Dead battery - Page 2

Mel · #11 10-19-2010, 06:39 AM

I just hooked up the alternator "idiot light". Engine not running or alternator failure illuminates a big red light.

Gary 40274 · #12 10-19-2010, 06:43 AM

If you leave your strobes on all the time it is obvious as you close up the hanger that the master is still on. Works for me!

Gary Specketer

NDrv8r · #13 10-19-2010, 07:24 PM

Thanks for all the comments.

Turning the master off concerns me because it would put circuitry somewhere in the master control circuitry. I don't think I would want to introduce a single point failure node.

Panel lights won't do. We have standby horizons in our Encores that are lit up real nice when the master is off....until the standby battery is dead.

Check lists are great, until you are distracted. Any one hear of a gear up landing?

So if any of my hypothesis has any validity, you may want a short period of time with the master on after engine shut down. Now the line guy wants a fuel order, and your wife is reminding you of whatever, how much time till the noisy beeper goes off? 1 minute? 2?

apkp777 · #14 10-19-2010, 07:28 PM

My shut down check list has me leave my strobes on. Usually works! See my picture in post #2. For what ever reason that day I turned the strobes off. About an hour or so later I realized that, and headed back to the airport and discovered the master was on. The picture tells the rest of the story.

NDrv8r · #15 10-19-2010, 07:46 PM

Taxiing in with the strobes on is effective, but kind of bright for folks on the line. With this gizmo, it can parallel the strobe switch and turn it on. In this mode, it does not change how you operate your strobes, or introduce a failure point

Danny King · #16 10-19-2010, 08:30 PM

When in doubt think: KISS

David-aviator · #17 10-20-2010, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny King

When in doubt think: KISS

I agree.

Shutting the master switch off is like pulling your zipper up before leaving a rest room. Failure to do so can be embarrassing.

Just one of the consequences of being human.

DGlaeser · #18 10-20-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

... How about a stenciled "Check Master!" warning by the hangar door? ...
Paul

I have a 'hangar exit' checklist posted on the door:
A/C switches OFF, Compressor OFF, Hangar Door Latched, Lights OFF
Not that I've ever forgotten any of those things of course, but just in case

SteinAir · #19 10-20-2010, 05:26 PM

Along the same lines, be careful charging your battery. TWO pretty good RV-10 owners on this site have had some serious mis-fortune as a result of a dead battery. In order to protect said individuals we'll refer to them as "A" and "B".

A) Ran the battery dead by leaving the master on over night. Next day hooked up his handy prewired accesible battery leads after double checking power/ground hookup with his multi-meter. Next day he went out and turned on the master switch to many loud pops/bangs and smoke got let out of many wires - all in about a half second. After much study and picking up his multi-meter to do some troubleshooting, he noticed the red lead and black leads were reversed....yep, the battery was happy as a clam to be charged backwards. LOTS of expensive electronics had to be fixed.

B) Ran the battery dead playing with things in the hangar. Put on the charger when he went home and forgot to take it off of the high setting. Came back the next morning to lots of which fuzz around the wing/fuse section, all over the floor, etc.. Turns out his lead/acid battery boiled over and leaked the stuff all over the bottom of the plane, ruining lots of interior, cables, wire, etc.. Many hours with a toothbrush/water/baing soda to fix it, not to mention all of the parts that were ruined.

Anyway, just wanted to point out that you need to take care when charging batteries. I have many such stories, but those are two directly related to dead batteries. The smallest of innocent mistakes can cost lots of money. My apologies to "A" & "B", but hopefully nobody will know who you are!

Cheers,
Stein

airguy · #20 10-21-2010, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman CYYJ

If you are going to that much trouble in circuit design why not have it turn the master power off. That way you won't have to go back to your plane.

You certainly wouldn't want it powering down your master in flight after you lose the alternator. If you happen to be IMC and shooting an approach at the time that would be MOST inconvenient...