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  #1  
Old 09-07-2016, 02:19 PM
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woodmanrog woodmanrog is offline
 
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Default Circuit Breaker Panel offering From Steinair

Yesterday I flew N199MJ back up to Sebastion (X26) to get a few issues corrected with software and got my first look at the circuit breaker panel that Stein made for us to replace the auto fuse type panel that came with our kit. We were never really comfortable with the fuses so we went with this prototype design as a replacement. It really is a work of art. I spoke with Stein and he informed me that the pricing would be similar as to what the fuse panel is as it varies with the way the panel is configured on each plane. IMHO, this is a superior way to go.
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  #2  
Old 09-07-2016, 02:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodmanrog View Post
We were never really comfortable with the fuses so we went with this prototype design as a replacement....IMHO, this is a superior way to go.
Can you tell us why?
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  #3  
Old 09-07-2016, 03:07 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
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Some folks just don't like fuses. When I expanded the electrical system on our aircraft to include an essential bus, I purchased all the fixin's to do so using fuses. After it took me more than a month to get started on the wiring I realized the delay in starting the job came about because I felt that nagging feeling that fuses were just not the right way for me to go. Once I had made up my mind (and found the real estate) to install an ESS Bus circuit breaker panel, I felt a wave of relief. I really hadn't understood how uncomfortable I was with having essential equipment powered by fuses which would, for all practical purposes, be inaccessible in flight. I guess I've just spent too much time in aircraft with circuit breakers.

To each his own - if you're like me and fuses make you uncomfortable, well, there are other options!
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Old 09-07-2016, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Canadian_JOY View Post
To each his own - if you're like me and fuses make you uncomfortable, well, there are other options!
Again, why do they make you uncomfortable?
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  #5  
Old 09-07-2016, 04:40 PM
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Veetail88 Veetail88 is offline
 
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Quote:
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Again, why do they make you uncomfortable?
Fobia de Cirquitus interuptus, just my guess!
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  #6  
Old 09-07-2016, 04:44 PM
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If you have a short in flight that will pop the CB, guess what, unless a miracle fixed that short that caused the CB to pop in the first place, it is going to pop again. I have fuses just like the millions of highly sophisticated vehicles on the road today.
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  #7  
Old 09-07-2016, 05:33 PM
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FWIW, I prefer CB's (and layout my custom panels as such), for things that are:

1) flight critical
2) Equip'd with processors that may need to be reset.
3) Equip that I may want to disable (ground ops mostly).
4) Items which I want the visible indicator of lost power which may otherwise go unnoticed (ie: field, elect ign, pitot heat).

Fuses are fine for everything else considered "non essential" equipment.
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Last edited by Walt : 09-07-2016 at 05:39 PM.
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  #8  
Old 09-07-2016, 06:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt View Post
FWIW, I prefer CB's (and layout my custom panels as such), for things that are:

1) flight critical
2) Equip'd with processors that may need to be reset.
3) Equip that I may want to disable (ground ops mostly).
4) Items which I want the visible indicator of lost power which may otherwise go unnoticed (ie: field, elect ign, pitot heat).

Fuses are fine for everything else considered "non essential" equipment.
Walt, could you offer an example of "flight critical", and state why a fuse would be inappropriate?

Resetting processors/ground disabling are maybe a bit more convenient with a pullable breaker, but there is no other advantage if the fuse block is accessible.

Lost power indication is interesting.
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  #9  
Old 09-07-2016, 07:15 PM
Aggie78 Aggie78 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanH View Post
Walt, could you offer an example of "flight critical", and state why a fuse would be inappropriate?

Resetting processors/ground disabling are maybe a bit more convenient with a pullable breaker, but there is no other advantage if the fuse block is accessible.

Lost power indication is interesting.
I'll not comment on what's appropriate/inappropriate...but I will mention an incident that happened to me once...

Most glider electrics use fuses, not CB's...for reasons I won't bore you with.

One time while flying, an inadvertent tug on some poor wiring I'd done caused a momentary short and my electric vario and nav computer went Tango Uniform as the fuses blew.

Those items are pretty important to staying up (finding lift) and getting home.

Flying (and replacing fuses) became a very challenging proposition, especially the lower I got....locating the baggie with the spare fuses, digging them out in, and getting the right sizes in the right holes....took way more effort than I expected.

Note: this was NOT in a fuse block, but individual "twist type" front load fuse holders like:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...clickkey=13832

Did I mention that when you start getting really stressed, your fine motor skills (such as handling small glass fuses) go to hell?

Better wiring practices once I got home prevented another occurrence, but after that I flew with what I considered "essential fuses" taped under a piece of clear tape close by the relevant fuse holders.

Wouldn't want to be messing around with something like that while IFR...and that's why I like the easy reset capability of CB's vs using fuses.

My 2 cents.
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  #10  
Old 09-07-2016, 07:27 PM
Canadian_JOY Canadian_JOY is offline
 
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You ask a good question, Dan. Why do fuses make me uneasy? Well, we use them in cars, but when the blow, we pull over to the side of the road to replace them. This renders somewhat inappropriate the car analogy used by many fuse fans.

Have you ever heard a CB pop in flight? That audible "ping" of a breaker popping is a "feature" that isn't available in fuses. When I purchased that stock of fuses I made sure they were the type with an LED that glows when the fuse has burned open - score a point for this type of fuse because I haven't seen any reasonably-priced CB's that come with that type of simple open-circuit indication system.

I tend to sympathize with Walt's comments on flight critical devices. I have an EFIS powered through a circuit breaker. While not a common happening, having to cycle power on complex electronic devices to give the box a cold re-start isn't unheard of (thankfully, not something I've had to do in my aircraft). I've done that same "hard reset" with equipment that spans a range from auto-flight computers in heavies, EFIS systems in homebuilts, targeting computers in attack helicopters and even a HUD in a particularly special Hercules. I've had CBs pop in radar systems when they were sparked up in very cold conditions.

Without doubt there are many instances where resetting a circuit breaker in flight is unwise (I can think of one particularly embarrassing situation where a DC-9 had its flush motor CB reset several times, resulting in a fire in the loo - definitely NOT a good situation). I can also rhyme off quite a few instances in my own experience where resetting a CB was a necessary action. In an operational situation, one has to make an evaluation of the situation literally "on the fly". I guess it's this individual act of setting our personal risk tolerance that may dictate whether we want to have the option to mess with a CB, or to let the fuse have the final say.
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