Plane Power alternator

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

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...

Mine was 2006-2007 vintage.... nothing but problems.

[rv6ejguy]

Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000

Mine was 2006-2007 vintage.... nothing but problems.

Yup, have heard of a few problems with older ones but waaay more with ones built after 2013 or so.

Good for everyone to post their experiences. Do you know what failed inside?

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

Yup, have heard of a few problems with older ones but waaay more with ones built after 2013 or so.

Good for everyone to post their experiences. Do you know what failed inside?

No. I couldn’t find anyone locally willing to work on it since it was an airplane alternator, nor would planepower/hartzel. It was actually planepowers unwillingness to even inspect it (instead suggesting that I should buy a new one) that was actually the biggest problem.

[skylor]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

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...

Alternator short to ground doesn't have to happen frequently, it just has to happen once for someone to have a really bad day. It did happen to the poster that I was responding to and he was fortunate enough to be using a battery with a "Battery Management System" otherwise his situation might have been much worse! Here's what Bob Nuckolls has to say about this:

Originally published June 1998

(The following is an e-mail question I sent to Bob Nuckolls of The Aeroelectric Connection and his response.)

Our local Chapter 1000 electrical guru raised the question of why people put large breakers on the B-lead of the alternator. His point was that it is impossible for the alternator to put out in excess of its rated amperage (excess voltage, of course, is possible).

I thought about it for a while, and came up with this: Is the purpose of the B-lead breaker to protect against the power windings or the diodes shorting to ground and thus the battery popping the breaker?

(The response

You are entirely correct . . . the fuse/breaker is used to protect the b-lead wire from BATTERY current should a diode or wire short in the alternator. This is such a rare event these days, I've moved b-lead protection out of the cockpit and onto the firewall in the form of an 80 amp fuse for a 60 amp alternator.

- Bob Nuckolls

Skylor

[Tim Lewis]

Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000

....It was actually planepowers unwillingness to even inspect it (instead suggesting that I should buy a new one) that was actually the biggest problem.

Same for me. Plane Power admitted there was a manufacturing issue with my PP alternator that caused the failure, they wouldn?t repair or provide a discount on a replacement. I ordered a new B&C that day. No problems with the B&C alternator, and B&C services what they sell if it ever has a problem.

No more PP products for me, ever.

[Chkaharyer99]

The pp in my RV-8 stopped producing electrons after almost 900 hours. The failed pp was installed by builder in 2008. Based on reports of reliability I?d say that may be above average.

I bought another pp from Vans (for less $$$) after learning Hartzell offered a trade in deal if you buy from them at a steep premium.

Just before quitting the voltage spiked to above 15 volts. Not gritty feeling when you rotate the pulley.

I?d like to know what failed. Likely the internal voltage regulator.

[rv6ejguy]

What is Hartzell thinking by not wanting fix problems for their customers? Wow.

They should be learning what the failures are, cause and remedy to improve the product and reputation. I don't get it. Are they trying to kill the product altogether?