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hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:35 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itâ€™s back up to normal charging voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canâ€™t find any obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in flight? Any adviceÂ would be appreciated.Ivan Haecker

chaskuss(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:19 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

You can bypass the voltage regulator to force the alternator generate full output. I suggest you start by reading:



https://www.freeasestudyguides.com/alternator-full-field-test.html

            

                                                                                        On Sunday, February 26, 2023, 01:44:38 PM EST, H. Ivan Haecker <hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com> wrote:                

                



                



                Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itâ€™s back up to normal charging voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canâ€™t find any obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in flight? Any advice would be appreciated.Ivan Haecker

Radioflyer

Joined: 04 Feb 2009
Posts: 43
Location: Boston

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: Intermittent Charging

I think the first thing I would do is to connect a temporary extension wire from the field wire going directly into the alternator into the cabin/cockpit so that you can measure the field Volts. If the field Volts are not normal or go too low, then its not the alternator. Bob N. discusses this in his book (diag. Z-23) and advises putting a 1k Ohm resistor in this line to limit any shorting potential.

Ceengland

Joined: 11 Oct 2020
Posts: 391
Location: MS

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 1:53 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

On 2/26/2023 12:35 PM, H. Ivan Haecker wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal 

 charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has 

 dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itâ€™s back up to normal charging 

 voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canâ€™t find any 

 obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight 

 shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either 

 an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a 

 way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the 

 output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in 

 flight? Any adviceÂ would be appreciated.

 Ivan Haecker



Does it instantly drop from 14+V charge voltage to battery voltage, or 
	


does it decay slowly from charge voltage to battery voltage? (Instant 

drop might indicate a loose connection, though I'd expect an 

intermittent connection issue to come and go within the same flight.



Have you checked your alternator belt for proper tension?



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_________________
Charlie

hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:02 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

I canâ€™t say whether it is an instant drop or not. Iâ€™ve never been watching the volt meter when it happens. I did however observe it fluctuating one time. The gauge showed about 13v and was moving jerkily for a few seconds and then went to battery voltage and stayed there. It went back to 14+ at some point but it didnâ€™t notice it until I was on the ground.Â 

I did tighten the belt before the last flight yesterday thinking it was slightly loose, but that made no difference.

Iâ€™m back to thinking it must be an intermittent connection that I just havenâ€™t found....

Ivan Haecker

On Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 3:55 PM Charlie England <ceengland7(at)gmail.com (ceengland7(at)gmail.com)> wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Charlie England <ceengland7(at)gmail.com (ceengland7(at)gmail.com)>

 On 2/26/2023 12:35 PM, H. Ivan Haecker wrote:

 > Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal 

 > charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has 

 > dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itâ€™s back up to normal charging 

 > voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canâ€™t find any 

 > obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight 

 > shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either 

 > an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a 

 > way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the 

 > output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in 

 > flight? Any adviceÂ would be appreciated.

 > Ivan Haecker

 >

 Does it instantly drop from 14+V charge voltage to battery voltage, or 

 does it decay slowly from charge voltage to battery voltage? (Instant 

 drop might indicate a loose connection, though I'd expect an 

 intermittent connection issue to come and go within the same flight.

 Have you checked your alternator belt for proper tension?

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hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:07 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

I just saw the response from â€Radioflyerâ€ and will try that in a couple of days when the weather improves (and recheck the connections again).

Ivan Haecker



On Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 4:00 PM Radioflyer <skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net (skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Radioflyer" <skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net (skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net)>

 

 I think the first thing I would do is to connect a temporary extension wire from the field wire going directly into the alternator into the cabin/cockpit so that you can measure the field Volts. If the field Volts are not normal or go too low, then its not the alternator. Bob N. discusses this in his book (diag. Z-23) and advises putting a 1k Ohm resistor in this line to limit any shorting potential.

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=510283#510283

 

 

 

 

 

 

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chaskuss(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 4:55 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

As a first step, I would remove all the ground wires. Clean the connections and test the ring terminals physical connection to their wires by pulling on them. A poor ground often causes the symptoms you describe.

                  

                                                                    On Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 06:15:08 PM EST, H. Ivan Haecker <hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com> wrote:                 

                 



                 



                 I just saw the response from â€Radioflyerâ€ and will try that in a couple of days when the weather improves (and recheck the connections again).

Ivan Haecker



On Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 4:00 PM Radioflyer <skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net (skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Radioflyer" <skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net (skyeyecorp(at)airpost.net)>

 

 I think the first thing I would do is to connect a temporary extension wire from the field wire going directly into the alternator into the cabin/cockpit so that you can measure the field Volts. If the field Volts are not normal or go too low, then its not the alternator. Bob N. discusses this in his book (diag. Z-23) and advises putting a 1k Ohm resistor in this line to limit any shorting potential.

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=510283#510283

 

 

 

 

 

 

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:32 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

At 12:35 PM 2/26/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itâ€™s back up to normal charging voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canâ€™t find any obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in flight? Any adviceÂ would be appreciated. 	


    There is . . .



    Bring a temporary connection from the alternator

    or regulator's field terminal into the cockpit

    and measure regulator's output voltage during

    normal/abnormal ops.



    Voltage should be on the order of 1-4 volts

    in normal, hi-rpm operations and never

    zero.



    Alternatively, fabricate a test fixture thusly . . .



  https://tinyurl.com/2z2ww9gl



    Disconnect alternator from the ship's regulator

    and make a temporary installation of this

    test fixture to the alternator. This creates

    a system that comes up with engine start and

    is not controllable from the cockpit, but it

    bypasses a lot of potential system trouble

    spots.



    Given your description of the intermittent

    behavior, I'd bet that it's the alternator

    but 'divide and conquer' will help you

    deduce the facts.



 

 

   Bob . . .



   Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

   survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

   out of that stuff?"

hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:21 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

Another test flight today produced some interesting results. I fabricated a tap into the field wire that runs from the regulator to the alternator. I placed a 1k resistor in the tap wire and ran the wire to an analog VOM in the cockpit. A ground wire from the VOM was ran to the forest of tabs behind the panel (where the regulator is grounded). At idle rpm, the panel mounted volt meter reads ~ 14.5V and the VOM test circuit reads about 8 volts. As power reaches about 1900 rpm, the panel volt meter begins to fall off toward battery voltage and the tapped field voltage on the analog VOM begins to fall off toward 3-4 volts. The same situation was observed in flight. Does this indicate a regulator problem or an alternator problem?





I suppose my next test should be the one the Bob proposed this morning, but I will have to obtain another regulator to do that test.

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 9:04 AM Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		    At 12:35 PM 2/26/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s back up to normal charging voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t find any obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in flight? Any adviceÃ‚ would be appreciated. 	


 Â Â  There is . . .



 Â Â  Bring a temporary connection from the alternator

 Â Â  or regulator's field terminal into the cockpit

 Â Â  and measure regulator's output voltage during

 Â Â  normal/abnormal ops.



 Â Â  Voltage should be on the order of 1-4 volts

 Â Â  in normal, hi-rpm operations and never

 Â Â  zero.



 Â Â  Alternatively, fabricate a test fixture thusly . . .



  https://tinyurl.com/2z2ww9gl



 Â Â  Disconnect alternator from the ship's regulator

 Â Â  and make a temporary installation of this

 Â Â  test fixture to the alternator. This creates

 Â Â  a system that comes up with engine start and

 Â Â  is not controllable from the cockpit, but it

 Â Â  bypasses a lot of potential system trouble

 Â Â  spots.



 Â Â  Given your description of the intermittent

 Â Â  behavior, I'd bet that it's the alternator

 Â Â  but 'divide and conquer' will help you

 Â Â  deduce the facts.



 

 

 Â  Bob . . .



 Â  Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

 Â  survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

 Â  out of that stuff?"

edwclg

Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Posts: 19

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:49 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

I had a similar problem last year and it was two broken stator wires. Wires were intermittentlyÂ touching causing,Â on again off again.EdÂ 

On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 2:24â€¯PM H. Ivan Haecker <hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com (hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Another test flight today produced some interesting results. I fabricated a tap into the field wire that runs from the regulator to the alternator. I placed a 1k resistor in the tap wire and ran the wire to an analog VOM in the cockpit. A ground wire from the VOM was ran to the forest of tabs behind the panel (where the regulator is grounded). At idle rpm, the panel mounted volt meter reads ~ 14.5V and the VOM test circuit reads about 8 volts. As power reaches about 1900 rpm, the panel volt meter begins to fall off toward battery voltage and the tapped field voltage on the analog VOM begins to fall off toward 3-4 volts. The same situation was observed in flight. Does this indicate a regulator problem or an alternator problem?





I suppose my next test should be the one the Bob proposed this morning, but I will have to obtain another regulator to do that test.

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 9:04 AM Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		    At 12:35 PM 2/26/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Something is amiss with my charging system. Upon initial start, normal charging voltage occurs. A few minutes into flight, the voltage has dropped to battery only. Upon landing, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s back up to normal charging voltage. This has occurred on the last three flights. I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t find any obvious loose connections and a voltage check with a VOM in flight shows the shipboard volt meter is accurate. So I suppose it is either an alternator or external regulator (ford type) problem. Is there a way in flight to determine which is the culprit? Maybe check the output voltage from the field terminal to the alternator while in flight? Any adviceÃ‚ would be appreciated. 	


 Â Â  There is . . .



 Â Â  Bring a temporary connection from the alternator

 Â Â  or regulator's field terminal into the cockpit

 Â Â  and measure regulator's output voltage during

 Â Â  normal/abnormal ops.



 Â Â  Voltage should be on the order of 1-4 volts

 Â Â  in normal, hi-rpm operations and never

 Â Â  zero.



 Â Â  Alternatively, fabricate a test fixture thusly . . .



  https://tinyurl.com/2z2ww9gl



 Â Â  Disconnect alternator from the ship's regulator

 Â Â  and make a temporary installation of this

 Â Â  test fixture to the alternator. This creates

 Â Â  a system that comes up with engine start and

 Â Â  is not controllable from the cockpit, but it

 Â Â  bypasses a lot of potential system trouble

 Â Â  spots.



 Â Â  Given your description of the intermittent

 Â Â  behavior, I'd bet that it's the alternator

 Â Â  but 'divide and conquer' will help you

 Â Â  deduce the facts.



 

 

 Â  Bob . . .



 Â  Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

 Â  survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

 Â  out of that stuff?"

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:52 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

At 01:20 PM 2/28/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Another test flight today produced some interesting results. I fabricated a tap into the field wire that runs from the regulator to the alternator. I placed a 1k resistor in the tap wire and ran the wire to an analog VOM in the cockpit. A ground wire from the VOM was ran to the forest of tabs behind the panel (where the regulator is grounded). At idle rpm, the panel mounted volt meter reads ~ 14.5V and the VOM test circuit reads about 8 volts. As power reaches about 1900 rpm, the panel volt meter begins to fall off toward battery voltage and the tapped field voltage on the analog VOM begins to fall off toward 3-4 volts. The same situation was observed in flight. Does this indicate a regulator problem or an alternator problem? 	


    No . . . the voltage readings you're seeing are a bit

    polluted as a consequence of the tiny current draw

    by the analog voltameter. They are, nonetheless, significant.



    At low RPM the alternator may not be able to bring the

    bus up to normal set-point. It's not uncommon to see

    field voltages on the order of 10 volts or more at

    ramp idle.



    At in-flight RPMs, the regulator REDUCES field

    voltage so as to keep the alternator's output at

    the designed output voltage.  At cruise RPM

    and light loads, I've see voltages on the order

    of 1 volt at the field.



    This is what I would expect.



    You state that as RPM goes up, panel voltmeter

    shows a bus voltage reduction down to battery

    voltage? Something on the order of 12.5 volts?

    But the field voltage goes down also?



    What kind of regulator do you have. What airplane

    are we talking about?



 

   Bob . . .



   Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

   survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

   out of that stuff?"

user9253

Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1921
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: Intermittent Charging

Repeat the test, but instead of measuring field voltage, measure field current while monitoring electrical system voltage.

_________________
Joe Gores

hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:21 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

Yes, as the engine rpm goes up, field voltage begins to go down and the panel voltmeter goes down to battery voltage (12.5v). At idle, the field voltage goes up and the panel voltage in turn rises back to ~14.5v. The plane is an rv-4 which Iâ€™ve been flying for 31 yrs. The regulator is a NAPA ford type (VR 440) that has been in service for 7 yrs. The alternator is an Auto Zone #14184 (I think 30 amp or so), and it has been in service 14 yrs. Also I have lately noticed a whine in the radio audio that changes with rpm. I donâ€™t know if that is related to my problem or not.Â 

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 8:54 PM Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com (nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelectric.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		    At 01:20 PM 2/28/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Another test flight today produced some interesting results. I fabricated a tap into the field wire that runs from the regulator to the alternator. I placed a 1k resistor in the tap wire and ran the wire to an analog VOM in the cockpit. A ground wire from the VOM was ran to the forest of tabs behind the panel (where the regulator is grounded). At idle rpm, the panel mounted volt meter reads ~ 14.5V and the VOM test circuit reads about 8 volts. As power reaches about 1900 rpm, the panel volt meter begins to fall off toward battery voltage and the tapped field voltage on the analog VOM begins to fall off toward 3-4 volts. The same situation was observed in flight. Does this indicate a regulator problem or an alternator problem? 	


 Â Â  No . . . the voltage readings you're seeing are a bit

 Â Â  polluted as a consequence of the tiny current draw

 Â Â  by the analog voltameter. They are, nonetheless, significant.



 Â Â  At low RPM the alternator may not be able to bring the

 Â Â  bus up to normal set-point. It's not uncommon to see

 Â Â  field voltages on the order of 10 volts or more at

 Â Â  ramp idle.



 Â Â  At in-flight RPMs, the regulator REDUCES field

 Â Â  voltage so as to keep the alternator's output at

 Â Â  the designed output voltage.Â  At cruise RPM

 Â Â  and light loads, I've see voltages on the order

 Â Â  of 1 volt at the field.



 Â Â  This is what I would expect.



 Â Â  You state that as RPM goes up, panel voltmeter

 Â Â  shows a bus voltage reduction down to battery

 Â Â  voltage? Something on the order of 12.5 volts?

 Â Â  But the field voltage goes down also?



 Â Â  What kind of regulator do you have. What airplane

 Â Â  are we talking about?

 

 Â  Bob . . .



 Â  Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

 Â  survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

 Â  out of that stuff?"

hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:54 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

That would have to wait as I donâ€™t have an ammeter in my plane. But it might be worthwhile to get one as a diagnosticÂ tool. It would have to something â€œportableâ€ as I have no room in my panel.

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 9:34 PM user9253 <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "user9253" <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Repeat the test, but instead of measuring field voltage, measure field current while monitoring electrical system voltage.

 

 --------

 Joe Gores

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=510303#510303

 

 

 

 

 

 

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user9253

Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1921
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: Intermittent Charging

Alternator whine?  Measure the AC voltage on the main bus.

If alternator output has an AC component of 1 volt or more, then a diode is bad. 

Some mechanics say 1/2 volt AC or more means a bad diode.

_________________
Joe Gores

user9253

Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1921
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:09 pm Post subject: Re: Intermittent Charging

Most digital multimeters have an ammeter function.

_________________
Joe Gores

hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 9:23 pm Post subject: Intermittent Charging

Joe,

I never noticed the ammeter function before. Probably because Iâ€™m electrically challenged. Iâ€™ll try it tomorrow and check for ac voltage as well. Thanks

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 10:11 PM user9253 <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "user9253" <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Most digital multimeters have an ammeter function.

 

 --------

 Joe Gores

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=510307#510307

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ceengland

Joined: 11 Oct 2020
Posts: 391
Location: MS

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:05 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

If you're electrically challenged, be sure you know how to use the amps function before trying it. (Don't want you to have a dead meter, in addition to your alternator problem.)

On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 11:25 PM H. Ivan Haecker <hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com (hivanhaecker(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  Joe,

I never noticed the ammeter function before. Probably because Iâ€™m electrically challenged. Iâ€™ll try it tomorrow and check for ac voltage as well. Thanks

Ivan Haecker



On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 10:11 PM user9253 <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)> wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "user9253" <fransew(at)gmail.com (fransew(at)gmail.com)>

 

 Most digital multimeters have an ammeter function.

 

 --------

 Joe Gores

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=510307#510307

 

 

 

 

 

 

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_________________
Charlie

user9253

Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1921
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:20 am Post subject: Re: Intermittent Charging

Since you have never used the ammeter function of the meter, be careful not 

to touch a voltage source when the meter is set up to measure current.  A 

fuse will blow inside of the meter.  Don't ask how I know that.

_________________
Joe Gores

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 8:12 am Post subject: Intermittent Charging

At 09:20 PM 2/28/2023, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Yes, as the engine rpm goes up, field voltage begins to go down and the panel voltmeter goes down to battery voltage (12.5v). At idle, the field voltage goes up and the panel voltage in turn rises back to ~14.5v. The plane is an rv-4 which Iâ€™ve been flying for 31 yrs. The regulator is a NAPA ford type (VR 440) that has been in service for 7 yrs. The alternator is an Auto Zone #14184 (I think 30 amp or so), 	


    that's a 35 amp alternator which was Van's

    first pick many, many moons ago. 14184 is

    the Lester number for a Denso part that

    was used on a constellation of automobiles.



  https://tinyurl.com/2zxwvabs



  	  Quote: 	
		   and it has been in service 14 yrs. 	


    You got your money's worth out of that one!



  	  Quote: 	
		   Also I have lately noticed a whine in the radio audio that

  changes with rpm. I donâ€™t know if that is related to my problem or not.Â 	


   May very well be . . . loss of performance in

   one or more phases of the alternator causes

   a profound increase in the AC ripple voltage

   riding on the DC output . . . it also manifests

   in a degraded output capability.



   The increased ripple voltage is often manifest

   by a sudden presence of alternator whine

   in an audio system.



   The numbers you cited for regulator behavior

   seem reasonable . . . I'd vote for an alternator

   replacement. Many parts stores can run your

   alternator on a test bench while being

   able to offer an off-the-shelf replacement.

   That '14184' is the key to a drop-in

   replacement.



 

 

   Bob . . .



   Un impeachable logic: George Carlin asked, "If black boxes

   survive crashes, why don't they make the whole airplane

   out of that stuff?"

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