Van's Air Force
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Exciting Skytec electric mag
- Thread starter RV7Guy
- Start date
erich weaver
Well Known Member
Similar to pmags in that they generate their own power?
thanks
erich
thanks
erich
gmkonrad
Well Known Member
gmkonrad
Well Known Member
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Link isn't working for me at the moment.
Is the curve user configurable or locked down?
Is the curve user configurable or locked down?
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
One what--------Sky Tec, or Surefly???
Darwin referred to Sky Tec when he started this thread, how did Surefly get in the mix???
Or, did one of them spin off from the other???
Locked, not user configurable. I am promised a map and manual after OSH. Does have a few nice features.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Link works now. Interesting they are RIGHT in P-mag's backyard!
Saw At Oshkosh
I visited Sure-Fly booth at Oshkosh today. Units look first rate externally. TT on 4-cylinder prototype unit is 200 hrs, only 30 hrs on 6-cylinder. About $1500 for the 6-cylinder version. Zero advance at start, 25 degrees at idle, up to 38 degrees at lower manifold pressures. Timing slightly adjustable by rotating unit as done with mag. Company is shipping now.
I like the concept of all in one unit. Electroair requires three.
I visited Sure-Fly booth at Oshkosh today. Units look first rate externally. TT on 4-cylinder prototype unit is 200 hrs, only 30 hrs on 6-cylinder. About $1500 for the 6-cylinder version. Zero advance at start, 25 degrees at idle, up to 38 degrees at lower manifold pressures. Timing slightly adjustable by rotating unit as done with mag. Company is shipping now.
I like the concept of all in one unit. Electroair requires three.
Not much info on the web page, practically none except a coupe of videos of a plane running and flying on one. I was able to glean from the address they are next door to SkyTec, so we might deduce they are at least associated with
them. Too bad they're not next door to B&C.
Tim Andres
them. Too bad they're not next door to B&C.
Tim Andres
As a B&C fan you got a chuckle out of me Tim.
You were not entirely wrong. The Skytec starter and Plane Power alternator product lines have been sold to Hartzell Technologies. The "old" Skytec crew is now in the electronic ignition business. As you can imagine, the two groups have been spending time together.
Pat Stewart
Well Known Member
Dan has it correct, the Skytec team has sold the starter and previously sold plane power to Hartzell. Same guys have the new electronic ignition. Expect the same top quality product this team supplied for years with the other two products.
Pat Stewart
Well Known Member
I spent some time today at the SureFly booth. Very nice product, I am sure there is one coming soon to my 7A.
ReidVaitor
Well Known Member
Lenny Iszak
Well Known Member
Nice, they just published the advance curve. Wonder how this compares to Lightspeed's curve.
Interesting that you only get full 38 degree advance at 2700rpm.
Lenny
Interesting that you only get full 38 degree advance at 2700rpm.
Lenny
Only?
This is much more aggressive than Lightspeed. At 2600~2700, a LS won't reach 38 degrees until MP is down to 13". If I read the Surefly illustration correctly, it reaches 38 degrees at 21".
The Surefly map is even more aggressive than an Electroair map.
At high manifold pressure, 25 to 30 degrees was the ballpark for max HP in the only hot-rodded Lycoming "timing vs HP" study I've seen in print.
Might work ok LOP, but it's probably too advanced for ROP operation, in particular near stoich. I suspect it will just raise CHT without going faster.
That's the beauty of the dual map switch on the new SDS ignition, or a homebuilt EDIS....two maps, one for ROP, one for LOP.
In the company blog, Rich says what they heard a lot at OSH was "I just want to get rid of my mags." If I were the Surefly guys, I'd think hard about doing just that...sell a certified EI mag replacement with fixed timing. Sound crazy? Consider...the average schmoo with a Cherokee or a 172 is carbureted, so he has lousy mixture distribution, and can't run LOP with smoothness. He may not run LOP much even if distribution was great; too many scary stories from the local airport peanut gallery. He doesn't fly high either. Those customers would love the easy starting and automotive plugs, but fixed timing wouldn't have a chance of creating a cooling problem. Most of those span cans have awful baffling.
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FasGlas
Well Known Member
Well, it certainly leaves a lot to be desired. I need more info before I can judge this new contender. If it's simply a plug and play alternative with no real spark energy increase or duration than, dare I say, a pmag.... I think the pmag has more versatility not to mention the built in power source. The Skytec has no power source, no data ports, no way to alter timing (other than changing the physical setting). As much as I can't stand pmags this doesn't look like a better alternative. IMHO, if you're gonna install an EI, install a good one that you can tailor to your aircraft and needs. This EI looks like something they are looking to replace magnetos in certified planes. ElectroAir is also producing an electronic magneto for certified planes.
To Dan: The ElectroAir (Jeff Rose) will advance as much as 40 degrees total, less aggressive on the curve but more total advance. In my experience this curve keeps the CHT's more at check and still gives a very good performance increase. Adding to this the high energy and long duration spark.
To Dan: The ElectroAir (Jeff Rose) will advance as much as 40 degrees total, less aggressive on the curve but more total advance. In my experience this curve keeps the CHT's more at check and still gives a very good performance increase. Adding to this the high energy and long duration spark.
Sorry, I wasn't terribly clear. By "more aggressive than an Electroair" I mean the Surefly has advanced to 38 degrees at 21 inches, while the latest published Electroair map is 32 degrees (base plus 7) at 21 inches. Electroair's 40 degrees (base plus 15) isn't until MP falls to 17 inches.
Hey, wait, that's what you mean by "less aggressive on the curve"
Lenny Iszak
Well Known Member
Dan, I was under the impression that the Lightspeed goes to 42 degrees. Had no idea that it's never remotely close to that at 2390 rpm where I cruise LOP.
Lenny
Lenny
It may have the capability, but it doesn't seem to do so when operating correctly, not according to the engine monitor download I'm looking at. In the 2350~2400 range, max advance appears to be 38.6 at 12" MP.
That said, forget about maximum advance in absolute terms. The real issue is "What advance at what manifold pressure?. There is a world of difference between 38 at 21" (Surefly), and the 38~40 at 13" or less we see with the others.
FasGlas
Well Known Member
Dan, you are 100% correct. Too much advance to early can cause high CHT's and possible detonation. I prefer the slower advance curve and the higher max advance at the top. Without bringing up how efficiently the spark is burning the fuel.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Agree. That is a BUNCH of advance based upon my testing. Flew a nice long cross country to PHX last night and 22 inches/2300 RPM was my usual 30 degrees (rich). Even as much as 50LOP, 33 is about optimum at that power setting. 38 degrees might work at extremely high altitude or so lean that it would be comical. 38 degrees would be nuts with my stock 540 and a "normal" power setting.
