What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Possible safety issue

R

rschy

Member
The B ignition switch has gone bad on my -12. I was able to isolate the problem with help from Bret at Leading Edge Airfoils. One of the first things I checked was the continuity from from the switch and it seem to work normally. Luckily I got a hold of the right guy because Bret had seen this problem before. He told me that the continuity can seem normal but under the 100+ volts that the charge coil puts out the switch can remain closed if the switch is not rated for that voltage. I was a little surprised when I talked to Scott at Van's, when he didn't question how I knew it was the switch. He just said that they would send a replacement switch, board and all that day. Is this good customer service or do they know they have a problem? BTW my -12 has 26hrs. on the clock.
 
Last edited:
Just curious to know. What event happened to prompt you to look at switch, and when did it occur? Thanks.
Dick Seiders
 
Not fail safe

I am leery of turning the prop to burp the oil. You never know when an ignition switch can fail, thus allowing the engine to start. Even if you stand behind the prop, you could still loose a few fingers.
Joe
 
Rotax

Joe:

I certainly have this concern when turning over the prop on traditional Lycomings and Continentals. However, given that the Rotax uses an entirely different ignition system and all of the other differences, are you sure this is is even possible? Given that is part of the recommended pre-flight and apparently has been for years, seems like there would have been incidents in the past if this were possible.

Do you know if the ignition switches evern work like a traditional mag switch (i.e. grounding the system when turned off)? I don't know myself- just trying understand whether your concern is a valid one for this engine.

Either way, I am always careful when I burp the Rotax. In addition, the most effective method is to hold the prop at each compression stroke to pressurize the system. In doing so, I don't really flip the prop but am instead moving it very slowly through several rotations. Seems like this would also lessen the chance of it starting.

Jeff
 
The Rotax will not start by hand proping due to the type of pickups used, requires something like 200 rpm according to the manual if I recall correctly.
 
I believe in case of the Rotax closed switch = dead ignition. My concern is if one ignition switch can go bad in 26hrs. maybe two can too. I'm thinkin rv6ejguy is right
 
In your first post you stated that Vans was sending a new switch and board and all. Did Scott provide any info concerning cause of failure? Did the panel board fail, or was it the switch, or both, or did he not speculate? Just wondering what the impact of these failing in flight would be, and likelihood of that happening.
Dick Seiders
 
dick seiders said:
In your first post you stated that Vans was sending a new switch and board and all. Did Scott provide any info concerning cause of failure? Did the panel board fail, or was it the switch, or both, or did he not speculate? Just wondering what the impact of these failing in flight would be, and likelihood of that happening.
Dick Seiders
Click to expand...

No info concerning cause of failure



I believe just the switch



Dead stick landing



Likelihood of that happening pretty remote IMHO but still not a good thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top