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charging system problems

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collin

Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:19 pm Post subject: charging system problems

I am still trying to figure this thing  out.  The bus voltage is a constant 14.5 volts.  On the last two  flights I made (1hr each) I had to reset the system twice in the first 10 min or  so.  The rest of the flight everything seemed to work fine.   

  

 Collin,

  

 Bearhawk (N370CC) 

  

 

 	  Quote: 	
		  Let me try to describe the problem as best I can.  I am using  a Van's 35 

amp alt.  a VR-371 voltage/over-voltage protector, and a  Electronics 

International (VA-1) guage installed in the alt lead. Also  using a Odyssey 

680 battery.



The problem is this:   Everything seems to work just fine until maybe 10-15 

minutes into the  flight when the discharge light on the VA-1 comes on.  I 

can reset  the system by recyling the field breaker and everything goes 

back to  normal--charging again.  This will last maybe another 10-15 

minutes  and the whole process repeats itself.  I have checked all my  

conections, replaced the battery, and now am beginning to suspect the  

alternator or even the regulator.  But I need some advice before I  go 

replacing stuff that doesn't need replacing. (been there done that  before!)


	


    If your system needs "reset", then the  symptoms suggest

    that the OV protection system in your  voltage regulator

    is being tripped. This becomes a problem  of deducing whether

    a real OV condition existed -or- the  circuit is being nuisance

     tripped.



    It's a rational component of troubleshooting  to suspect

    any component. But it's much better to do  measurements

    to determine the physics behind the  difficulty before embarking

    on a swaptronics excursion  where one can only hope to pick

    the right component . . .  with the attendant risk that NONE

    of the components  replaced will fix the problem.



    What are your bus  voltages when the system is operating

    normally?  I'm  curious as to how you integrated the VR-371

    voltage  regulator with a Van's alterantor. I was under the

     impression that Van's sold only internally regulated  machines.

    Let's do the detective work before you pull out  any hardware.



    Bob . . .



    [quote][b]

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collin

Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject: charging system problems

I am still trying to figure out the glitch in my  charging system.  I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, I am new to  this group, haven't figured out how to include all the past discussion without  retyping it all over again.  I beg your patience.  

  

 To rehash the problem.  Everything seems to  work fine until five or so minuites into the flight when the system begins to  discharge.  I can reset the system by recycling the field breaker and  everything goes back to normal, for another few minutes.  After I recycle  the system the second time, I can continue the rest of the flight with  no problems.  The bus voltage is a constant 14.5 volts.  I am using a  Van's 35 amp alt, VR-371 regulator, Electronics Int. VA-1 guage installed in the  alt. lead.  This is a "Bearhawk" aircraft. (tubing fuselage, metal  wings)   I didn't discover this group until I had already wired the  plane so I know I have done some things that I would do differently if I had it  to do over again.  My battery (Odyssey 680) is grounded to the engine  mount.  Engine is grounded to the mount via a bolt on the oil sump.  I  know, I know... there is a better way,  just that I copied what I saw on  numerous other planes.  My wiring diagram is one that I borrowed from one  of Tony Bengelis' books.  

  

 Still hoping someone out there can shed some light  on this..

  

 Collin

    [quote][b]

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mprather(at)spro.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:55 pm Post subject: charging system problems

Hello Collin,



I am not clear how you know that the system is "discharging"..  If the bus

voltage is solid at 14.5V, then the alternator is regulating, and keeping

up with system demands.  Or, what's the bus voltage during the discharge?



If you go to the archive search engine:



http://www.matronics.com/searching/ws_script.cgi



And enter "Collin", you can see everything you have posted to the

Aeroelectric list (be sure to select that Archive as the thing to

search)..

Regards,



Matt-



 	  Quote: 	
		   I am still trying to figure out the glitch in my charging system.  I wrote

 about this a couple of weeks ago, I am new to this group, haven't figured

 out how to include all the past discussion without retyping it all over

 again.  I beg your patience.



 To rehash the problem.  Everything seems to work fine until five or so

 minuites into the flight when the system begins to discharge.  I can reset

 the system by recycling the field breaker and everything goes back to

 normal, for another few minutes.  After I recycle the system the second

 time, I can continue the rest of the flight with no problems.  The bus

 voltage is a constant 14.5 volts.  I am using a Van's 35 amp alt, VR-371

 regulator, Electronics Int. VA-1 guage installed in the alt. lead.  This

 is a "Bearhawk" aircraft. (tubing fuselage, metal wings)   I didn't

 discover this group until I had already wired the plane so I know I have

 done some things that I would do differently if I had it to do over again.

  My battery (Odyssey 680) is grounded to the engine mount.  Engine is

 grounded to the mount via a bolt on the oil sump.  I know, I know... there

 is a better way,  just that I copied what I saw on numerous other planes.

 My wiring diagram is one that I borrowed from one of Tony Bengelis' books.



 Still hoping someone out there can shed some light on this..



 Collin

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collin

Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject: charging system problems

Matt,



Ok, I forgot to mention that the discharge light comes on.  The amp reading 

goes to "0" and the voltage drops to 12.8   (a fully charged battery)



Thanks for the reply



Collin

---

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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:06 am Post subject: charging system problems

At 08:55 PM 10/13/2006 -0500, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  

<collinc(at)alltel.net>



Matt,



Ok, I forgot to mention that the discharge light comes on.  The amp 

reading goes to "0" and the voltage drops to 12.8   (a fully charged battery)



Thanks for the reply



Collin


	




  Given that the alternator in question is externally regulatred,

  the system lends itself to rudimentary trouble shooting techniques.

  I believe I referred you to Note 8 on page Z-8 of



http://aeroelectric.com/articles/Rev11/AppZ_R11J.pdf



  as a guide for chasing out the bugs. It would be useful

  to know what field voltage the alternator is seeing during

  a failure. This means that you need to bring a wire into

  the cockpit from the alternator's field terminal and watch

  it with a voltmeter so you can observe and report the

  readings during normal and failed operations.



  Bob . . .

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