mode.
>
> About seven years ago I replaced the Faucet back up fuel pump when it
> stopped without warning but it was just a back up pump so no big deal.
>
> The new replacement pump is a Carter automotive inline pump. This pump
> doesn't allow fuel to pass through it when turned off so I had to re plumb
> my fuel system to put the pumps in parallel with a check valve on the
> Faucet pump.
>
> Any way it is fixed. Now I need to go back and undo some of the changes
> I did to track down the problem.
>
> In the process I also changed the battery to one of the new Lithium batteries
> like Aircraft Spruce sells called AeroVoltz it is a 15 AMP battery and I
> usually use a cheap 12 AMP lawn mower battery. Any way the battery is more
> than 10 lb less and boy does it spin the starter.
>
> Rick Neilsen
> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
>
> Hi Rick,
>
> I've forgotten; is your VW 'electrically dependent'? If so, have you
> verified how long the lithium can keep it running if you lose the
> alternator? I ask, because many of the lithium starting batteries have tons
> of starting power, but very limited total energy. There's a big discussion
> among bigger homebuilt guys right now about how to determine total
> capacity. Bob Nuckolls recently wrote a good article about the issue in
> Kitplanes.
>
> FWIW,
>
> Charlie
>
> *
>
>
> *
>
>
Message 2
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Subject: | New video program |
I have been having trouble with my copy of "Movie Maker" that came with my
computer. It had been cropping my videos down from full screen. So much so
that I decided to purchase a video program. ( drastic step there ) After
looking on the internet I found a program called "Cyberllink power
director." It was reputed to rate a 10 for ease of use. I will not go into
all the crap that I had to suffer through just to download it on my
computer. Lets just say that it took better than two days just to get in on
the computer. I was sure that I had made a mistake, but they already had my
card info, so making the best of it was the only option.
Perhaps I am just a dummy, or the guy's that rated it easy had already been
through much harder learning curves than I am willing to go through. Of
course the manual is on line, and about 200 pages long. That in its self
gives you an idea of the problem. The damn thing does too much. I merely
want to cut out the boring parts of the flights, add some narration and
music. I really don't want to be famous, I don't want world acclaim, just a
simple video of high quality that I can share with a select number of
people that share my interest. Apparently I am close to one of a kind. That
feature is tough to find in this program.
So far it has taken me two and half days to produce and upload to vimeo a 2
min 30 second video. I think a lot of my problems stem from me wanting to
keep it private.
I have for some time realized the handicap of a full enclosure when it
comes to pictures and videos. While the brain compensates for the
distortion of Lexan, the camera does not. I put a short wind screen on the
Kolb and found that it dropped my speed by about 7 MPH. No way, much too
impatient for that. I have a wrap around "full enclosure" from Kolb that is
scratched from use on the right side where I got in and out. I decided to
cut a window where I would normally look, for the lens of my camera. I bent
a couple of pieces of Lexan to form a wind deflector. It works fine. I got
my speed back, the wind doesn't hit me and I can now see, even if there
isn't a camera stuck through it.
To test it out, I decided to try an early morning flight, just as the sun
came up, to the Pillars of Rome. I have a lot of pictures of them, but
nothing really good. I got up before dawn, but there was a storm front
blowing in and the sun wasn't showing through. Finally later in the morning
the clouds broke enough that I thought that area may possibly be in the
clear. I wanted to test the port hole any way. I am very pleased with the
result. I will be able to continue to use the enclosure and not have to
replace it after all.
The video taken also gave me a chance to try out the new editing program.
Here is the result.
https://vimeo.com/99418916
<https://vimeo.com/99418916?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDNkOWVjYjk1YjQ0MzQ1NmQ0YjZjMGZjMmM4ZjE5MWExODU1fDc2NDA2NDl8MTQwMzk3NjE4N3w3NzAx>
password- owyheeflyer
Larry
--
*If you forward this email, or any part of it, please remove my email
address before sending.*
Message 3
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Subject: | Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC |
I understand all the points you make, but the batteries in cell phones,
drills, etc are sized specifically for those applications. On the other
hand, most, if not all of the current crop of lithium batteries being
offered for starting duties are sized based on their ability to dump
tremendous current in a short period of time. That ability does not
address the *total energy* available in the battery. There's a
difference between available power, and available energy.
Consider a hypothetical Corvette with a 450 hp engine and a 5 gallon
fuel tank of fuel, vs a long range econobox with a 100 hp engine and a
20 gallon tank of fuel. The Corvette has over 4 times the power, but the
econobox has 4 times the energy available.
The watercraft, motorcycles, etc using the new lithium starting
batteries are getting batteries sized like the Corvette with big motor &
small tank of gas.
My question was, have you checked the energy capacity of your new
lithium starting battery to be sure that it can keep your engine/fuel
pumps, etc running long enough to find a safe landing spot if the
alternator or regulator fails.
With your particular installation, engine current demand, and typical
flight duration, it may not be a factor at all. For bigger homebuilts
that typically fly longer missions, it can be a big issue. In any case,
I'd want to know whether my engine will quit 10 minutes or 2 hours after
the alternator stops making energy.
Charlie
On 6/28/2014 9:56 AM, Rick Neilsen wrote:
> Charlie
>
> Lithium batteries have been used in cell phones, and laptop computers
> for years and ARE known for their large total capacity. We are now
> seeing them in cordless drills because people want light long lasting
> power. I understand the drill market is driving lithium development at
> a much faster pace than expected. My lead acid battery was a 12 AMPH
> it would just barely start the engine and if it got below 50 degrees F
> it wouldn't without a jump from my external charger. When I installed
> the new lithium battery I turned off the master fuel valve and cranked
> five times for 5-10 seconds with a cool down with no change in
> cranking speed. My old lead acid battery would drop off near the end
> of the second crank. When I first got the lithium battery I was
> convinced they forgot to put the guts in the battery case it is that
> light.
>
> Yes my ignition system is electrically dependent. Luckily I have a
> alternator that is bolted to the flywheel so as long as the engine is
> turning it will produce current. It does have a external regulator
> which could fail but so far it has been much more reliable than my
> fuel pumps. Even though the external regulator hadn't really failed it
> is now new as is most of the electrical system along with extra ground
> wires, switches, fuel pumps, fuel filters, and a host of other things
> that I fixed looking for my electrical issue.
>
> Also my empty weight was 598lbs with the new battery and lighter
> redrive it is 587lbs.
>
> Rick Neilsen
> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 10:01 PM, Charlie England
> <ceengland7@gmail.com <mailto:ceengland7@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> On 6/27/2014 5:48 PM, Rick Neilsen wrote:
>> It is finally Fixed.
>>
>> Thanks for everyone's input on the issue I was having with my VW
>> powered Kolb MKIIIC. You may not remember but I had a ammeter
>> that started fluttering from -20 amps to + 20 amps. Turns out it
>> was the primary fuel pump. Since it just started doing it after
>> 12 years it was likely it was in short failure mode.
>>
>> About seven years ago I replaced the Faucet back up fuel pump
>> when it stopped without warning but it was just a back up pump so
>> no big deal.
>>
>> The new replacement pump is a Carter automotive inline pump. This
>> pump doesn't allow fuel to pass through it when turned off so I
>> had to re plumb my fuel system to put the pumps in parallel with
>> a check valve on the Faucet pump.
>>
>> Any way it is fixed. Now I need to go back and undo some of the
>> changes I did to track down the problem.
>>
>> In the process I also changed the battery to one of the new
>> Lithium batteries like Aircraft Spruce sells called AeroVoltz it
>> is a 15 AMP battery and I usually use a cheap 12 AMP lawn mower
>> battery. Any way the battery is more than 10 lb less and boy does
>> it spin the starter.
>>
>> Rick Neilsen
>> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
>>
> Hi Rick,
>
> I've forgotten; is your VW 'electrically dependent'? If so, have
> you verified how long the lithium can keep it running if you lose
> the alternator? I ask, because many of the lithium starting
> batteries have tons of starting power, but very limited total
> energy. There's a big discussion among bigger homebuilt guys right
> now about how to determine total capacity. Bob Nuckolls recently
> wrote a good article about the issue in Kitplanes.
>
> FWIW,
>
> Charlie
>
Message 4
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Subject: | Re: Electrical Issue With My VW Powered MKIIIC |
Chairly
You have hijacked the point of my post. If you want to debate lithium on
your own thread be my guest.
I have a fixed airplane and I'm happy with it.
Rick Neilsen
1st Redrive VW powered MKIIIC
On Sat, Jun 28, 2014 at 10:34 PM, Charlie England <ceengland7@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I understand all the points you make, but the batteries in cell phones,
> drills, etc are sized specifically for those applications. On the other
> hand, most, if not all of the current crop of lithium batteries being
> offered for starting duties are sized based on their ability to dump
> tremendous current in a short period of time. That ability does not address
> the *total energy* available in the battery. There's a difference between
> available power, and available energy.
>
> Consider a hypothetical Corvette with a 450 hp engine and a 5 gallon fuel
> tank of fuel, vs a long range econobox with a 100 hp engine and a 20 gallon
> tank of fuel. The Corvette has over 4 times the power, but the econobox has
> 4 times the energy available.
>
> The watercraft, motorcycles, etc using the new lithium starting batteries
> are getting batteries sized like the Corvette with big motor & small tank
> of gas.
>
> My question was, have you checked the energy capacity of your new lithium
> starting battery to be sure that it can keep your engine/fuel pumps, etc
> running long enough to find a safe landing spot if the alternator or
> regulator fails.
>
> With your particular installation, engine current demand, and typical
> flight duration, it may not be a factor at all. For bigger homebuilts that
> typically fly longer missions, it can be a big issue. In any case, I'd want
> to know whether my engine will quit 10 minutes or 2 hours after the
> alternator stops making energy.
>
> Charlie
>
>
> On 6/28/2014 9:56 AM, Rick Neilsen wrote:
>
> Charlie
>
> Lithium batteries have been used in cell phones, and laptop computers
> for years and ARE known for their large total capacity. We are now seeing
> them in cordless drills because people want light long lasting power. I
> understand the drill market is driving lithium development at a much faster
> pace than expected. My lead acid battery was a 12 AMPH it would just barely
> start the engine and if it got below 50 degrees F it wouldn't without a
> jump from my external charger. When I installed the new lithium battery I
> turned off the master fuel valve and cranked five times for 5-10 seconds
> with a cool down with no change in cranking speed. My old lead acid battery
> would drop off near the end of the second crank. When I first got the
> lithium battery I was convinced they forgot to put the guts in the battery
> case it is that light.
>
> Yes my ignition system is electrically dependent. Luckily I have a
> alternator that is bolted to the flywheel so as long as the engine is
> turning it will produce current. It does have a external regulator which
> could fail but so far it has been much more reliable than my fuel pumps.
> Even though the external regulator hadn't really failed it is now new as is
> most of the electrical system along with extra ground wires, switches, fuel
> pumps, fuel filters, and a host of other things that I fixed looking for my
> electrical issue.
>
> Also my empty weight was 598lbs with the new battery and lighter redrive
> it is 587lbs.
>
> Rick Neilsen
> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 10:01 PM, Charlie England <ceengland7@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 6/27/2014 5:48 PM, Rick Neilsen wrote:
>>
>> It is finally Fixed.
>>
>> Thanks for everyone's input on the issue I was having with my VW powered
>> Kolb MKIIIC. You may not remember but I had a ammeter that started
>> fluttering from -20 amps to + 20 amps. Turns out it was the primary fuel
>> pump. Since it just started doing it after 12 years it was likely it was in
>> short failure mode.
>>
>> About seven years ago I replaced the Faucet back up fuel pump when it
>> stopped without warning but it was just a back up pump so no big deal.
>>
>> The new replacement pump is a Carter automotive inline pump. This pump
>> doesn't allow fuel to pass through it when turned off so I had to re plumb
>> my fuel system to put the pumps in parallel with a check valve on the
>> Faucet pump.
>>
>> Any way it is fixed. Now I need to go back and undo some of the changes
>> I did to track down the problem.
>>
>> In the process I also changed the battery to one of the new Lithium batteries
>> like Aircraft Spruce sells called AeroVoltz it is a 15 AMP battery and I
>> usually use a cheap 12 AMP lawn mower battery. Any way the battery is more
>> than 10 lb less and boy does it spin the starter.
>>
>> Rick Neilsen
>> Redrive VW Powered MKIIIC
>>
>> Hi Rick,
>>
>> I've forgotten; is your VW 'electrically dependent'? If so, have you
>> verified how long the lithium can keep it running if you lose the
>> alternator? I ask, because many of the lithium starting batteries have tons
>> of starting power, but very limited total energy. There's a big discussion
>> among bigger homebuilt guys right now about how to determine total
>> capacity. Bob Nuckolls recently wrote a good article about the issue in
>> Kitplanes.
>>
>> FWIW,
>>
>> Charlie
>>
>
> *
>
>
> *
>
>
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