Quote:
Originally Posted by elippse
As you may be aware, the P/E-mags have gone through at least 27 software updates, which doesn't say a lot for the original product testing
I'm not going to argue the point other than to ask, did the LSE setup had the same problems when it first came out?
The LSE never had a software problem since it is totally a digital- analog system implemented in hardware...
I'm well aware of that but my question is still valid. Did the LSI have teething problems when they first came out? Software, micro-processor, etc. is irrelevant.
...I'm not saying that any of the ignitions systems extant are perfect and failure proof, only that all of them have gone through some sort of early failure modes and will continue to have failures due to the extreme environment of heat, pressure, and vibration in which they operate, along with the less-knowledgeable people who actually do the installation who make a lot of mistakes that show up early or later on.
Brad at E-mag once said, "You don't have a proven product until you have 50 units installed by 50 amatures on 50 different aircraft." I couldn't agree more.
I hope you are not saying that there will never again be a failure in the E/PMag system.
Oh H#$$ no! I have been in the software business long enough to know there is no such thing as error free code.
What I am saying is that they have passed the two year mark with no software or hardware changes. The product is proving itself in service. If anyone wants the full run down on the problems they have had, call E-mag at (817) 444-5310. Brad will be happy to walk you through the history of the product, the problems they have had, and what they did to correct them.
This is very different than another EI manufacture who recently sent a note to his customer (I have a copy) asking the customer to talk up his product even though his unit died and he received lousy customer service.
What I am saying is that people have a choice and each choice is a compromise.
Why am I so passionate about P-mags? To be honest, I think it is a good product. Yes, I was an early adopter and experienced a timing issue (software related) and almost toasted my engine. Yes, I sent them back for updates and upgrades but each time I felt like they were improving the product and listening to me, the customer. With over 250 trouble free hours on them prior to my prop strike I was very happy with them. After the prop strike I sent them back for an inspection. They disassembled, inspected, reassembled, bench tested, and sent them back. The total charge for all of that was the cost of shipping both ways. The freshly inspected P-mags are sitting on my new engine waiting to go flying again.
Oh, what did they find when they inspected them? Nothing, nadda, nothing. There was so little mass in them they didn?t expect to find any damage. As I write this, I wonder if the LSE would have survived that prop strike. I doubt it and that is simply because my crank shaft was so badly bent that the flywheel probably would have made contact with the circuit board. Not really and LSE issue but something I MIGHT have had to deal with. (and I hope no LSE or E-mag customer has to deal with the prop strike from **** that I had.)
Let's get to the bottom of this argument. You need to fly behind the ignition that you are comfortable with, no matter what that is.
Each of us has valid arguments as to why one EI is better than the other. It is kind of like arguing about which car has the best quality. Even the worst car built today has much better quality than the best car built 20 years ago.