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  #1  
Old 02-07-2020, 07:43 AM
RV Aviator RV Aviator is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 3
Default Plane Power alternator

Failed after less than 200 hours. Internal electrical issues only let it charge at 30 amps . half the rated capacity.

I did some research and learned that the Plane Power products are from Taiwan where the B&C products are from Japan and are of much better quality.

Always interesting what you learn.
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  #2  
Old 02-07-2020, 09:21 AM
RV7 To Go RV7 To Go is offline
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 263
Default

Interesting indeed....my new Vans supplied 60A PP failed after 2 hours.... runaway which blew the field fuse. Took it into a local alt/starter shop. They told me a rectifier failed taking out the regulator. Said the parts were automotive. Repaired for $100 and still working after 350 hrs.
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  #3  
Old 02-07-2020, 10:18 AM
terrykohler terrykohler is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,009
Default Recent Alternator Poll on the Forum

Showed that over a fairly large sample size, alternator failure before 250 hours:

Plane Power - 28%
Vans Auto Alternators (Nippondenso) - 18%
B & C - 3%

the Nippondenso units can be purchased at most auto parts stores for under $100. NAPA offers a lifetime warranty. I'm on my fourth at just under 1300 TTAE.

B&C runs (i think) about $800 and does not have a lifefime warranty. Your choice.

Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
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  #4  
Old 02-07-2020, 10:52 AM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 3,351
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by terrykohler View Post
Showed that over a fairly large sample size, alternator failure before 250 hours:

Plane Power - 28%
Vans Auto Alternators (Nippondenso) - 18%
B & C - 3%

the Nippondenso units can be purchased at most auto parts stores for under $100. NAPA offers a lifetime warranty. I'm on my fourth at just under 1300 TTAE.

B&C runs (i think) about $800 and does not have a lifefime warranty. Your choice.

Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
From my point of view, when cost is a consideration, one need to look at the hassle that is involved in any of these failures. If an alternator fails at my home airport, it is not as big of a hassle but if it fails while I am on a trip many miles away, it is a much bigger hassle. Therefore I want the most reliable alternator. I have had B&C and in my last plane and my new with zero issue thus far.
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  #5  
Old 02-07-2020, 11:06 AM
bardample bardample is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Mansfield Australia
Posts: 19
Default

My PP Alternator failed at 200 hrs, when the stator shorted out on the casing. It caused the battery management system in the EarthX battery to shut off current from battery. No flaps , no trim and fortunately no fire. The company gave me a new Alternator as replacement ( which is good ) but no explanation why the failure. I have now purchased B & C Although. Hope this is a better product.
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  #6  
Old 02-07-2020, 11:36 AM
skylor's Avatar
skylor skylor is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Southern California
Posts: 882
Default ANL Current Limiter

Quote:
Originally Posted by bardample View Post
My PP Alternator failed at 200 hrs, when the stator shorted out on the casing. It caused the battery management system in the EarthX battery to shut off current from battery. No flaps , no trim and fortunately no fire. The company gave me a new Alternator as replacement ( which is good ) but no explanation why the failure. I have now purchased B & C Although. Hope this is a better product.
This and rectifier diodes shorting to ground on failure are well known failure modes of all alternators and is THE reason why ANL current limiters are recommended to be used in the alternator B-Lead circuit.

Skylor
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  #7  
Old 02-07-2020, 02:45 PM
Noah's Avatar
Noah Noah is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 937
Default

I'm coming up on 1200 hrs on my 10 yr old 60 amp PP alternator with no issues. Whether you have problems or not might not be simply a matter of brand, it might be a matter of vintage.
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All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men? for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. -T.E. Lawrence
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  #8  
Old 02-07-2020, 04:30 PM
jakej jakej is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 129
Default PP Alt failures

”From my point of view, when cost is a consideration, one need to look at the hassle that is involved in any of these failures. If an alternator fails at my home airport, it is not as big of a hassle but if it fails while I am on a trip many miles away, it is a much bigger hassle. Therefore I want the most reliable alternator. I have had B&C and in my last plane and my new with zero issue thus far.”

That is a big issue in our country due to the tyranny of distances between major population centres & scarcity of maintenance facilities (FBO’s) , & most likely there will not be spares immediately available.

“I'm coming up on 1200 hrs on my 10 yr old 60 amp PP alternator with no issues. Whether you have problems or not might not be simply a matter of brand, it might be a matter of vintage.”

Good luck to you however IMO & experience its like a lottery ( & should not be that way) , I’ve replace 8 PP alternators in the last 16 months for various customers, including my own, & I NEVER want to buy them again. YMMV obviously ��

Last edited by jakej : 02-07-2020 at 04:39 PM.
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  #9  
Old 02-07-2020, 05:11 PM
rv6ejguy's Avatar
rv6ejguy rv6ejguy is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 5,766
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by skylor View Post
This and rectifier diodes shorting to ground on failure are well known failure modes of all alternators and is THE reason why ANL current limiters are recommended to be used in the alternator B-Lead circuit.

Skylor
Not seeing these types of failures frequently (or even infrequently) on genuine Densos with genuine Denso parts inside on customer and friend's airplanes or cars. But let's add that metric here in the poll and feedback if folks know what has actually failed.

Almost everbody I know with old vintage PP alternators (around 10 years old +) have had long life from them so far, some with over 1500 hours to date and zero issues.

Almost everyone who has a newer one has had much lower life.

There seems to be big differences in the quality of parts inside the old and new units...
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Turbo Subaru EJ22, SDS EFI, Marcotte M-300, IVO, Shorai- RV6A C-GVZX flying from CYBW since 2003- 441.0 hrs. on the Hobbs,
RV10 95% built- Sold 2016
http://www.sdsefi.com/aircraft.html
http://sdsefi.com/cpi2.htm


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  #10  
Old 02-07-2020, 05:27 PM
Fred.Stucklen's Avatar
Fred.Stucklen Fred.Stucklen is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brooksville, FL
Posts: 356
Default PP Failures

Quote:
Originally Posted by rv6ejguy View Post
Not seeing these types of failures frequently (or even infrequently) on genuine Densos with genuine Denso parts inside on customer and friend's airplanes or cars. But let's add that metric here in the poll and feedback if folks know what has actually failed.

Almost everbody I know with old vintage PP alternators (around 10 years old +) have had long life from them so far, some with over 1500 hours to date and zero issues.

Almost everyone who has a newer one has had much lower life.

There seems to be big differences in the quality of parts inside the old and new units...
I'll second that notion. Mine is over ten years old with over 1700 Hrs on it....
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RV-7A N924RV Flying (1825 Hrs & counting)
RV-6A N926RV 875 Hrs (Sold)
RV-6A N925RV 2008 Hrs (Sold)
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