Alternator Reliability Poll

[BillL]

Originally Posted by jimgreen

I can't add it to the poll, but my PlanePower 60a alternator just quit after 261hrs. Internal wiring failure due to movement of the stator according to the technician.

Warranty??

[Chkaharyer99]

I have a Plane Power Alternator on my RV8 with close to 750 hours. I'm considering a change to an electronically dependent ignition. I will change my alternator to B&C first. I recently install a B&C starter and I'm very pleased. B&C has a reputation for reliability.

[jimgreen]

Originally Posted by BillL

Warranty??

Too long, Bill. Bought the alternator back in 2009 though it didn't fly til 2012.
It's the same problem with most of the stuff we buy, warranty runs from date of purchase.

[lance savage]

don't know if this helps anyone, but my PP alternator crapped out at 190 hours.

had a loose wire into 60 amp breaker but after a quick check of alternator, I found it to be the Voltage Regulator,

you can buy the part from aircraft spruce for 89 bucks. Plane power no. is 11-1043 regulator, brush assembly.
Spruce no is 07-17968.

Tim gault, Plane power tech guy, said more times than not, its the regulator.
a quick check on the alternator is to energize the field by flipping the master switch. with belt off pulley, rotate pulley and if you feel resistance or tugging as you turn, you have a magnetic field. after that, chances are either the bridge rectifier or regulator, once you remove the regulator/brush ***. its easy to do a quick check on the stator as well. the rectifier is a bit more tricky as you have to carefully straighten the 4 wire contacts to remove for check. if everything checks out, its the regulator.

hope this helps.

[Papa]

Well, I'll join the list of folks with an alternator failure...more specifically a voltage regulator failure. I have the Vans 60A with internal voltage regulator. About 20 minutes after take off I started to hear a wavering pitch in my headset. Checked the engine instruments on my Dynon, and sure enough...voltage and amps were all over the place. Saw voltage as high as 19 volts, and amps (normally around 3 to 5) jumping up to the 30-40 range. I turned off the field, and things settled out nicely...12.8 volts and -4 amps. The battery held its voltage well; on the ground 25 minutes later with 12.5 volts still showing. Now time to figure out how best to fix it.

BTW...170 hours on the alternator with a blast tube.

Papa

[n707sm]

Symptom with the primary, belt-driven alternator was its flickering panel light, along with a noticeable (new) whining in audio while Alternator was online.

Thankfully the 30A backup case-mount alternator was still putting out a solid 13.6V, so no immediate concern about an imminent lack of electrons. Even though the primary alternator appeared to be putting out 14.4V, with the whining and flickering light it was decided to go back to the hanger, pull the cowl and take a look.

All wiring secure, connector leads looked solid -- re-attached and ground-tested with no change in symptoms. Pulled alternator and took it to the bench. Found that one of the four winding leads (the one farthest from the Alternator output post) was broken just below the plastic stand-off that mates with the housing. All else looked fine; but we can add this PP alternator to the failure count, with broken internal wiring as the culprit.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Gz...hzh987ds-Bs1b7

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jr...Q3Vxft022CY4e5

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HY...c5N8QQGbmIVyI2

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eO...LGqDC5d8R-jprq

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pF...5dHi6DlXAKfmkf

Michael
2009 RV-7a, Barrett I-O 360, Paisley's EFII & Bus Manager, Dual ECU's, Batteries, and Alternators

[RV7 To Go]

My Plane Power 60A internally regulated alternator failed at 2 hrs ground run on a new engine and airframe. Runaway alternator which then blew the field fuse. Blast tube installed. The B&C 20A BU with external regulator worked fine. Took the PP in to a local alternator repair shop that found the regulator failed as well as a rectifier. Repaired for $100 and working fine since (about 90 hrs). If it goes again will replace with a B&C.
Al

[molson309]

Failed at 200 hours as evidenced by voltage alert light coming on. B&C repaired it at no cost to me.

[pjoshyjosh]

not sure what the conclusion is on this thread? Or if someone is compiling the data?

I just experienced what I believe is Alternator failure. Purchased RV9A on October with 404 hours. I now have 454 and on flight yesterday - about 15 mins in I noticed Current was acting a bit strange. about 30 mins later I started getting Voltage Low Warnings. Current started going to Zero and Negative. Landed uneventful into Bremerton and did a few ground runs after checking wires all seemed tight.

I'll have to get back up there tomorrow and poke around a bit more and maybe change the alternator (I happen to have a brand new spare).

Alternator is Vans original 60A with 454 hours.

[RV10inOz]

I have just had my second failure at around 900 odd hours and now at 1380, so not even 500 on the last one.

VPX starts shutting things down, so one wonders what the high frequency spikes are damaging along the way.

B&C about to be installed.