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Flaked Regulator?

 
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cfi(at)conwaycorp.net
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 6:17 am    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

Hello Bob and All. I noticed in a friend’s Cessna 152 that the ammeter needle wags back and forth like a golden retriever’s tail at a steak dinner, except at half and not full deflection. He said it has always done that. I turned the dome light on and noticed it dims and brightens at the same frequency as the needle wag. I’m assuming the voltage regulator has flaked out, but we all know what assumptions do. How would you suggest troubleshooting this? Is this a real problem or a just a nuisance? The limited avionics are all FAA TSO’d, so I’m assuming they have adequate spike/surge protection built in, but I’m not so sure a constant barrage of surge/spikes was considered in the design. Please share your thoughts.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Michael H.
[quote][b]


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dsleepy47(at)hotmail.com
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:33 am    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

Does the needle go in time with the flashing beacon? The beacon will draw about 10 - 11 amps and will cause the needle to fluctuate. The power supply is usually 2 sided so it can run a top and bottom beacon. Some planes with 1 beacon put a resistor on the other side of the power supply as a load to stop the fluctuation.

Deems


Quote:
From: cfi(at)conwaycorp.net
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Flaked Regulator?
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:17:19 -0600


Hello Bob and All. I noticed in a friend’s Cessna 152 that the ammeter needle wags back and forth like a golden retriever’s tail at a steak dinner, except at half and not full deflection. He said it has always done that. I turned the dome light on and noticed it dims and brightens at the same frequency as the needle wag.  I’m assuming the voltage regulator has flaked out, but we all know what assumptions do. How would you suggest troubleshooting this? Is this a real problem or a just a nuisance?  The limited avionics are all FAA TSO’d, so I’m assuming they have adequate spike/surge protection built in, but I’m not so sure a constant barrage of surge/spikes was considered in the design. Please share your thoughts.

Michael H.
Express yourself with gadgets on Windows Live Spaces Try it! [quote][b]


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bonanza(at)vodamail.co.za
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:58 am    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

Micheal,
I have the same problem in my Bonanza, even with no load. At startup and low revs, needle is steady at charge 20-30 amps. Within 30 seconds the "retriever syndrome" starts. O/h the alternator and changed the regulator. No difference. Also can hear the wig/wag in the headsets. Quite irritating. I notice the voltage fluctuation on my "gear up" light.
Bob Verwey
A35 Bonanza

From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Deems Herring
Sent: 21 Nov 2006 06:33 PM
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: RE: Flaked Regulator?


Does the needle go in time with the flashing beacon? The beacon will draw about 10 - 11 amps and will cause the needle to fluctuate. The power supply is usually 2 sided so it can run a top and bottom beacon. Some planes with 1 beacon put a resistor on the other side of the power supply as a load to stop the fluctuation.

Deems


Quote:
From: cfi(at)conwaycorp.net
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Flaked Regulator?
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:17:19 -0600


Hello Bob and All. I noticed in a friend’s Cessna 152 that the ammeter needle wags back and forth like a golden retriever’s tail at a steak dinner, except at half and not full deflection. He said it has always done that. I turned the dome light on and noticed it dims and brightens at the same frequency as the needle wag. I’m assuming the voltage regulator has flaked out, but we all know what assumptions do. How would you suggest troubleshooting this? Is this a real problem or a just a nuisance? The limited avionics are all FAA TSO’d, so I’m assuming they have adequate spike/surge protection built in, but I’m not so sure a constant barrage of surge/spikes was considered in the design. Please share your thoughts.

Michael H.

Express yourself with gadgets on Windows Live Spaces Try it! [quote]

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klehman(at)albedo.net
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:55 am    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

With the Mechanical flasher, two identical lights, and ground wires
running from the lights to the forest of tabs (instead of using the
airframe ground), I have no discernable noise in the headset. FWIW I
believe that grounding method is also the way to get rid of the slight
headset whine from my aeroflash strobes although it is a bit of work to
isolate the power supply from my metal wingspars. I can only hear the
whine on the ground so it is low priority.
Ken

Bob Verwey wrote:

Quote:
Micheal,
I have the same problem in my Bonanza, even with no load. At startup
and low revs, needle is steady at charge 20-30 amps. Within 30 seconds
the "retriever syndrome" starts. O/h the alternator and changed the
regulator. No difference. Also can hear the wig/wag in the headsets.
Quite irritating. I notice the voltage fluctuation on my "gear up" light.
Bob Verwey
A35 Bonanza

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com
[mailto:owner-aeroelectric-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of
Deems Herring
Sent: 21 Nov 2006 06:33 PM
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: RE: Flaked Regulator?
Does the needle go in time with the flashing beacon? The beacon will
draw about 10 - 11 amps and will cause the needle to fluctuate. The
power supply is usually 2 sided so it can run a top and bottom beacon.
Some planes with 1 beacon put a resistor on the other side of the
power supply as a load to stop the fluctuation.

Deems

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: cfi(at)conwaycorp.net
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: Flaked Regulator?
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:17:19 -0600

Hello Bob and All. I noticed in a friends Cessna 152 that the
ammeter needle wags back and forth like a golden retrievers tail
at a steak dinner, except at half and not full deflection. He said
it has always done that. I turned the dome light on and noticed it
dims and brightens at the same frequency as the needle wag. Im
assuming the voltage regulator has flaked out, but we all know
what assumptions do. How would you suggest troubleshooting this?
Is this a real problem or a just a nuisance? The limited avionics
are all FAA TSOd, so Im assuming they have adequate spike/surge
protection built in, but Im not so sure a constant barrage of
surge/spikes was considered in the design. Please share your thoughts.



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Jim Baker



Joined: 30 Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Location: Sayre, PA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:58 pm    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

Quote:
I have the same problem in my Bonanza, even with no load. At startup and low revs, needle is
steady at charge 20-30 amps. Within 30 seconds the "retriever syndrome" starts. O/h the
alternator and changed the regulator. No difference. Also can hear the wig/wag in the headsets.
Quite irritating. I notice the voltage fluctuation on my "gear up" light.

Go to the Zeftronics site. Read through the literature and troubleshooting
tips. Almost guaranteed that high resistance in the field circuit is biting your
butt. Throwing an ALT and REG at the problem wasn't the way do fix it.....
Jim Baker
580.788.2779
'71 SV, 492TC
Elmore City, OK


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cfi(at)conwaycorp.net
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:19 am    Post subject: Flaked Regulator? Reply with quote

Thanks for the suggestion Deems. The needle continuously cycles back and forth about 2 times a second. It does not cycle in sequence with the rotating beacon and turning things off does not change it. Jim Baker sent a good link from Zeftronics. Zeft suggests checking the connections between the alternator Bat terminal and the pin input to the controller for high resistance, corrosion, dirt, loose or intermittent connection. I'm going to check that out next time the cowling is off.

Michael H.
[quote][b]


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