Alternator STC

[hilltop170]

One of the truly nice things about having Piano switches, is not leaving the Master on. Just a quick glance at the switches confirms all are off. If any doubts, just run your hand under them. I've never left it on since buying the plane.

There are those with piano keys that have never left the master on and there are those that haven't yet done so. I'm in the later camp and I have good company.

I'm with Bruce and I can count on 3 fingers how many times I have left the master on since 1973. Two times were with a generator and one with an alternator.

The two times with a generator were non-events. I simply secured the plane, hand propped it, got it, and continued my flight. The battery was recharged when I landed.

With the alternator, it was a different story. It hand propped ok but the battery was dead enough that it would not excite the alternator so I had to shut down, open the cowl and battery box (no small effort), connect battery charger, wait awhile to see if the battery (Concord AGM) would take enough charge to excite the alternator, disconnect and close up everything (did not want to start the engine with everything open), hand prop the engine, still no charge. Repeat everything and wait about 1/2 hour for the charger to get enough into the battery to excite the alternator, close everything up, hand prop the engine, FINALLY it started charging and the battery was recharged at the end of the flight and was fine for another couple of years.

That's when I had the idea of using a 9v battery to excite the alternator but never went any further and I haven't left the master on again since then either.

Also, as noted in the F&M oil filter adapter thread, my alternator was too large to allow the new Tempest filter adapter to be installed, another unintended consequence of STCs that the installer has to deal with.

[cessna170bdriver]

One good way to remind yourself to turn off the master switch is to leave the switch for whatever anti collision lights you have on all the time. With a rotating beacon the noise of the motor will become evident as soon as the engine stops. With strobes you‘ll notice them when you look back to admire your airplane as you walk away.

[GAHorn]

One good way to remind yourself to turn off the master switch is to leave the switch for whatever anti collision lights you have on all the time. With a rotating beacon the noise of the motor will become evident as soon as the engine stops. With strobes you‘ll notice them when you look back to admire your airplane as you walk away.

…but be ready with “Yeah…I was just walking away to see how bright they are from a distance!” …..when the lineman comes up to you as you head for the john and says “Hey, Cap’n…you left your lights On!”


(I never turn off my Nav or Anti-collision lights unless they are bothering someone taxying nearby)

[DaveF]

I always leave my beacon switched on. I'm not sure it's ever saved me from a dead battery (yet), but it has saved me from turning around on the drive home from the hangar because I couldn't remember if I'd turned off the master.

[GAHorn]

I always leave my beacon switched on. I'm not sure it's ever saved me from a dead battery (yet), but it has saved me from turning around on the drive home from the hangar because I couldn't remember if I'd turned off the master.

At another discussion-tread I revealed how leaving the Master Switch ON can be avoided by keeping the anti-collision lighting switch in the ON position…and how I nearly deep-sixed my job when I tricked my chief Pilot into believing he’d left his Master On…:

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=14824&p=138698&hil ... or#p138698

[lowNslow]

Yes on the beacon. I also carry one of these in all my vehicles which will not only energize my alternator but will also start the engine (no propping required). I also have a external power receptacle which makes it very easy but you can also attach directly to battery.

[n2582d]

Karl,
Link didn't work for me. This jumpstarter perhaps?

[lowNslow]

Karl,
Link didn't work for me. This jumpstarter perhaps?

Yes, thanks. Repaired link (I think)

[GAHorn]

The 1-star reviews on both those items aren’t good… and I don’t like carrying any more lithium batteries than I can throw out the window in-flight….so don’t store it where you can’t reach it in-flight, YMMV.

This is a good minor alteration mod to perform:

[lowNslow]

The 1-star reviews on both those items aren’t good… and I don’t like carrying any more lithium batteries than I can throw out the window in-flight….so don’t store it where you can’t reach it in-flight, YMMV.

This is a good minor alteration mod to perform:

466E923E-81AD-44BC-9293-D1470E77FE3C.png

Not sure what your looking at but I don't see any of these with less than a 4.5 star rating. As a glider pilot I have been flying with Lithium batteries as have most glider pilots for a long time and have not heard of any instances of problems, but point taken, I can always throw it out the window.

[GAHorn]

Here’s a link to the reviews I noticed at the “reviews” section of the Amazon listing: https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/ ... filter-bar

[lowNslow]

I was not recommending any particular model, my link went to all the models sold at Amazon. I don't have the particular model you referenced. All I can say is I have had these in ALL my vehicles for 10+ years and have had no problems. I'd point out the the review page you pointed out shows 92% gave it a 4 or greater rating.

[GAHorn]

Yes…but I have learned that a good percentage of 5-star ratings are sycophants, friends or employees. A lot of the 1-stars are people who cannot be pleased with anything…but reading them thru will reveal a product that is defective.
(The ratings I linked were of the product which popped-up first in your link, Karl…. sorry if I missed your intent.)

[hilltop170]

I have replaced my Land/Taxi and Nav and interior instrument/cabin lighting ALL are L.E.D.

George
Did you change your mind? Last time we discussed landing lights you were convinced incandescent landing lights were superior to LEDs.

I’m interested in your apparent change of opinion.

[GAHorn]

The earliest LED land/taxi lamps I tried were disappointing…. to me they had a narrow “temperature” band of illumination. The center of their beam was bright-enough but there was less definition in periphery. Objects not directly in the “beam” or center of focus didn’t illuminate.
I tried a few of them and was so disappointed I re-sold them or gave them away. Incandescent lamps had what is probably called more “scatter”…a broader temp-range that “filled-in” the objects not directly in the center-of-focus.”
Since then, the available products in the industry has improved and some either have broader temp-range or are better able to fill-in the periphery for me. (or perhaps I have learned to detect it better…. because my vision certainly hasn’t improved any.)