AHHRGH... E-MAG / P-MAG

Did I make a terrible mistake? I have an ECI O-360 that we will start/fly in the very forseeable future. I said I was not going to overcomplicate this plane---hence the carb-but the EMAG/PMAG was too sexy to pass up.

Lately I see/hear only tales of woe with MULTIPLE install-pull-revise-install-pull again-revise/update etc. etc.etc. soft,firm,whatever ware. Is anyone out there running HASSLE FREE--like mags (ughhhhh) and without incessant tinkering????????? Is it worth the concern? Am I sensitized by the recent crashes? ????????????????????

I am far more interested in flying than constant screwing around being someonelse's test pilot. Hence the ECI and not an Egg.

cawmd82 said:

...Lately I see/hear only tales of woe with MULTIPLE install-pull-revise-install-pull again-revise/update etc. etc.etc. soft,firm,whatever ware. Is anyone out there running HASSLE FREE--like mags (ughhhhh) and without incessant tinkering????????? Is it worth the concern? Am I sensitized by the recent crashes? ????????????????????
...

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Chuck,

Like you, I have gone the carb Pmag route and am keeping my fingers crossed.

From what I have read about multiple install-pull-revise-install, etc. is that these stories are for very early adopters of the mags. Emag Air has gone through many revisions of both the hardware and software. Heck, they even recommended changing the wiring size from 20 AWG to 18 to eliminate engine stumble.

My hope is that all that is behind us but only time will tell. My serial numbers are in the 740 range, so they have produced a good number of these things now.

I'm still months away from flying and just installed my duel Pmags a few weeks back; I'm keeping a positive attitude about the Pmags.

One of the main reasons I went with the Pmags is because of how the company is dealing with issues. They do not try to cover them up or hide from them as some other vendors have been known to do.

Emag Air publicly acknowledges any known issues and addresses them ASAP. (Same with Dynon.) I couldn't ask for any thing more from a company putting out such a complex and vital component.

Sorry, but I can't offer anything else but hope.

No problems here

I have 300 hours in a set PMAG/EMAG. I only did one software update to one about a year ago and that was it. I have not had any problem at all in 300 hours of flight time. I'm running an ECI O360 from Americas Engines.

Alex D

RV6_flyer said:

I can do the software upgrade of the firmware myself so am not including that in my replacement strategy.

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How can you do the firmware upgrade yourself? Being able update in the field would be a major plus. Are they working toward this?

Considering pmag for next project...

You'll be fine

I have 170 hours on my ECI I0360 with Emag Pmag system. These are a pretty early set. The only thing I have encountered is that during a mag check the Pmag will drop approximately 100 rpm. It has done it since day one. Otherwise smooth as silk.

I will doing my first annual next week and will be removing the mags to send in for the 'latest and greatest.'

Yes I would do it again.

N130WN said:

How can you do the firmware upgrade yourself? Being able update in the field would be a major plus. Are they working toward this?

Considering pmag for next project...

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See: http://www.emagair.com/EICAD.htm
Near the bottom is says:
" EICAD Firmware - The operating code that manages EICAD interaction at the ignition end. This code set is pre-installed in the ignition by our shop when the ignition is built, and can be updated as needed."

I have the version that has the serial port built into the P-Mag. My Notebook has a serial port. I also have a USB to Serial adapter for my next notebook that does not have a serial port.

Maybe I miss understand but you typically can do FIRMWARE updates without special equipment. I have done FIRMWARE updates on motherboard, routers, access points, and PDAs without any special equipment. Yes you need an EPROM burner to update the firmware that was in Epson printers 20 years ago. I have done that but no longer have access to that kind of equipment any more.

Dual P-Mags

I have dual P-Mags on my engine and about 110 hours.

EICAD allows you to change certain parameters in the field, but it does not allow you to upgrade the firmware. You can change the advance curve, spark delay on start, pulses per revolution, etc.

I've sent them back twice for firmware upgrades (they are serial 370 something). The latest (about 3 months ago) was a factory "mandatory" upgrade (not a regulatory action). I'd recommend that anyone who has p-mags and not sent them back for this do so (as explained to me by e-mag).

Other than the hassle of sending them back, they are rock-simple to install, run great and the guys (Brad and Tom) at e-mag are good guys to work with.

I know that they don't claim any HP increase from the emag/pmag, but has anyone seen an increase? I just can't understand why there wouldn't be one, since the Lightspeed clearly gives more power than mags.

FWIW, I had an emag/pmag ordered for my Aerosport O-360, and after waiting a couple extra months to receive them, Aerosport couldn't get them to work properly in the test cell. They were told by emagair that they would have to send them back for a firmware upgrade. When Aerosport asked me what I wanted to do, I told them to send them back for good, and put mags on the engine. The engine will get it's first oil change this weekend, and I'll also start installing my new Plasma-III.

Cheers,
Rusty (8.3 hours)

13brv3 said:

I know that they don't claim any HP increase from the emag/pmag, but has anyone seen an increase? I just can't understand why there wouldn't be one, since the Lightspeed clearly gives more power than mags.

FWIW, I had an emag/pmag ordered for my Aerosport O-360, and after waiting a couple extra months to receive them, Aerosport couldn't get them to work properly in the test cell. They were told by emagair that they would have to send them back for a firmware upgrade. When Aerosport asked me what I wanted to do, I told them to send them back for good, and put mags on the engine. The engine will get it's first oil change this weekend, and I'll also start installing my new Plasma-III.

Cheers,
Rusty (8.3 hours)

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Lucky Boy.

3 days of replies

Looks like it is about 50-50 of initial responders.....

Clear as mud as to the future worry-hassle-pia factors.......

13brv3 said:

I know that they don't claim any HP increase from the emag/pmag, but has anyone seen an increase? I just can't understand why there wouldn't be one, since the Lightspeed clearly gives more power than mags.

FWIW, I had an emag/pmag ordered for my Aerosport O-360, and after waiting a couple extra months to receive them, Aerosport couldn't get them to work properly in the test cell. They were told by emagair that they would have to send them back for a firmware upgrade. When Aerosport asked me what I wanted to do, I told them to send them back for good, and put mags on the engine. The engine will get it's first oil change this weekend, and I'll also start installing my new Plasma-III.

Cheers,
Rusty (8.3 hours)

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I have an Aerosport/pmag combo shipping this week and the Emagair worked with Aerosport to get the units to them on time (although other engine parts and my schedule have slipped). No complaints from Aerosport about running them. Both Aerosport and Emagair were very upfront about past timelyness issues, and there probably is still a longer lead time. But the people I've met using them have been pretty positive about pmags.

cawmd82 said:

Looks like it is about 50-50 of initial responders.....

Clear as mud as to the future worry-hassle-pia factors.......

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Chuck, try contacting Martin Sutter, he's on the white pages (Granbury). He was an early adopter.

About 300hrs on an early P-Mag on my RV6 and 87hrs on dual P-Mags on my RV7A. So far flawless performance on both, very smooth running and great fuel economy.

Martin Sutter
RV6 868CM 2200hrs
RV7 678CM 87hrs

I checked with Brad at Emagair about the features of EICAD, their serial line interface to the ignition unit. Thought his reply might be useful:

At the present time, you cannot get an "ignition" firmware upgrade via a web download. We do expect to have that capability eventually, but its a rather involved routine. We will, however, be posting an expanded version of EICAD as a free download soon. It will be a significant expansion over the Beta version.

Yes, series 113 ignitions output some data as a continuous stream, and will report other conditions in response to a data request (using EICAD). The ignition side of this functionality is already in place, but the raw code is not user friendly. The new version of EICAD will give users an easy interface to this information, much more data than you now see. We also plan on providing the underlying code (free) to the instrument manufacturers so you might eventually display EICAD data on a multi-function instrument you already own.

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