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  #21  
Old 09-09-2008, 01:10 PM
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N941WR N941WR is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmcjetpilot View Post
...Regardless there are pros and cons. Not to bash any one, E-mag has had their share of connector problems. I have talked to Klaus and I like him, but he is blunt. All the best...
George, you keep talking about their connector problems and in 190+ hours over one year with two P-mags, I haven't had a single problem related to the connector. In talking with Emag Air the trick is to secure the wire tightly in the provided adel clamp so the wires can't move and break. Here is a picture of what I'm talking about.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RVadmirer View Post
Now that Lightspeed has abandoned my installation I'm researching P-Mag. With one Slick remaining is there a compelling reason to use the built in alternator feature of the P-version vs. the E-version without it?
Thanks.
Not to take thake this thread down a Lightspeed vs. E/P-mag path...

The choice is yours. Should you replace your slick with a P-mag, you can keep the Lightspeed in place and still get home, should one fail. Knowing you want to replace the Lightspeed, go with the P-mag. The electronics are the same, the only difference is the P-mag can power itself, should you have an electrical problem. The installation is about the same, with the P-mag requiring a test switch on the power feed.
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Last edited by N941WR : 09-09-2008 at 01:15 PM.
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  #22  
Old 09-09-2008, 01:44 PM
RVadmirer RVadmirer is offline
 
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Default Clear the COnfusion

George: Thank you for your always detailed and thoughtful help and advice. I appreciate you taking the time to give it.

Walt: I agreed to pay his price but pointed out that I wasn't happy about it. Here are the facts; he used to use cheap connectors on the hall effect cover and probably to the igition box too. Mine, after 170 hours (which was my second Lightspeed failure in that time frame) and after 6 hours of sweating in the sun on a ramp in Iowa troubleshooting the system, pulled that plug, cleaned it and put it back, solving the problem. When I talked to him about it at Oshlosh he says "oh we started using better components and that problem went away and I'll be glad to sell you the right connector." I'm glad $135 (his price went up $10 in two weeks) is measily to you, it's not to me. What's most dissappointing is that he can be as rude and blunt as he wants but when you call him on it - he screws you. I'm glad you had better results. But the builders around me here (7 RVs, 1 Cozy , 1 Lancair and 2 Glassairs) are all very interested in this experience and I believe it should be made available for others to make up their own minds on the type of organization they want to do business with.

Steve: See above, my issue is a cheap D-connector that now has now failed twice in 25 hours and put several people in very inconvenient situations besides me due to scheduling etc. But to answer your question most of the private mail I've gotten has all said to either toss the whole thing and go with better quality brands though possibly less performance by miniscule amounts or at least to switch over to the crank sensor. All say to avoid the Hall Effect if that helps your decision. But since Klaus won't sell me anything that's not going to happen. Don't tick him off or he will just abandon you and you are out the thousand plus dollars you gave him.

Bill: I'm keeping the Slick so I assumed a non P type E-Mag would be proper. I don't have that backup now on the LS EI so could really use the savings I see in priceing between the P and the E-mags.

Naturally if anybody wants an LS II+, with Hall Effect and want to pay LS for the connectors that should have been used in the first place mine will be available soon......

Last edited by RVadmirer : 09-09-2008 at 01:47 PM.
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  #23  
Old 09-09-2008, 02:04 PM
vic syracuse vic syracuse is offline
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What is the actual problem with the connector? Is it the male one at the end of the cable that attaches to the sensor module, or is it the one that is the female portion of the sensor? I, too, have one of these on my RV-7A. I only have 70 hours on it, but the seal within the hall effect appears to be leaking.
I had the direct crank sensor on my 10, and it worked flawlessly. I thought the hall effect would be quicker to get completed, but I am now wondering about my decision.
Vic
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  #24  
Old 09-09-2008, 02:15 PM
RVadmirer RVadmirer is offline
 
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Vic,
The connectors used about 2 years ago were gold plated but it was very thin. I don't know if it is corrosion or what (I live in a dry climate but we do have winter fog), but I was told to pull it apart, clean it and plug it in and out a few times before tightening up the screws. That solved the problem for 25 hours. I figured I'd just clean it at each conditional. Not something that should have to be added to a checklist but for $135 I can spend 15 minutes a year for awhile. However, at a runup recently when people were waiting for me as a marine layer was temporarily receded I had the second failure. I went through most of the troubleshooting because I didn't think it would be the same thing so soon - silly me. If you have the newer ones they went to a more appropriate product with heavier plating, if computer connectors can be considered appropriate for aircraft applications under the cowlings. And this is supposed to have fixed "most" of the problems with them. As I said before, those with a lot of LS experience say the crank sensor is best. I already have one on a new engine built for my plane but it's coming off and going on sale too.
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  #25  
Old 09-09-2008, 02:30 PM
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Radomir Radomir is offline
 
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If the price is right, I'll take that LSE off your hands.. I don't need/want the hall effect as I have the crank sensor, though.. (and wouldn't want it any other way..)
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  #26  
Old 09-09-2008, 02:35 PM
vic syracuse vic syracuse is offline
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So, if Radomir takes the ignition, and you are left with the crank sensor, and I can get it to connect to the same wiring as the hall effect, then I will take that off of your hands.

Vic
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Built RV-4, RV-6, 2-RV-10's, RV-7A, RV-8, Prescott Pusher, Kitfox Model II, Kitfox Speedster, Kitfox 7 Super Sport, Just Superstol, DAR, A&P/IA, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor, CFII-ASMEL/ASES
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  #27  
Old 09-09-2008, 07:00 PM
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Walt Walt is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vic syracuse View Post
So, if Radomir takes the ignition, and you are left with the crank sensor, and I can get it to connect to the same wiring as the hall effect, then I will take that off of your hands.

Vic
If you're going to install the crank sensor it's best just to install the complete harness back to the box, the time you spend cutting and installing a new connector you could just route the whole thing and be done with it, you'll also have one less failure point.
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EXP Aircraft Services LLC
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  #28  
Old 09-09-2008, 07:20 PM
RVadmirer RVadmirer is offline
 
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Of course that would depend on who built the harness.....
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  #29  
Old 09-09-2008, 07:27 PM
vic syracuse vic syracuse is offline
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I sealed up all of the firewall penetrations, so I would just as soon put a high grade connector on the engine side of the firewall. I have one mag and one LSE, so hopefully they wouldn't both fail at the same time. At least, that is my thinking.

Vic
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Built RV-4, RV-6, 2-RV-10's, RV-7A, RV-8, Prescott Pusher, Kitfox Model II, Kitfox Speedster, Kitfox 7 Super Sport, Just Superstol, DAR, A&P/IA, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor, CFII-ASMEL/ASES
Kitplanes "Unairworthy" monthly feature
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  #30  
Old 09-09-2008, 07:29 PM
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Walt Walt is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVadmirer View Post
George: Thank you for your always detailed and thoughtful help and advice. I appreciate you taking the time to give it.

Walt: I agreed to pay his price but pointed out that I wasn't happy about it. Here are the facts; he used to use cheap connectors on the hall effect cover and probably to the igition box too. Mine, after 170 hours (which was my second Lightspeed failure in that time frame) and after 6 hours of sweating in the sun on a ramp in Iowa troubleshooting the system, pulled that plug, cleaned it and put it back, solving the problem. When I talked to him about it at Oshlosh he says "oh we started using better components and that problem went away and I'll be glad to sell you the right connector." I'm glad $135 (his price went up $10 in two weeks) is measily to you, it's not to me. What's most dissappointing is that he can be as rude and blunt as he wants but when you call him on it - he screws you. I'm glad you had better results. But the builders around me here (7 RVs, 1 Cozy , 1 Lancair and 2 Glassairs) are all very interested in this experience and I believe it should be made available for others to make up their own minds on the type of organization they want to do business with.

Naturally if anybody wants an LS II+, with Hall Effect and want to pay LS for the connectors that should have been used in the first place mine will be available soon......
I understand your frustration but this just sounds like a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water. I'm not trying to be rude but really, $135 is chump change compared to what we have invested in these planes

But I am also the kind of guy that changes parts before they wear out, I change the oil before it needs it, pull the cowl to look for problems if I'm bored, switched from carb to FI because I wanted to save $4.50/hr (), installed a 496 cause I wanted to be safer traveling with onboard weather... anyway you get the idea. So yes in the big picture $135 is "measly", heck it don't even fill the gas tank anymore

And just for the record I'm a workin stiff with 3 kids, 2 in college and a wife that works full time to help support it all so I ain't rollin in dough... but when it comes to the airplane, she gets nothing but the best parts and the best maintenance possible, in return I expect she'll never let me down
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Walt Aronow, DFW, TX (52F)

EXP Aircraft Services LLC
Specializing in RV Condition Inspections, Maintenance, Avionics Upgrades
Dynamic Prop Balancing, Pitot-Static Altmeter/Transponder Certification
FAA Certified Repair Station, AP/IA/FCC GROL, EAA Technical Counselor
Authorized Garmin G3X Dealer/Installer
RV7A built 2004, 1700+ hrs, New Titan IO-370, Bendix Mags
Website: ExpAircraft.com, Email: walt@expaircraft.com, Cell: 972-746-5154
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