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I have added a B and C spline alternator on the Rotax as a back up and to supply the power for heated pitot, MFD and VOR/ILS.
I am installing the Silent-Hektik from Vans And I would like to add a switch to turn the alternator off in case of a failure. I have searched this forum and I am unclear as to what wire I should be using to switch off the alternator when using the Silent-Hektik VR. The Z16 drawing shows the C wire connected to the alt on off switch. Would this be the same for the Silent-Hektik? |
I'm about to install the Vans Aircraft Silent Hektik voltage regulator kit in our 2015 RV-12. We just had our first VR failure last week at 200 hrs. The current Ducati regulator is mounted in the cockpit under the avionics shelf.
Question: Has anyone mounted the SH in the same position under the avionics shelf and measured the temperatures of the SH VR? That's what I would like to try first. I know this is not the Van's-approved installation position. The salesman told me that when I phoned in my order, but he couldn't give me evidence of failure other than to say VRs need a lot of cooling and the only approved method is to move the mounting for the new SH VR to the engine compartment location, cut a hole in the top of my nice cowling, and install the NACA scoop. I've spent many hours searching and found many inventive ideas for cooling the Ducati and JD VRs, and a few (like Torsen in his blog) using the SH VR, but proof of success or failure is more or less anecdotal: it either failed again or it hasn't failed yet. Note that Torsen did measure temps when he put his SH VR in the radiator cooling housing, and the final note of his blog (where did he go?) was that the temps were surprisingly higher than he had hoped. |
Why do some of the RV-12 VR's die young?
I bought a SH from a motorcycle shop in England. My airplane had the VR in the original location. I copied some other people on here and just moved it a little more left, to get it out of the air stream of the radiator. I then put in a scat tube that draws air out of the air channel on the left side of the engine compartment (where the radiator is mounted). I put a thermal strip on it and 135C is the highest temperature on the VR. There are some pictures of my installation on page 31 of what changes have you made to your RV-12 on this web site.
Again, my idea was not original. I got it from some creative guy on this web site. But it is working fine and has been installed for about 6 months and over 50 hours. |
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You may see images here https://m.facebook.com/magic.carpet....=page_internal I posted the mod here at VAF too. http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...&postcount=306 |
I thought about installing the SH in the cockpit but SH says in their installation instructions and printed on the VR to not install in the cockpit. I bit the bullet and installed it per Vans instructions.
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VR Regulator
Installed as Vans Instructions, was able to install scoop before AC was painted, otherwise simple install. Works great so far with 48 hours. GL Ben
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Could a dead (or dying) voltage regulator cause fatal damage to a stator?
I ask, because my battery is no longer charging. My Ducati VR showed signs of failure (bulges on the black underside) so I replaced it with a new one, but the battery still isn?t charging. Next step will be to test the stator. If that needs replacing too, I?m wondering whether the VR and stator failures are linked, or just coincidental. |
In the automotive world, electrical failures are usually linked. Diodes fail, or voltage regulator fails, puts excessive load on generator or alternator, eats up the brushes, bulges and overcharges the battery, and sooner or later you see blue smoke for the whole charging system.
I would suspect it's the same on a Rotax motor and RV-12 electrical system. |
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Disconnect the stator wires from the regulator. The resistance between the two yellow wires coming from the stator should be between .1 and .8 ohms (from Rotax mtc manual).
Alex |
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