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AZFlyer

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Prescott, AZ

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:10 am Post subject: CONTACTORS

List,



Have the 3300 with FWF kit from Jab.USA.  Have been reading everything I can find on "contactors" ( AeroElectric, various Matronics lists, etc.).  Do not understand most of it...  so, my question is: Do I need to add one or more "Contactor" to my installation?



I am not an EE, nor much of an electrician...just trying to understand what the Contactor might buy me.  Planning an all-glass panel, if that makes any difference?



Please don't throw electrical theory at me...I'm just looking for a simple explanation why I should or should not consider putting contactors on.  If so, which one?



Thanks,

Mike

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_________________
Mike Miller @ millrml@aol.com
601 XL-B, 3300, Dynon

Remember, "the second mouse gets the cheese"!

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:26 am Post subject: Re: CONTACTORS

To answer your primary question, probably.



My advice, as someone who had little to no clue about electrical wiring before I started and not much more 3/4th of the way through, is find the aeroelectric schematic from Bob's book that fits your needs and start with that. If the one you choose uses a contactor use it if it uses 2 use them.



If you find you need to make a change to one of the planes post it on the aeroelectric forum and then expect them to tell you everything you did wrong which will include things that you didn't add or take away from the original design.



Or you can do what I did which is find someone with the same engine and pretty much the same stuff in the panel and pester him until he makes you copies of his plans and then put his cell and home phone numbers into your cell phone and call him at all hours of the day and ask him questions that anyone that ever turned on a light bulb really should already know. Be aware that there is some limit to the size of steak you will owe this person mainly because cows, even in Texas, only grow so large.

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_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

psm(at)att.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:28 am Post subject: CONTACTORS

Hi Mike,



Yes, you need a contactor.  I bought the one from Aircraft Spruce.  I 

probably have the same setup as you - XL with 3300 and FWF from Jabiru USA.



The contactor is a big switch that turns all the power on and off for 

your electrical system.    It is the thing your master switch 

connects to.  You can't just connect the battery power to the master 

switch and forget it because of the large current rating needed. So, 

instead, you use the contactor to control all the power and the 

master switch to control the contactor.



A contactor is similar to a starter solenoid.  The difference is the 

starter solenoid is designed for short term use - while running the 

starter motor, but the contactor is designed to be on for hours at a time.



Have fun,



Paul

XL getting very close

At 09:10 AM 4/4/2009, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  Have the 3300 with FWF kit from Jab.USA.  Have been reading 

everything I can find on "contactors" ( AeroElectric, various 

Matronics lists, etc.).  Do not understand most of it...  so, my 

question is: Do I need to add one or more "Contactor" to my installation?



I am not an EE, nor much of an electrician...just trying to 

understand what the Contactor might buy me.  Planning an all-glass 

panel, if that makes any difference?



Please don't throw electrical theory at me...I'm just looking for a 

simple explanation why I should or should not consider putting 

contactors on.  If so, which one?



Thanks,

Mike

- The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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sonar1@cox.net

Joined: 02 Oct 2007
Posts: 55
Location: Santa Barbara, Ca

Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:12 am Post subject: CONTACTORS

Hi Mike.

I choose not to use contactors.

The main reason to have one is that in the event of a crash, you can 

disconnect all electricity from the cabin  with the flip of one switch.

 I use a 30 amp switch-circuit breaker on the panel, so when I have it 

off, there is still power on the wire from the battery to the switch. To 

be a problem, this wire would have to be cut into and shorted to ground 

to spark and ignite gas vapors. Pretty far-fetched.

With a contactor, the battery area  still has power, and gas vapors.

Have never been able to figure why all of those planes are flying around 

with all of that extra weight..........................Fred 

Sanford.....N9701  N9601

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rge177(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:21 am Post subject: CONTACTORS

I chose not to use a contactor as well.  It partially depends on how much current you will need in the cabin, but if you're using the 3300 with its' 20 amp alternator, you'll need to be a little conservative on the current required anyway when you select your avionics, lights, etc;  There are lots of switches available that will meet your requirements.  I also used a 20 or 30 amp circuit breaker/switch.  In the Aeroelectric book, there is a schematic for the Jab 3300 in which a contactor is not used.



Ron

Haslet,TX



 	  Quote: 	
		   Time: 09:10:46 AM PST US

 Subject: CONTACTORS

 From: "AZFlyer" <millrML(at)aol.com>

 

 

 List,

 

 Have the 3300 with FWF kit from Jab.USA.  Have been

 reading everything I can find

 on "contactors" ( AeroElectric, various Matronics lists,

 etc.).  Do not understand

 most of it...  so, my question is: Do I need to add

 one or more "Contactor"

 to my installation?

 

 I am not an EE, nor much of an electrician...just trying to

 understand what the

 Contactor might buy me.  Planning an all-glass panel,

 if that makes any difference?

 

 Please don't throw electrical theory at me...I'm just

 looking for a simple explanation

 why I should or should not consider putting contactors

 on.  If so, which

 one?

 

 Thanks,

 Mike

 

 --------

 Mike Miller (at) millrml(at)aol.com

 601 XL, 3300, Dynon

 

 Remember,  &quot;the second mouse gets the

 cheese&quot;!

- The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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AZFlyer

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Prescott, AZ

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:30 am Post subject: Re: CONTACTORS

List,



Thanks for all the feedback on the contactor question.  Got what I need.



signed,

Electrically Challenged (Mike)

- The Matronics Zenith-List Email Forum -

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_________________
Mike Miller @ millrml@aol.com
601 XL-B, 3300, Dynon

Remember, "the second mouse gets the cheese"!

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