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Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

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Tim_Lewis(at)msm.umr.edu
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:33 am Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Listers with flying RV-10s,



I'd like some feedback on how you wired your alternator, and how that's 

working out.



- Van's wiring kit calls for #8 wire from the alternator to the 60 amp 

alternator breaker on the bus.

- Both Aeroelectric Bob and the Blue Mountain guys advocate running the 

alternator output directly to the battery, and then wire from there to 

the bus (to allow the battery to absorb as much of the alternator ripple 

as possible).  On my RV-6A I wired the alternator output to the bus (#6 

wire), and I do get alternator whine on the audio.

- If I follow the Aeroelectric guidance and use #8 wire I'll see a .71 

volt drop between the alternator and the battery at 60 amps.  With #6 

wire I'd see a drop of .45 volts.



Questions: 

1.  What approach did you take for connecting your alternator to the 

rest of the electrical system?

2.  Do you hear any alternator whine when you are running a heavy 

electrical load?



Thanks,



Tim Lewis

-- 



Tim Lewis -- HEF (Manassas, VA)

RV-6A N47TD -- 900 hrs

RV-10 #40059 under construction

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Tim Olson

Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 2879

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:54 am Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Tim,



I don't think #8 wire is a big drawback on the -10.  I think I

might have wired for 6 if I remember right, but in practice

I'm only drawing a max of about 42A, so #8 would have been

fine.



I wired my alternator through an ANL fuse, then to the starter

contactor which had the wire attached that goes back to

the battery also.  So, my alternator is *basically* feeding

direct to the battery, but I tapped off that spot to feed my main

bus also.  You're tapping off a pretty large wire, so there

really isn't a significant difference in where you tap into

it.  I used #2 welding cable for the battery run.



I hear no alternator whine...period.



Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying

do not archive

Tim Lewis wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 Listers with flying RV-10s,

 

 I'd like some feedback on how you wired your alternator, and how that's 

 working out.

 

 - Van's wiring kit calls for #8 wire from the alternator to the 60 amp 

 alternator breaker on the bus.

 - Both Aeroelectric Bob and the Blue Mountain guys advocate running the 

 alternator output directly to the battery, and then wire from there to 

 the bus (to allow the battery to absorb as much of the alternator ripple 

 as possible).  On my RV-6A I wired the alternator output to the bus (#6 

 wire), and I do get alternator whine on the audio.

 - If I follow the Aeroelectric guidance and use #8 wire I'll see a .71 

 volt drop between the alternator and the battery at 60 amps.  With #6 

 wire I'd see a drop of .45 volts.

 

 Questions: 1.  What approach did you take for connecting your alternator 

 to the rest of the electrical system?

 2.  Do you hear any alternator whine when you are running a heavy 

 electrical load?

 

 Thanks,

 

 Tim Lewis

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Kellym

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: Sun Lakes AZ

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 2:39 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Hmmm,

Relatively standard practice in production aircraft is to run large wire 

from master relay at battery up left side to starter relay on firewall, 

and connect from there to buss. Alternator connects to voltage regulator 

to buss. So battery is connected via master relay to the buss and 

through the buss to the alternator.

Tim Lewis wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Listers with flying RV-10s,



 I'd like some feedback on how you wired your alternator, and how 

 that's working out.



 - Van's wiring kit calls for #8 wire from the alternator to the 60 amp 

 alternator breaker on the bus.

 - Both Aeroelectric Bob and the Blue Mountain guys advocate running 

 the alternator output directly to the battery, and then wire from 

 there to the bus (to allow the battery to absorb as much of the 

 alternator ripple as possible).  On my RV-6A I wired the alternator 

 output to the bus (#6 wire), and I do get alternator whine on the audio.

 - If I follow the Aeroelectric guidance and use #8 wire I'll see a .71 

 volt drop between the alternator and the battery at 60 amps.  With #6 

 wire I'd see a drop of .45 volts.



 Questions: 1.  What approach did you take for connecting your 

 alternator to the rest of the electrical system?

 2.  Do you hear any alternator whine when you are running a heavy 

 electrical load?



 Thanks,



 Tim Lewis

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_________________
Kelly McMullen
A&P/IA, EAA Tech Counselor # 5286
KCHD

GenGrumpy(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

I have whine off of my main 60a alternator.  

  

 Have installeed a Lone Star alternator noise filter, but it hasn't helped me much, so if anyone out there has a good idea on noise suppression, I'd appreciate it also.

  

 My problem has been there from day one, and just got worse the last couple of flights, so I replaced the previous Lone Star filter.....but that didn't help.

  

 Grumpy

 N184JM

 60+ hours

  

 In a message dated 8/12/2007 2:55:57 PM Central Standard Time, Tim(at)MyRV10.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  --> RV10-List message posted by: Tim Olson <Tim(at)MyRV10.com>

Tim,



I don't think #8 wire is a big drawback on the -10.  I think I

might have wired for 6 if I remember right, but in practice

I'm only drawing a max of about 42A, so #8 would have been

fine.



I wired my alternator through an ANL fuse, then to the starter

contactor which had the wire attached that goes back to

the battery also.  So, my alternator is *basically* feeding

direct to the battery, but I tapped off that spot to feed my main

bus also.  You're tapping off a pretty large wire, so there

really isn't a significant difference in where you tap into

it.  I used #2 welding cable for the battery run.



I hear no alternator whine...period.



Tim Olson - RV-10 N104CD - Flying

do not archive

Tim Lewis wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   --> RV10-List message posted by: Tim Lewis <Tim_Lewis(at)msm.umr.edu>

 

 Listers with flying RV-10s,

 

 I'd like some feedback on how you wired your alternator, and how that's 

 working out.

 

 - Van's wiring kit calls for #8 wire from the alternator to the 60 amp 

 alternator breaker on the bus.

 - Both Aeroelectric Bob and the Blue Mountain guys advocate running the 

 alternator output directly to the battery, and then wire from there to 

 the bus (to allow the battery to absorb as much of the alternator ripple 

 as possible).  On my RV-6A I wired the alternator output to the bus (#6 

 wire), and I do get alternator whine on the audio.

 - If I follow the Aeroelectric guidance and use #8 wire I'll see a .71 

 volt drop between the alternator and the battery at 60 amps.  With #6 

 wire I'd see a drop of .45 volts.

 

 Questions: 1.  What approach did you take for connecting your alternator 

 to the rest of the electrical system?

 2.  Do you hear any alternator whine when you are running a heavy 

 electrical load?

 

 Thanks,

 

 Tim Lewis 	


 
	






  [quote][b]

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dlm46007(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Agree. I ran #2 from the primary battery and between the primary and

secondary batteries. There are two master relays connected to grounding

toggle circuit breakers on the panel. The hot side of the starter relay has

a #8 wire running to the primary bus. The alternator #8 B+ runs to a bar

connecting two 30A pull-able breakers on the primary bus. The field toggle

breaker on the primary bus controls the output of the alternator.



--

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ricksked(at)embarqmail.co
Guest

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

The only time my alternator whines is if I make it take out the trash...sorry, haven't spun mine up yet.



Grumpy...you using Accuracy's power grid? The alternator feeds the system through that grid and not directly back via a dedicated feed, I installed mine yesterday and have some chin scratching about if I want to do it (alternator) Tony's way or not.

Rick S.

40185

---

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ericparlow(at)hotmail.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:03 am Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Tim,



Here's my power system, it's a variation on the Aeroelectric Z14-FADEC.

http://www.aeroelectric.com/Reference_Docs/Misc_PDF/



I have two Concord 28V 17 amp-hr batteries in the rear. (single pilot W&B 

needs some rear ballast anyway).

Each has its own contactor, also in the rear near the battery.

They are connected by a cross-feed contactor.

I ran a single #2 welding cable in the tunnel from the rear cross-feed 

contactor & "A" battery contactor output to a firewall bulkhead.

At the bulkhead is an isolated 3/8" stud passing thru the firewall on the 

left side.

The feed from the cross-over/"A" battery and the main "A" bus behind the 

panel attach to the stud on the inside.

The starter contactor and the main "A" alternator (B&C L-60) connect on the 

firewall side of the stud.



A second "B" alternator (B&C SD20) connects directly to the output side of 

the "B" battery contactor with a mid-wire junction to a "B" main bus behind 

the panel.



Each alternator is controlled by a B&C controller (LS-1A)

Each battery contactor and alternator is switched by a three position switch

"OFF/Batt-A/Batt-A & Alt-A" and "OFF/Batt-B/Batt-B & Alt-B"

The contactor has its own three position switch and can be powered by either 

battery.

"OFF/X-FEED/START"



I also ran a single #2 welding cable from the ground on both batteries to a 

stud on the right side of the firewall.

All the FWF ground and the panel ground bus connect to this single stud.

A second ground using a #10 wire is connected directly from the batteries to 

the ground bus.

This is to avoid the single point failure of the main #2 ground lead 

connections.



In addition to the #2 main power feed I have two #10 wires direct from each 

battery to a switch then to a "A" & "B" engine bus behind the panel.

There is a 40 amp current limiter (B&C C903-1 w/ C905-40) on each wire at 

the batteries.

These power the Electronic Engine A & B side and a few essential items and 

act as the typical Right mag/Left mag switches.



The power is distributed thru 4 fuse blocks (B&C FH-6 & FH-12) with 

appropriately sized fuses.



Five switches in a row control all the power and starting.

Left to Right: "A" Main/Alt, "A" Engine, X-Feed/Start, "B" Engine, "B" 

Main/Alt



Questions?  



ERic-

RV-10, 40014

N104EP

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ricksked(at)embarqmail.co
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:11 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Eric,



You win the "Let's confuse the crap outta everyone using words instead of a schematic" contest.



So your running 24 VDC system? Almost went that way if only for electric AC.



Rick S.

40185

finishing

---

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Tim_Lewis(at)msm.umr.edu
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject: Alternator power wiring, alternator whine

Eric,



Thanks for taking the time to write up your system description.  I'm 

going over the data in the link you provided right now.



tim



-- 

Tim Lewis -- HEF (Manassas, VA)

RV-6A N47TD -- 900 hrs

RV-10 #40059 under construction



Eric Parlow wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Tim,



 Here's my power system, it's a variation on the Aeroelectric Z14-FADEC.

 http://www.aeroelectric.com/Reference_Docs/Misc_PDF/



 I have two Concord 28V 17 amp-hr batteries in the rear. (single pilot 

 W&B needs some rear ballast anyway).

 Each has its own contactor, also in the rear near the battery.

 They are connected by a cross-feed contactor.

 I ran a single #2 welding cable in the tunnel from the rear cross-feed 

 contactor & "A" battery contactor output to a firewall bulkhead.

 At the bulkhead is an isolated 3/8" stud passing thru the firewall on 

 the left side.

 The feed from the cross-over/"A" battery and the main "A" bus behind 

 the panel attach to the stud on the inside.

 The starter contactor and the main "A" alternator (B&C L-60) connect 

 on the firewall side of the stud.



 A second "B" alternator (B&C SD20) connects directly to the output 

 side of the "B" battery contactor with a mid-wire junction to a "B" 

 main bus behind the panel.



 Each alternator is controlled by a B&C controller (LS-1A)

 Each battery contactor and alternator is switched by a three position 

 switch

 "OFF/Batt-A/Batt-A & Alt-A" and "OFF/Batt-B/Batt-B & Alt-B"

 The contactor has its own three position switch and can be powered by 

 either battery.

 "OFF/X-FEED/START"



 I also ran a single #2 welding cable from the ground on both batteries 

 to a stud on the right side of the firewall.

 All the FWF ground and the panel ground bus connect to this single stud.

 A second ground using a #10 wire is connected directly from the 

 batteries to the ground bus.

 This is to avoid the single point failure of the main #2 ground lead 

 connections.



 In addition to the #2 main power feed I have two #10 wires direct from 

 each battery to a switch then to a "A" & "B" engine bus behind the panel.

 There is a 40 amp current limiter (B&C C903-1 w/ C905-40) on each wire 

 at the batteries.

 These power the Electronic Engine A & B side and a few essential items 

 and act as the typical Right mag/Left mag switches.



 The power is distributed thru 4 fuse blocks (B&C FH-6 & FH-12) with 

 appropriately sized fuses.



 Five switches in a row control all the power and starting.

 Left to Right: "A" Main/Alt, "A" Engine, X-Feed/Start, "B" Engine, "B" 

 Main/Alt



 Questions?  



 ERic-

 RV-10, 40014

 N104EP

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