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drmax

Well Known Member
WEIRD...Running my flaps out to 4-10 degrees makes the my king 155 radio squelch engage. My flaps are set up for 10, 20 and 30 degree auto increments. So when I hit the switch for 10, they may move out, maybe 4 degrees and then the radio noise. After 10 the noise quits. This isn't an electrical noise, this is the same identical sound as if I pulled out the squelch knob. The radio is still able to transceive through this noise. The plane is 8 yrs old and this just started happening. I did nothing to induce this. Anyone?
 
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Dirty and arcing brushes in the flap motor can cause the radio to unsquelch.
Put a .05 uf capacitor across the plus and negative wires of the flap motor as close the motor as possible.
 
I agree that dirt or grease may be the culprit. A few flights before my last flap motor failure, I was getting noise through the comm. After failure and then cleaning the flap motor, flaps work great and comm noise went away.
 
So possible cleaning flap motor will, like spraying it with deoxit or electra-clean may cure it? (or recommend me a spray cleaner plz)
Thank you guys!!!!
 
Disassembly and clean with isopropyl alcohol is best.
There is lots of info available through a search of this site.
 
No dice. There is a sweet spot in the approx. 4-10 degrees area. Outside of that area, either way the the radio acts normal. Hopefully they sell just a motor. I'm keeping her on the ground for now. May be next the motor is fixin to seize up. Better safe than sorry. Thx gents, DM
 
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drmax said:
No dice.
Click to expand...

Does this mean you've cleaned the motor in accordance with Van's instructions and the noise persists? Eventually it may come down to replacing the motor but that would be an expensive experiment at this point.

Perhaps it's not motor noise after all. (But it is electrical noise if something is breaking the squelch on your radio.)

You mentioned the noise occurs between 4 and 10 degrees, but the motor makes many revolutions between flaps up and flaps down so there's nothing special going on with the motor at any specific flap angle(s).

In your first post I think I see a clue:
drmax said:
WEIRD...My flaps are set up for 10, 20 and 30 degree increments.
Click to expand...
Does this mean you're using some sort of flap position controller? Could the noise be coming from that? Are you able to manually operate the flaps with power totally removed from the controller (perhaps with a temporary connection direct to the motor's leads)?

In any case, I agree with your assessment: it is WEIRD :) But remember, "weird" is just a minor transliteration of "wired" :)

--
Joe
 
Joe said:
Does this mean you've cleaned the motor in accordance with Van's instructions and the noise persists? Eventually it may come down to replacing the motor but that would be an expensive experiment at this point.

Perhaps it's not motor noise after all. (But it is electrical noise if something is breaking the squelch on your radio.)

You mentioned the noise occurs between 4 and 10 degrees, but the motor makes many revolutions between flaps up and flaps down so there's nothing special going on with the motor at any specific flap angle(s).

In your first post I think I see a clue:

Does this mean you're using some sort of flap position controller? Could the noise be coming from that? Are you able to manually operate the flaps with power totally removed from the controller (perhaps with a temporary connection direct to the motor's leads)?

In any case, I agree with your assessment: it is WEIRD :) But remember, "weird" is just a minor transliteration of "wired" :)

--
Joe
Click to expand...
after walking away from this and driving a few hrs, I realized the same thing you had wrote. The motor spinning, it should break squelch all the time. There is also a black box with several wires going to some type of sensors, or switchs on a rail system on the actuator. It does not show position, but is stopping at 10 20 and 30 degrees automatically. Unsure how these sensors on the actuator work. I'll get back at it tomorrow. Thx Joe...DM
 
Just a thought, but is there any chance a headset or mic wire is being chafed by the Moro or one of the flap arms that is causing this? Seems unlikely, but maybe worth a check.
 
problem solved

just by luck, yesterday I had removed my gps and unplugged power cord (multiple outlets) from plane, to take on a road trip. Uh...this morning no noise. Cheap butt'd multiple cig adopter with 3 outlets box causing this to make radio "unsquelch".
Positive note...my flap motor is clean....:D
I'll have to find a better made box for my plug in toys needs. (made in usa)
 
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