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dean.psiropoulos(at)veriz
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 Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: All electric RV! |
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Gotta agree with Dan here. Last year about this time I was trying to
finalize my electrical system and had decided that I was going to add a
second alternator on the vacuum pump pad as backup. But while I was drawing
up everything on autocad I also did quite a bit of thinking. I have been a
reader of the Aeroelectric list for the last 4 years. Those that partake of
that list know that there has been much weeping and nashing of teeth in a
multi-month debate that has been raging about internally regulated versus
externally regulated alternators.
Several people who bought internally regulated alternators from auto parts
stores (and a few from Van's) have had problems with them and some multiple
problems. I'd heard a lot about the B&C externally regulated alternators
(modern day Nippon Denso modified for external regulation and balanced to
minimize vibration). I'd also heard that B&C had very few returns on these
units over a long period of time and people on the list who'd used them
confirmed that premise. So....much as I did NOT want to spend the money
(about three times the price of a NEW alternator from an auto parts store),
I returned Van's internally regulated unit and bought the B&C 60 amp unit
and regulator.
I originally left off the backup alternator from my CAD drawings thinking
that I'd add it later and install it after the airplane flies (I've been
working on this RV-6 for 10 years and want to get it in the air). But after
all the hallaballoo on the aeroelectric list and the talk of how reliable
the B&C alternators are, I gave it some more thought and now keep asking
myself if I need to do the aux alternator at all. Although I plan on doing
instrument flying (when necessary) I don't expect it to be an "all-the-time"
thing. This airplane is my traveling machine and stress reliever not an air
taxi and if the weather is really bad I plan on staying on the ground. I
decided that since, the B&C alternator is so reliable, I have a magneto on
one side, a backup battery inside my Dynon EFIS and my mission is not IFR
all the time....there is no need to install the aux alternator right now (or
maybe ever).
Everything is new right now, including the alternator and I don't want to
spend the time and effort to install and wire an aux alternator into my
system right now. And, I'd rather not spend another $1000 for the unit and
its regulator since I've gone way over budget on this airplane already. Just
a few thoughts for you to ponder. No I don't work for B&C and, I don't like
the price on these alternators but, if it turns out to be as reliable as
they say, it will have been worth it (and I shouldn't need to worry about a
back up for a long time).
Dean Psiropoulos
RV-6A N197DM
Registering and paying those use taxes, oh boy!
-----------------Original message-----------------------------
| Quote: | From: "Dan Checkoway" <dan(at)rvproject.com>
Subject: Re: All Electric RV ?
None of the above (or below as the case may be). How much truly "in the
solid soup" IFR flying do you really plan to do? How much soup time
have you logged in the past 1-2 years? How many of those flights was a
MUST scenario and not a MIGHT scenario (where you HAD to be somewhere).
Be honest.
Unless your engine depends on electrons flowing for the fan to keep
turning (i.e. dual electronic ignition without backup such as LASAR or
P-Mag), I'm a big proponent of KISS. And that means one battery, one
HIGH QUALITY alternator, done deal.
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tcervin(at)valkyrie.net
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:08 am Post subject: All electric RV! |
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Dean, I am as "Thrifty" as the next guy but I a have a B&C set up on my
RV6-A and it will be the same on the Rocket I am building.
Tom
in Sunny Ohio (10G)
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Bret Smith
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 178
Location: Mineral Bluff, GA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:36 am Post subject: All electric RV! |
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Dean,
You have just eloquently detailed what Bob N calls the "worry bucket".
Bret Smith
RV-9A "Wings"
Blue Ridge, GA
www.FlightInnovations.com
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_________________
Bret Smith
RV-9A (Emp) |
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rocketbob(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:20 am Post subject: All electric RV! |
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I have a Niagara alternator in the -6, and have had zero issues with it in over 600 hours, after going thru two Van's rebuilt alternators. Its the same ND alternator that B&C modifies. I have the same thing on the Rocket. Why anyone would want an alternator with an external regulator is beyond me, because there are several technical reasons why they are designed the way they are to begin with. I drank the ext. regulator kool-aid when I didn't know better! FWIW I horsetraded for a used B&C starter that needed to be rebuilt. When I called B&C they wanted $150 for a new brush assembly. I took it over to a friend's starter shop, he put new brushes in it, cost to replace the brushes was $5.00. Just because you pay more doesn't necessarily make something better.
Regards,
Bob Japundza
RV-6 flying F1 under const.
do not archive
[quote][b]
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gmcjetpilot
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:30 pm Post subject: All electric RV! |
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Nothing wrong with B&C alternators but consider Plane
Power.
I agree a second alternator is overkill. You do have a battery
right?
I agree dual alternators is over kill. If your "worry bucket" is
high by all means get a back up standby battery.
A B&C alternator is just a ND alternator with the Voltage
regulator removed. To read their sales pitch you would think
they invented the alternator. Yes they do some balancing
and anodize it. That is it. It is still subject to mechanical
failure, rectifier (diode) failure.
Plane power installs fans that cool in the CCW rotation
verses the stock CW automotive fans B&C uses. Also Plane
Power uses special brushes. I believe B&C uses again stock
brushes. Plus Plane power has extra Over voltage protection.
The real concern is the voltage regulator. The B&C voltage
regulator is nothing special and many have failed. It is hand
made unit and nice, but at $230 its a lot of money. Consider
a Transpo V1200 all digital VR with over voltage protection
for about $60-$80 retail. Some use a $10 Ford VR. Why?
What if your B&C alternator dies in the middle of the
weekend, 1000 miles from home? What are you going to do?
It is a special unit with no direct replacement.
At least with a internally regulated Plane Power or Stock ND
from an auto store you can go buy one for $130 and drop it
in and go. The plane power units do have an extra OV
module device, but it still installs the same as a stock unit. So
in a pinch you could replace the Plane Power unit with a
stock unit.
Cheers George
TV dinner still cooling?
[url=http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=49979/*http://tv.yahoo.com/]Check out "Tonight's Picks"[/url] on Yahoo! TV. [quote][b]
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