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collin
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:59 am Post subject: alternator woes |
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I am still trying to solve the problem with my alternator. I have read the troubleshooting suggestions in Appendix Z (note  . I made up the test cable to the alternator field as suggested and tested in flight. As I mentioned earlier, the problem is intermittent, the volts usually go away once or twice in an hour or so of flying. The test shows some healthy voltage (12+) on the field when the output is 0. According to the appendix, this suggests the alternator has failed.
But the intermittent thing is driving my nuts. Why does it work most of the time? It begins to work immediately when I recycle the field breaker. My voltage regulator has ground fault protection, could it be that I have a nuisance problem that is tripping it? I have checked and rechecked all wiring connections and they seem fine. Some have suggested that I may have a "flying short" in the alternator itself. This would explain the intermittent thing.
Just needed some advice before I resort to tearing into and replacing things.
Collin
[quote][b]
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:16 am Post subject: alternator woes |
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To: <aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com>
Subject: alternator woes
I am still trying to solve the problem with my alternator. I have read
the troubleshooting suggestions in Appendix Z (note . I made up the
test cable to the alternator field as suggested and tested in flight. As I
mentioned earlier, the problem is intermittent, the volts usually go away
once or twice in an hour or so of flying. The test shows some healthy
voltage (12+) on the field when the output is 0. According to the
appendix, this suggests the alternator has failed.
More than a suggestion, it's an accusing finger.
There is no way a functioning alternator can be
at zero output while the field voltage is so
high.
But the intermittent thing is driving my nuts. Why does it work most of
the time? It begins to work immediately when I recycle the field
breaker. My voltage regulator has ground fault protection, could it be
that I have a nuisance problem that is tripping it? I have checked and
rechecked all wiring connections and they seem fine. Some have suggested
that I may have a "flying short" in the alternator itself. This would
explain the intermittent thing.
It's probably slip ring brushes. These can become
flakey for a variety of ills including loss of spring
tension, contamination causing hang-ups in the holders,
worn out, etc.
It's a 99.9% bet that the problem is downstream of the
field terminal on the back of the alternator . . . and
all the likely suspects reside inside the alternator.
Bob . . .
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sportav8r(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:27 am Post subject: alternator woes |
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Let me jump in here and address a quick aside to Bob: my replacement
Hyundai 95 amp alternator appears to have solved the car's electrical
issues completely. At 500 bucks for the job, including core charge of
$75, I should hope it would! (Leaves me wondering what hardware on
that little Sonata requires a 95 amp current budget!) So, I have the
failed alternator core if you are interested in putting it on your
test stand. Please advise.
Thanks,
Bill B
On 11/13/06, Collin Campbell <collinc(at)alltel.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
I am still trying to solve the problem with my alternator.
|
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collin
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 2:46 pm Post subject: alternator woes |
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Thanks for the input. New alternator is on the way.
Collin
---
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject: alternator woes |
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At 08:26 AM 11/13/2006 -0500, you wrote:
| Quote: |
Let me jump in here and address a quick aside to Bob: my replacement
Hyundai 95 amp alternator appears to have solved the car's electrical
issues completely. At 500 bucks for the job, including core charge of
$75, I should hope it would! (Leaves me wondering what hardware on
that little Sonata requires a 95 amp current budget!) So, I have the
failed alternator core if you are interested in putting it on your
test stand. Please advise.
|
Hmmm . . . okay. That's a bit more than I hand hopped. Go ahead
and turn it in for the core credit. I've got about $700 worth
of materials to buy to get the alternator stand running and
there's no dearth of alternators already here to run on it!
Thanks for considering me.
Bob . . .
---------------------------------------------------------
< What is so wonderful about scientific truth...is that >
< the authority which determines whether there can be >
< debate or not does not reside in some fraternity of >
< scientists; nor is it divine. The authority rests >
< with experiment. >
< --Lawrence M. Krauss >
---------------------------------------------------------
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sportav8r(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject: alternator woes |
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Will do. Thanks for your help with the problem.
Any thoughts on what a compact car needs with 95 amps?!
-Bill
On 11/13/06, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckollsr(at)cox.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
At 08:26 AM 11/13/2006 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>Let me jump in here and address a quick aside to Bob: my replacement
>Hyundai 95 amp alternator appears to have solved the car's electrical
>issues completely. At 500 bucks for the job, including core charge of
>$75, I should hope it would! (Leaves me wondering what hardware on
>that little Sonata requires a 95 amp current budget!) So, I have the
>failed alternator core if you are interested in putting it on your
>test stand. Please advise.
Hmmm . . . okay. That's a bit more than I hand hopped. Go ahead
and turn it in for the core credit. I've got about $700 worth
of materials to buy to get the alternator stand running and
there's no dearth of alternators already here to run on it!
Thanks for considering me.
Bob . . .
---------------------------------------------------------
< What is so wonderful about scientific truth...is that >
< the authority which determines whether there can be >
< debate or not does not reside in some fraternity of >
< scientists; nor is it divine. The authority rests >
< with experiment. >
< --Lawrence M. Krauss >
---------------------------------------------------------
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 5:45 am Post subject: alternator woes |
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At 10:36 PM 11/13/2006 -0500, you wrote:
| Quote: |
Will do. Thanks for your help with the problem.
Any thoughts on what a compact car needs with 95 amps?!
|
No. You'd have to do a load analysis to see how
often and under what conditions that the alternator
gets loaded. It would be interesting to have a
real loadmeter on the alternator to simply observe
it's daily duties.
My last two vans had 90+ amp machines on them but
both had rear a/c and heater blowers. But those blowers
seldom run more than 12 amps or so, so that leaves
a whole lot of juice to run everything else.
It might be something so simple as the "Cessna philosophy"
on equipment sizing. At some point in time, all the SE
aircraft from 150 to 210 got the same 60A, 28v alternator.
There were only two battery sizes offered. This singular
focus on a smaller selection of parts reduced inventory
at the warehouse, factory and dealerships.
Bob . . .
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