RV-List Digest Archive

Sun 04/18/10


Total Messages Posted: 3



Today's Message Index:
----------------------
 
     1. 09:10 AM - Lightspeed Ignition Module (Roger Smart)
     2. 10:45 AM - Re: Lightspeed Ignition Module (Ed Holyoke)
     3. 07:18 PM - Re: Lightspeed Ignition Module (Darrell Reiley)
 
 
 


Message 1


  • INDEX
  • Back to Main INDEX
  • NEXT
  • Skip to NEXT Message
  • LIST
  • Reply to LIST Regarding this Message
  • SENDER
  • Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message
    Time: 09:10:00 AM PST US
    From: Roger Smart <roger@smartdrive.com>
    Subject: Lightspeed Ignition Module
    Completing the firewall forward on a RV-8A O-360 4 cyl. I have one mag and one Lightspeed Plasma III. I am locating the Ignition Module would like some feedback on experiences from others. My concern is ignition noise in radios and interference with sensor wires. Mounting on the cold side of the firewall is difficult due to space unless I mount the module right behind the panel causing potential interference. Has anyone experienced noise or sensor interference problems and what did you do to solve them? Has anyone mounted the module on the hot side of the firewall? How did you protect against heat and moisture? Any problems with a hot side installation? Also the instructions has the power go straight from the battery or battery side of the master relay to a "pull-able" circuit breaker and allows the unit to be turned on and off with a standard mag p-lead type connection. "all Plasma II Plus and Plasma III CDI systems can be operated with a standard aircraft key switch. A "P"-Lead (wired to the output connector) is provided and should be connected to the key switch in the same way as the magneto "P"-Lead. There is no current drain on your battery when power is supplied via the input connector and the key switch is in the off position. A pull-able circuit breaker should still be installed in the positive power wire." Even though it states there is no power draw you still have a unprotected wire from the battery to the panel breaker that is hot 24/7 and unless you pull the breaker, the wire is hot all the way to the module even when parked. This just does not seem reasonable. I would like to know what others have done. Thanks, Roger Smart


    Message 2


  • INDEX
  • Back to Main INDEX
  • PREVIOUS
  • Skip to PREVIOUS Message
  • NEXT
  • Skip to NEXT Message
  • LIST
  • Reply to LIST Regarding this Message
  • SENDER
  • Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message
    Time: 10:45:49 AM PST US
    From: Ed Holyoke <bicyclop@pacbell.net>
    Subject: Re: Lightspeed Ignition Module
    Howdy Roger, We've got an early Plasma ignition on our 6A that I relocated as sort of a flat pack under the panel a few years back. There is no radio interference and no perceivable interference to any sensor wires. The high voltage is from the coils to the plugs and the coils are on the forward side of the firewall. I don't know if Klaus still calls for cooling air to the module. The early ones had some issues with a power transformer getting hot. Ours originally had a 3/8"ID hose from some rinky dink fan and ran hot to the touch. When I relocated it, I hogged the inlet out to 5/8" and hooked up a good avionics fan. Now it runs much cooler. We did have the transformer replaced at that time and it did look cooked. I'd be leery of putting on the hot side unless Klaus is OK with it. The reason for the breaker is that Klaus has some sort of overvoltage protection circuit in the ignition module that will short the power line if it exceeds some set figure. I guess the plan is to remove the high voltage before it can damage the ignition. Then, after the alternator is offline, you could reset it. If you have some sort of overvoltage protection already built in to your system, aeroelectric connection style for instance, this will never come up. It'll probably never come up, anyway, as alternator runaway is a pretty rare event. Still, I'd wire it as he drew it. Klaus doesn't want the line from the battery going through any other busses, fuses or other power distribution devices. People have managed to have both ignitions shut down by modifying this scheme without thinking it all the way through. The issue is providing the most reliable voltage source possible. Your concern about the unprotected hot wire is valid, but if the ignition unit actually does crowbar open the breaker, you'd rather it didn't also open a fuse or some other protective device where you can't reset it. If you are careful with how this wire is routed and supported, shorting out will not become an issue. The standard ignition/start switch is a potential single point of failure for both ignitions. Klaus made available the P-lead style on/off setup for the ignition because people wanted to use the standard mag switch, not because it is necessarily the best way to do it. Ours is wired with 2 toggle switches. For one thing, it removes power completely from the ignition, when switched off, for another, you know which ignition you are switching off during runup and for trouble shooting. The keyed mag switch can be a bit confusing when you are trying to figure out an ignition problem. If you are worried about unauthorized access to your plane, put on a throttle lock. Those keyed switches aren't very secure, anyway. A friend of mine just hunted through a drawer of old keys and we were able to start an airplane for which we had no key, the other day. Think all of your decisions about how to wire the ignition system through. Look at any possible way it could fail to keep the motor running. When you are satisfied that you've come up with the strongest possible design, then carefully implement it paying attention to protecting the wiring from vibration, abrasion, contamination, heat, loosening of connections, etc.. For more discussion of these issues (and other wiring related discussions), see the archives at the aeroelectric connection list on matronics.com. Pax, Ed Holyoke Roger Smart wrote: > > Completing the firewall forward on a RV-8A O-360 4 cyl. I have one mag > and one Lightspeed Plasma III. I am locating the Ignition Module > would like some feedback on experiences from others. My concern is > ignition noise in radios and interference with sensor wires. Mounting > on the cold side of the firewall is difficult due to space unless I > mount the module right behind the panel causing potential > interference. Has anyone experienced noise or sensor interference > problems and what did you do to solve them? Has anyone mounted the > module on the hot side of the firewall? How did you protect against > heat and moisture? Any problems with a hot side installation? > > > > Also the instructions has the power go straight from the battery or > battery side of the master relay to a "pull-able" circuit breaker and > allows the unit to be turned on and off with a standard mag p-lead > type connection. > > > > "all Plasma II Plus and Plasma III CDI systems can be operated with a > standard aircraft key switch. A "P"-Lead (wired to the output > connector) is provided and should be connected to the key switch in > the same way as the magneto "P"-Lead. There is no current drain on > your battery when power is supplied via the input connector and the > key switch is in the off position. A pull-able circuit breaker should > still be installed in the positive power wire." > > > > Even though it states there is no power draw you still have a > unprotected wire from the battery to the panel breaker that is hot > 24/7 and unless you pull the breaker, the wire is hot all the way to > the module even when parked. This just does not seem reasonable. I > would like to know what others have done. > > Thanks, Roger Smart > * > > > *


    Message 3


  • INDEX
  • Back to Main INDEX
  • PREVIOUS
  • Skip to PREVIOUS Message
  • NEXT
  • Skip to NEXT Message
  • LIST
  • Reply to LIST Regarding this Message
  • SENDER
  • Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message
    Time: 07:18:02 PM PST US
    From: Darrell Reiley <lifeofreiley2003@yahoo.com>
    Subject: Re: Lightspeed Ignition Module
    As to the hot side of the firewall... Klaus emailed me and stated it should not be an issue. I mounted mine on the firewall with a 5/8" blast tube, al so a shroud to cover the unit were the blast tube mounts both ends open. I also put a temp sensor on the shroud, in flight runs about 79 degrees, land ing and taxi will get to 107 degrees which is much under the working 150 de grees Klaus states and the harsh testing of 200 degrees Klaus uses in the t est bed. Sitting in the sun on the ramp, you will see hotter temps on the b ox than the 107 degrees in taxi I'm seeing. =C2- -d- --- On Sun, 4/18/10, Roger Smart <roger@smartdrive.com> wrote: From: Roger Smart <roger@smartdrive.com> Subject: RV-List: Lightspeed Ignition Module Completing the firewall forward on a RV-8A O-360 4 cyl. I have one mag and one Lightspeed Plasma III.=C2- I am locating the Ignition Module would li ke some feedback on experiences from others.=C2- My concern is ignition n oise in radios and interference with sensor wires.=C2- Mounting on the co ld side of the firewall is difficult due to space unless I mount the module right behind the panel causing potential interference.=C2- =C2-Has any one experienced noise or sensor interference problems and what did you do t o solve them?=C2- Has anyone mounted the module on the hot side of the fi rewall? How did you protect against heat and moisture?=C2- Any problems w ith a hot side installation? =C2- Also the instructions has the power go straight from the battery or battery side of the master relay to a =9Cpull-able=9D circuit breaker and allows the unit to be turned on and off with a standard mag p-lead type connection.=C2- =C2- =9Call Plasma II Plus and Plasma III CDI systems can be operated with a standard aircraft key switch.=C2- A "P"-Lead (wired to the output conn ector) is provided and should be connected to the key switch in the same wa y as the magneto "P"-Lead. =C2-There is no current drain on your battery when power is supplied via the input connector and the key switch is in the off position.=C2- A pull-able circuit breaker should still be installed in the positive power wire.=9D =C2- Even though it states there is no power draw you still have a unprotected w ire from the battery to the panel breaker that is hot 24/7 and unless you p ull the breaker, the wire is hot all the way to the module even when parked .=C2- This just does not seem reasonable.=C2- I would like to know what others have done.=C2- =C2- Thanks, Roger Smart =0A=0A=0A




    Other Matronics Email List Services

  • Post A New Message
  •   rv-list@matronics.com
  • UN/SUBSCRIBE
  •   http://www.matronics.com/subscription
  • List FAQ
  •   http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/RV-List.htm
  • Web Forum Interface To Lists
  •   http://forums.matronics.com
  • Matronics List Wiki
  •   http://wiki.matronics.com
  • 7-Day List Browse
  •   http://www.matronics.com/browse/rv-list
  • Browse RV-List Digests
  •   http://www.matronics.com/digest/rv-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.

    -- Please support this service by making your Contribution today! --