Can someone recommend a good toggle switch to use for turning my Mags on and off? If you have any other options please share.
I am not using the key type switch.
Thanks
Remember for a Mag, the switch will need to be mounted upside down....as "on" is actually closing the contacts of the switch, and therefore grounding the mag - so you need to mount them upside down. I've seen more than one guy who hooked them up only to get shocked or surprised with the mag (having left the switch in the down position thinking it was off, but instead was "hot"). We've used everything from standard toggles, locking toggles and also the switch guards from Eric Jones.
My 2 cents as usual.
Cheers,
Stein
Remember for a Mag, the switch will need to be mounted upside down....as "on" is actually closing the contacts of the switch, and therefore grounding the mag - so you need to mount them upside down. I've seen more than one guy who hooked them up only to get shocked or surprised with the mag (having left the switch in the down position thinking it was off, but instead was "hot").
My plan is to use a DPDT momentary switch for the stater and wire it so that when the starter is engaged the left mag is also grounded. This setup will allow me to flip both mag switches to hot and then just push the start switch..thus eliminating the possibility of me accidentally starting with both mags hot.
Does anyone see any problem with this setup? As far as I can tell this is essentially how the standard keyed switches work in certified planes.
My plan is to use a DPDT momentary switch for the stater and wire it so that when the starter is engaged the left mag is also grounded. This setup will allow me to flip both mag switches to hot and then just push the start switch..thus eliminating the possibility of me accidentally starting with both mags hot.
Does anyone see any problem with this setup? As far as I can tell this is essentially how the standard keyed switches work in certified planes.
I will be using a lightspeed Plasma 3 and an impulse mag. Problem sovled, I can start on either ignition. Two toggles and a momentary start togle.
One more possibility: We put the starter button on the stick (Infinity grips). This was a lesson learned from my previous RV4, where I never liked trying to keep the stick trapped aft between my legs for engine start.
With the starter on the stick, and mags wired per Nuckolls (which requires left mag ON and right mag OFF for starter engagement), it's possible to hold the stick aft and hit the starter with the right hand and manipulate the throttle/mixture with the left.
.... just an ancillary thought rgds the mag switch wiring. And we did use locking toggles on the mags too.
I have a mag and a Plasma II in my Rocket and used to start with both on until it kicked back and broke my starter. I now start with the mag on and the Plasma OFF to eliminate the kick back. I also upgraded the starter to a more heavy duty one so the a kick back wouldn't break it.
This will work fine but I worry about accidentally hitting the starter button while the engine is running.
Start the engine, switch the right mag ON and the starter is taken out of play. Pretty neat I think!
Start the engine, switch the right mag ON and the starter is taken out of play. Pretty neat I think!
Randy,
Educating myself a little here, please bear with the query...
I'm guessing your mag has an impulse coupler, so kick back is therefore not an issue for that, and your LSI was assumed the culprit in the broken starter incident. I thought LSI's would not kick back. To explain...
When buying my airplane and getting checked out, I was taught that the LSI had an auto-retard feature that would prevent kick back, but my non-impulse coupled mag did not retard the spark, so I was taught to start with the mag off to prevent kick back. The original POH (and my transition training for this A/C) states to engage the starter with both LSI and Mag switches off, then after a blade or two, switch the LSI on. After engine start, then turn the Mag on. This procedure was explained to me as necessary to prevent the LSI from seeing a lower voltage during the initial electrical draw down of the first turn of the starter, thus extending the life of the LSI. It's an older LSI (black case) so that may be a factor in this too.
It's a bit OT for this thread (a bit of drift), but any feedback from the gang on this procedure. It's just opposite of what you said you do Randy, so just confirming that you have an impulse coupler on your Mag, and you felt the LSI caused the kickback. Tryin' to get smart on this!
Cheers,
Bob