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Main Battery Contactor Smoke

ctbecker

Well Known Member
I just hooked up the main battery for the first time. As with everything, it seems like there is a problem associated with firsts. In this case, the diode on the contactor starts to smoke. The contactor is from B&C, the ring on the diode is facing the battery. At this point, there is no load on anything.
 
It's definitely in...

I just hooked up the main battery for the first time. As with everything, it seems like there is a problem associated with firsts. In this case, the diode on the contactor starts to smoke. The contactor is from B&C, the ring on the diode is facing the battery. At this point, there is no load on anything.

...backwards, and is no longer functional...:)

Check your wiring. Is it one of vans parts hidden in heat shrink? - it could have been wrongly marked.
 
Gil, is only the diode bad or have i fried the contactor? Any idea of the diode #, I should be able to get one at the aviation section of radio shack.
 
Gil, is only the diode bad or have i fried the contactor? Any idea of the diode #, I should be able to get one at the aviation section of radio shack.

The contactor is probably fine. And in fact, the purpose of the diode is to prevent arcing from slowing killing the master switch. You can continue your initial testing/debugging without the diode - just get a replacement from Vans or radio shack eventually. Many certified planes don't even have the diode.

RS (or other) should definitely have it. I think a 1N4001 (if memory serves) should do ya.
 
As Kevin says...

Gil, is only the diode bad or have i fried the contactor? Any idea of the diode #, I should be able to get one at the aviation section of radio shack.

...on the diode.

But do a check to make sure that you did not get "plus" and "minus" reversed at the battery end.... just in case...:(
 
Look at it this way, you at least avoided reinventing the "NED" (Noise Emitting Diode - it makes a loud noise when connected backwards across a large potential - but only once!) ;)

Paul
 
That is at least good...

Lets see - Red to + and Black to - ? Lets see, I reversed the battery . . . but not the cables! :eek:

...to know (see my post #5...:)...)

The alternative of having badly (reversed) marked diodes would not be good.

Replace the fried diode and you will be good to go....:D
 
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