[ChiefPilot]

So far, so good - no issues with it but given the anxiety around the PP alternators I'm a little curious about things to look at.

I'm doing my condition inspection and one of the last items on the list is checking the alternator. I usually check the bearings (loose the belt and rotate the pulley by hand) then re-tension the belt, but wondering what people's experiences with brushes has been. Their service instruction suggests checking the brushes for wear at 1000 hours; I'm only at 663 hours tach so not there yet.

I do have a blast tube on it; in fact I have a new blast tube this year that acts as something of an inertial separator to keep any rain etc. out while still providing cool air to the voltage regulator. I will do the goop-on-the-plug thing that DanH identified.

Still, in the interest of avoiding possible shenanigans, I'm thinking I should pull the alternator and open it up to have a look at the brushes, stator wires, etc.
Beyond that, anyone found anything else in particular to look at?

 

[Carl Froehlich]

There is a balance between preventive maintenance and maintenance induced failures. The 1000 hour check sounds good, but I'd not do more than what you are doing now.

Carl

 

[Larco]

So far, so good - no issues with it but given the anxiety around the PP alternators I'm a little curious about things to look at.

I'm doing my condition inspection and one of the last items on the list is checking the alternator. I usually check the bearings (loose the belt and rotate the pulley by hand) then re-tension the belt, but wondering what people's experiences with brushes has been. Their service instruction suggests checking the brushes for wear at 1000 hours; I'm only at 663 hours tach so not there yet.

I do have a blast tube on it; in fact I have a new blast tube this year that acts as something of an inertial separator to keep any rain etc. out while still providing cool air to the voltage regulator. I will do the goop-on-the-plug thing that DanH identified.

Still, in the interest of avoiding possible shenanigans, I'm thinking I should pull the alternator and open it up to have a look at the brushes, stator wires, etc.
Beyond that, anyone found anything else in particular to look at?

Piece of mind is important and time is our own. I just checked the brushes at 1000 hrs and found them in good shape but did feel better seeing them well within specs. Actually compared them to a new set of brushes as well and BTW the rest of the alternator looked good. Hope that helps. Larry