skippydiesel

Great stuff - It puzzles me that the principals espoused/developed by Mike Arnold (& a few others), that allow for extraordinarily fuel efficient airframes, do not seem to be adopted, to any great extent, by small aircraft factory/kit aircraft manufactures (there are exceptions) Thanks😈

Hi All, To assist with decision making, I urgently need need feedback on the following; Seems that the easy options have narrowed to; B&C AVC1/XB199-2 - An external 14V shunt type VR, designed for use with single phase permanent magnet alternators up to 20A. Claimed to be a drop-in unit including wire connections. Adjustable. Appears to require the retention of the Capacitor. https://bandc.com/product/avc1-advanced-voltage-controller-14v-homebuilt/ Schick GR6b-OVP 12V is a compact AC rectifier-regulator, believed to be MOSFET, useable for Rotax-, Hirth- and Solo aircraft engines with lead and LiFePO4 batteries. It has been designed to provide a stable power supply minimizing interferences on the aircraft main electrical bus. It has a built in overvoltage monitoring device (OVP) that inhibits ignition of the thyristors if the battery voltage exceeds 15V. Adjustable. No mention of any need for a Capacitor. Will require a bracket adapter be made and changes to wiring. https://www.aeroakku.com/REGULATORS/Schicke-Regulator-GR6b-OVP-12V::1901.html?language=en CARMO CARR5115 MOSFET Claimed to be more effective, generate less heat than original, leading greater reliability - suitable for lithium ion batteries 14.6V / 39A. No Capacitor required. Local supplier. Will require wiring changes & fabrication of an adapter bracket https://www.vectriqparts.com.au/product/rotax-voltage-regulator-carr5115/ I await your responses with anticipation😈

FYI - Very Useful Article On Rotax Electrical Power System curtesy of Vans Air Force forum https://pointsforpilots.blogspot.com/2012/12/testing-rotax-912914-generator-and.html Also; https://vansairforce.net/threads/yet-another-voltage-regulator-failure.123402/ 😈

Hi IBob, This is very much in the perception of the customer. Australian service providers, have improved markedly over the last 40 years or so, however remnants of the "take it or leave it" approach, still persist. I would like to think that market pressures will eventually result in unprofessional service becoming a rarity. Due to the small (undemanding?) Au market, this is unlikly in my lifetime. If COMO CARR5115 was the only option, I would be more inclined to put up with unprofessional service, however, by my count, there are now 7 alternatives to the Ducati VR. At least 4 of these are the current MOSFET standard. Some are cheaper some are more expensive - the range is approximately $200 -$735 Au (plus delivery cost) with the CARR5115 being sort of mid range. It should be noted that only a very few are "drop" in replacements. Most will require wiring changes, some fabrication of a new/adapter mounting bracket.😈

Another Option- https://www.trispark.com.au/products/mosfet-20-amp-voltage-rectifier-regulator Competitively priced at $199.65 Au (before delivery cost

Update; VECTRIQ have: Suddenly found they have the product in stock???? Still have not answered my questions. I am in error with the $164 above price - it is a much more reasonable + $83. I find I am a little uncomfortable with VECTRIQ"s service style - I may be better paying whatever extra and going with one of the overseas suppliers😈

FYI - Silent Hektik do not sell outside the EU. However some determined RV 12/USA pilots have found ways around this; https://vansairforce.net/threads/silent-hektik-voltage-regulator-install.130921/

To all - VECTRIQ (Australian agents for CARMO, maker of CARR5115 MOSFET) are coming across as somewhat lacking in professionalism; Take two days to respond to enquiries - phone contact not available. Do not have any product - want payment before back ordering. Do not answer my technical questions. Have at least two advertised prices ($52 Au difference). Would seem to be asking somewhere in the region of + $164 Au above makers advertised price B & C (USA - PMR1C-14 regulator) took less than 12 hrs to respond to my enquiry. They have replaced the AVC1 with the PRM1C-14. Looking good!😈

Thats interesting - I hadnt heard of a cabin heat system like the one you describe. From your descriptions it sounds like there is no chance of exhaust (CO) being drawn in to the heating system. Still I would be cautious - air flows in the engine compartment can be counterintuitive. 😈

In my aircraft system, at start up, there is only two small additional loads, my Dynon & iPad both come on with the Master Switch. Further electrical loads are all post start, these are transceiver, transponder (Ground). I don't have lights, which traditionally are a significant load. So whatever the battery is drawing to recharge, is only slightly reduced by additional loads.😈

Bit scary to say the east. CO poisoning is insidious and cockpit heaters, that run of the exhaust silencer (or similar), are to be suspected at all times. Be very very cautious,, even a pin hole in the wrong place could shorten your life.😈

From Rotax Owners Forum, Mike Miller "It’s been my experience the 965349 regulator fail from vibration. The potting compound is not rigid, think of the PCB as floating in jello (not sure if jello is a thing in Australia,) the PCB is held to the case by the eight wire leads of the rectifier and SCRs. The typical failure mode is a low voltage alarm at low and moderate RPMs (half wave operation) or no output at all. Typically it starts as an intermittent problem that worsens over time. Usually these regulators are easily repairable. The potting compound can be removed cleanly with simple tools and minimal effort. The picture of potting compound removal sequence spanned less that 10 minutes from start to finish, but I’ve had a little practice. Inspect the eight locations in the second photo for broken connections and re-solder as needed. The SCR leads may look ok, inspect them carefully, often they can be lifted off the board with your finger nail. The rectifier leads should have a cone of solder up from the board to the cut lead, what you usually find is a crater of solder with the disconnected lead coming through the center. If a lead falls off as you solder it, that’s an indication the failure point was at the body of the component and it won’t be repairable without replacing that component, I’ve only seen this happen once. If you we’re successful and removed the potting compound in one one piece, you can resecure it with RTV, after confirming it’s fixed." 😈

"No need for capacitor ........" Does this mean that the capacitor is redundant?😈

Thanks Aro - No one else has mentioned the high current/Earth X possibility. All the more reason to go with a more recent VR, that specifically claims compatibility with LiFePo4 battery's😈

Thats good to hear😈

Found another aftermarket offering - https://www.aeroakku.com/REGULATORS/Schicke-Regulator-GR6b-OVP-12V::1901.html?language=en Shicke GR6b-OVP is a compact AC rectifier-regulator useable for Rotax😈

As I say - check out the Rotax Owners Forum. I suggest a cold wet day, warm fire, comfy chair - it will take you forever to plough through all the threads on this topic. Back to what I am hoping for - some experince /insight into the alternative VR's on the market. Leaning towards the CARMO CARR5115 MOSFET It being, available locally, at the lower cost end, of the new breed of MOSFET type VR's & a plug/play without tricky voltage adjustments 😈

The above and more can be found at JayCar https://www.jaycar.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOordWIryCYPZQw4XoLujOqA8awaoP_EBpjA0wOG67PI7dDJ6x69G You can use wood, aluminium or steel, to make up spacers as required, to make a good fit in the top of the stick.😈

Glide approach (no power). Want to make a posative touch down. Raise flap, to dump lift, when at the point of touch down. You will make a shorter landing run and brakes will be effective from the start.😈

Check out Rotax Owner Forum - might take a day or two to read through the many pages of Rectifier issues. My aircarft is fitted with an Earth X battery - 14V indicated is the norm. Not the greatest understanding of electronics however my understanding of the 22000Mu capacitor, is to control/eliminate spikes which may interfere with other electronic systems on board, in particular the transceiver. No idea why anyone would turn of the Master Switch, on a running engine, unless may be a suspected electrical fire/overheat.😈

Yes - Rotax/Ducati rectifier/regulators have always been a weak point in the Rotax system. Check out the Rotax Owners Forum and you will find pages & pages, going back to the early day of the 912, on this topic. In general the failures are put down to locating the unit in a high temperature and or vibration environment. Poor connections and/or earthing. However it seems that no matter what care is taken the service life can be from as little as under a 100 hrs to 500 hrs or so. The above mentioned aftermarket VR's, particularly those that list Rotax as a compatible user, seem to be exploiting this weakness. My problem is I don't seem to be able to find much in the way of product reviews, to assist in making a selection.😈

Come on all you Rotax jockeys - This is a common problem. Must be lots of experience/opinions out there.😈

Aside from the need for/against weight the EarthX is clamed to have a much longer service life (10+years?). If true. the purchase price should be looked at as per annum cost when comparing with a conventional battery. I have one in my Sonex - its performance (still young at 2 years ) is astonishing, able to deliver great cranking power, even after several weeks of idleness.😈

I always go the "extra mile" to ground all of my 12V systems, so yes body & any designated terminals all back to battery Neg (-) not just to airframe.😈