Voltage Regulator
I realized my voltage was going bad in early June. I evaluated the options and bought 2 John Deere regulators for $20.00 each. when they arrived I was involved in adding ADS-B out, ADS-B in, the auto-pilot control module, connecting the AOA, and adding a new stick grip with PTT, Ident, Auto-pilot disconnect, go around and pitch trim. So I felt that was more importan than dealing with the voltage regulator. I worked three weeks, 5 days a week and got those projects finished and working properly. The last test flight I did was the Saturday before Oshkosh and I was leaving Sunday to go to Oshkosh. I noticed that the battery was not charging. I suspected that the voltage regulator was at fault, but I did not have time to troubleshoot the problem and fix it, even though I had two, brand new John Deere regulators. So I drove to Oshkosh and when I got home started working on the problem. I installed the first new aJohn Deere reguolator and the battery still would not charge. I installed the second new John Deere regulator and it would not charge. So at this point I began trouble shooting the problem and discovered that during the course of installing the electronic equipment I had not disconnected the battery, and that failure propally cause a 1 amp fues in the charging line to blow. That `1 amp fuse is soldered on a board in the switch module and can only be repaired by Vans. I packaged up the switch module and was ready to take it to the post office when I got an e-mail from VAn's telling me that theyt now have an alternative wiring plan for the voltage regulator. It basically jumps one wire from one terminal on the voltage regulator to another wire and it solvesthe problem I tried that new wiring diagram and it worked for me. It may work for you also. YOu lcan find this new wiring plan in the diagram for the new Silent Hektik regulators. Doing this install should save problems baciuse the Silent Hektik prlvides overvoltatage protection. It also provides a warning light on the panel if you have the skyview system to tell you something is wrong with the charging system. If you get a EarthX battery, it has overvoltage protection for the battery. It aslo has an allert to tell you if something in the batery is not functioning in the system.
I think both of these systems are a major upgrade to the basic RV-12.I think thiese upgrades will saye money when dealing with thorsands of dollars of avionics that will be progected from surges, etc.
So I have a Silent Hettik voltage regulator ordered and when I get it I am going to order a EarthX battery. I think my RV-12 will have better equipment and that better equ9i[ment will u[hold its value better. Just some thoughts.