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Appreciate the collective help and knowledge from folks on this form. Trying to figure out if I am just having a bad EI gauge or if it is something bigger. I am currently asking around on a good A&P, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
So the problem was noted earlier this summer, but due to work I didn't get it looked at right away. Then after looking at the gauge and thinking through the limited electrical knowledge and processes I know, I made the decision to fly it and get it to its wintering spot in Birchwood (from FBX).
Aircraft is a 1976 Cessna 150, 12 volt system; alternator/battery. So, starting earlier this summer (July) during local touch and go's at Fairbanks, I noticed my EI VA-1A voltage/amp meter reading high, I believe it was in the 30 volt range, but the high voltage light was not illuminated. One would think so and no circuit breakers (CB) were popped.
Left for about 3 months and returned (October) and needed to get the aircraft to Birchwood. So preflight check evening before I leave the next morning; Master On/Engine Off volts read 119.8 (impossible), discharge light on. No way a 12 volt battery is kicking out 120 volts. Check breakers, wire connectors (were could, not that I really knew what I was looking for), and checked battery fluid level. All looked fine. So I fired her up. Fired up fine, no issues; Master On/Engine On reading 152.9 volts/ 26.9 amps, No High Voltage Light. Thinking no way, no CB's popped, avionics working fine, no smelling burning wires. Decide to do a few TnG's. As I'm taxing, around 800 rpm, discharge light comes on...hmmm...that's weird, never did that before, idle up to 1000+ rpm, light goes out. Bad connector? Do 6 TnG's, volts and amps drop slowly, but still reading high at the end of an hour flight, not the normal 14-ish it normally reads. All avionics working fine.
Fly home the next day, alls fine besides the excessively high volts and amps. 2.7 to PABV and a beautiful flight. As I'm going along, watching the volts slowly tick down, less and less, until about 2/3's the way home it's steady at 14.2 and holding.
Plane sits another 10 days, go to do a flight. Master on/engine off, volts read 180-ish, discharge light on, NO high voltage light. At this point I'm like it's got to be the gauge. Fire her up, all is well, starts fine. Master On/Engine on, still reading 180-ish on the volts, but now the discharge light it still on.....hmmmm, alternator failed??? Let her run for about 7 minutes, no fading of the avionics if I where just running off the battery, but then again probably not long enough.
So check what fuses are under the panel, all's good, nothing looks burnt, so now I'm pretty much stumped and trying to someone who knows electronics.
Anything I'm not considering may be the issue.....
Any suggestions on who to take it to at PABV or the surrounding area....
Appreciate the feedback and help.
Thanks
[IMG]http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/15/f46e96d7c589c171b5858fe1d9e6dfae.jpg
[/IMG]
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
So the problem was noted earlier this summer, but due to work I didn't get it looked at right away. Then after looking at the gauge and thinking through the limited electrical knowledge and processes I know, I made the decision to fly it and get it to its wintering spot in Birchwood (from FBX).
Aircraft is a 1976 Cessna 150, 12 volt system; alternator/battery. So, starting earlier this summer (July) during local touch and go's at Fairbanks, I noticed my EI VA-1A voltage/amp meter reading high, I believe it was in the 30 volt range, but the high voltage light was not illuminated. One would think so and no circuit breakers (CB) were popped.
Left for about 3 months and returned (October) and needed to get the aircraft to Birchwood. So preflight check evening before I leave the next morning; Master On/Engine Off volts read 119.8 (impossible), discharge light on. No way a 12 volt battery is kicking out 120 volts. Check breakers, wire connectors (were could, not that I really knew what I was looking for), and checked battery fluid level. All looked fine. So I fired her up. Fired up fine, no issues; Master On/Engine On reading 152.9 volts/ 26.9 amps, No High Voltage Light. Thinking no way, no CB's popped, avionics working fine, no smelling burning wires. Decide to do a few TnG's. As I'm taxing, around 800 rpm, discharge light comes on...hmmm...that's weird, never did that before, idle up to 1000+ rpm, light goes out. Bad connector? Do 6 TnG's, volts and amps drop slowly, but still reading high at the end of an hour flight, not the normal 14-ish it normally reads. All avionics working fine.
Fly home the next day, alls fine besides the excessively high volts and amps. 2.7 to PABV and a beautiful flight. As I'm going along, watching the volts slowly tick down, less and less, until about 2/3's the way home it's steady at 14.2 and holding.
Plane sits another 10 days, go to do a flight. Master on/engine off, volts read 180-ish, discharge light on, NO high voltage light. At this point I'm like it's got to be the gauge. Fire her up, all is well, starts fine. Master On/Engine on, still reading 180-ish on the volts, but now the discharge light it still on.....hmmmm, alternator failed??? Let her run for about 7 minutes, no fading of the avionics if I where just running off the battery, but then again probably not long enough.
So check what fuses are under the panel, all's good, nothing looks burnt, so now I'm pretty much stumped and trying to someone who knows electronics.
Anything I'm not considering may be the issue.....
Any suggestions on who to take it to at PABV or the surrounding area....
Appreciate the feedback and help.
Thanks
[IMG]http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/15/f46e96d7c589c171b5858fe1d9e6dfae.jpg
[/IMG]
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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