Today's Message Index:
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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
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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
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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
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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
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