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electrical problem continued

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jlno7(at)aim.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:34 am Post subject: electrical problem continued

I investigated my electrical problem with my Kitfox1/2 further and found that the low gage wire that melted connects the battery to the master switch.  It melted when I installed a new battery.  I noticed that there was a similiar wire on the negative side of the battery that has been cut.  My suspection is that there is a short in the system.  This might have been caused when I had to remove the panel when I installed new rubber shocks. What is the purpose of ths wire?  Can it be removed?  Do I need to connect to both sides of the battery?  How can I locate the short if there is one?  Any help would be appreciated.

  

  

  jerry novak

  N299jk

  Pulaski Wisconsin

  novice electrician

  Listen to 350+ music, sports, & news radio stations – including songs for the holidays – FREE while you browse. Start Listening Now! 

  [quote][b]

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Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: electrical problem continued

[quote="jlno7(at)aim.com"]I investigated my electrical problem with my Kitfox1/2 further and found that the low gage wire that melted connects the battery to the master switch.  It melted when I installed a new battery.  I noticed that there was a similiar wire on the negative side of the battery that has been cut.  My suspection is that there is a short in the system.  This might have been caused when I had to remove the panel when I installed new rubber shocks. What is the purpose of ths wire?  Can it be removed?  Do I need to connect to both sides of the battery?  How can I locate the short if there is one?  Any help would be appreciated.

  

  

  jerry novak

  N299jk

   

   	  Quote: 	
		  [b] 	




Jerry,  here is a link to download the Rotax two cycle engine instillation manual.  The wireing diagrams are in section 18.  The diagram that might help you the most is on page 18-7.

http://www.rotax-owner.com/manuals/d00287.pdf

It should be a simple wireing set up but I have seeninstallationsations that the builder has somehow made incredibly complex.  



Disreguard the misspellings, the spell checker is trying to make this message incredibly complex.  The more I try to fix it the worse it gets.

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_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

jcrowder(at)lpbroadband.n
Guest

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: electrical problem continued

Tom,

I am replying because I have not seen anyone else do so.  If I am repeating

words of another, I am sorry.  It is customary to control the master contact

relay on aircraft by switching the ground wire that activates the relay coil

while the positive voltage is always supplied.  The relay is designed or

mounted so that ground is not always supplied, but only via the switched

small size ground wire.  A low gauge wire is used because it does not carry

the working load which is connected by the relay which is activated by the

small gauge control wire.  This small wire only carries a small current

which is all the relay coil requires to close the contacts.  The large wires

connected to the large relay posts carry the working current when the relay

contacts are closed via the small wire and the relay coil.  Usually the

positive voltage to operate the control coil is supplied by a very short

small wire from the always hot wire large wire and on to the other small

connection.  That always hot large wire can be determined because it then

connects to the positive post of the battery. 



This means that the wire running to the switch is not always hot.  This is

thought to be safer.  You melted the wire because you somehow connected the

positive to the negative wire directly with no load or resistance between

them.  That is a short circuit and is always exciting. Be glad it was a

small wire and gave up easily.  A heavier wire would have likely done real

damage! You can use a simple voltmeter purchased from Radio Shack or Walmart

to tell you what is positive and which must not be connected directly to a

negative or grounded point.  If you have any further questions, feel free to

write me off line and I will help you further.  I am, as we write, rewiring

my aircraft as I switch my engine from a NSI Subaru to a 3300 Jabiru. 



By the way, the starter relay is not usually switched via supplying the

ground.  In the case of the starter relay, the key switch or push to start

button supplies the positive and the ground to that relay is supplied by the

mounting which in my case is via the firewall which is grounded.  The safety

angle here is that that control wire is not always hot, but is itself

controlled by the main battery contactor or relay and so it is only hot when

the master switch is on.  



By the way, yesterday my son made his first flight in his newly completed

RV8.  Today he made his second flight and was unable to resist doing a roll

both left and right.  Everything is great except he has a big radio problem

which he needs to solve.  I think it is likely to be the new radio itself.  



Jim Crowder

[quote] --

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jcrowder(at)lpbroadband.n
Guest

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: electrical problem continued

Tom,

I just reread your original email and I want to suggest that the short wire

you thought was cut probably is the one I told you should be connected to

the always hot large wire that came from the battery.  The one that burned

up on you should lead to ground via the master switch.



Jim Crowder



[quote] --

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ppeerenbo(at)charter.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:02 am Post subject: electrical problem continued

I'am in New London and have a Model IV  912 , I also have been an A & P for 30 years. Send me a number off the list  that I can call you.

  

  

 Paul

 Model IV 912

 350 TT

 [quote]   ---

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