ScottSchmidt
Well Known Member
Below is a note that Tim Olsen posted on his site. Thanks Tim as always. I hate to have everyone call Ray Allen but I also want people to be aware since I feel this is a safety issue. I have had my elevator trim stick on my RV-10 a couple of times and thought it was the motor. I was very impressed at Gary at Ray Allen who filled both Tim and I in on the issues he has been dealing with. I was very happy to know that it wasn't the motor but rather the relay which possibly saved me alot of money and time. This isn't just an RV-10 issue either, could effect others and also may never. On my trim, if it does stick, I have to go in the opposite direction first which helps break it free. I will be installing my REL-2 tomorrow and I will let you know if it ever comes back. Looks like it occurs around 200 hours. I had about 190 when it started.
Tim Olsen's Note:
I have an interesting new problem that has crept up with my trim.
I was comparing notes at OSH with Scott and he's having the same issue,
and both of us have only had the problem for less than 2 weeks or so.
The issue is, you may be trimming your plane nose up or down, and when
you stop trimming in one direction, it won't operate in the opposite.
For instance, I overshot on nose down trim, but then it wouldn't let
me trim it back nose up. It happened once the week before OSH, and
I got it to release by adding more nose down trim, and then doing the
nose up. The downside to this is that if it stays stuck, you're now
even MORE nose down trimmed. It happened again on the way to OSH, and
then it happened during the show and I had to land with lots of
pressure pulling back on the stick.
Scott got to Ray Allen's booth first and discussed it with them and
I followed afterwards and had the same discussion. They said that
the REL-1 is now replaced with the REL-2 which is more heavy duty, but
that the REL-1 had operated for years with no issues, until recently.
Within the last couple years, the REL-1's have been produced as
RoHS compliant, (lead free) and now they're seeing them come back
with issues. They gave both of us replacements free, as we were both
experiencing the same problem. For a photo of these relays,
check these 2 links. The first one is the original relay, and the
second is the new one.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/rel1.php
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/servoRelayDeck.php
I'll be replacing mine in the next day or so, but thought it
good to give a heads-up on this. It will probably be something that
you run into if you have the REL-1 and got it within the last
couple years.
Also, rapping on the relay does get it to release...I tried that
today. So, it's physically sticking inside. Normally, the relay
grounds both wires to the trim servo when not active, and I think
from what they told me that the sticking is actually the result
of it not completing it's previous trim operation fully, returning
to that ground-ground postion.
Here is some additional info on the relays from Ray Allen.
http://www.rayallencompany.com/RACmedia/instructionsREL.pdf
http://www.rayallencompany.com/products/accessories.html
Tim - 260 hours and counting
Tim Olsen's Note:
I have an interesting new problem that has crept up with my trim.
I was comparing notes at OSH with Scott and he's having the same issue,
and both of us have only had the problem for less than 2 weeks or so.
The issue is, you may be trimming your plane nose up or down, and when
you stop trimming in one direction, it won't operate in the opposite.
For instance, I overshot on nose down trim, but then it wouldn't let
me trim it back nose up. It happened once the week before OSH, and
I got it to release by adding more nose down trim, and then doing the
nose up. The downside to this is that if it stays stuck, you're now
even MORE nose down trimmed. It happened again on the way to OSH, and
then it happened during the show and I had to land with lots of
pressure pulling back on the stick.
Scott got to Ray Allen's booth first and discussed it with them and
I followed afterwards and had the same discussion. They said that
the REL-1 is now replaced with the REL-2 which is more heavy duty, but
that the REL-1 had operated for years with no issues, until recently.
Within the last couple years, the REL-1's have been produced as
RoHS compliant, (lead free) and now they're seeing them come back
with issues. They gave both of us replacements free, as we were both
experiencing the same problem. For a photo of these relays,
check these 2 links. The first one is the original relay, and the
second is the new one.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/rel1.php
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/servoRelayDeck.php
I'll be replacing mine in the next day or so, but thought it
good to give a heads-up on this. It will probably be something that
you run into if you have the REL-1 and got it within the last
couple years.
Also, rapping on the relay does get it to release...I tried that
today. So, it's physically sticking inside. Normally, the relay
grounds both wires to the trim servo when not active, and I think
from what they told me that the sticking is actually the result
of it not completing it's previous trim operation fully, returning
to that ground-ground postion.
Here is some additional info on the relays from Ray Allen.
http://www.rayallencompany.com/RACmedia/instructionsREL.pdf
http://www.rayallencompany.com/products/accessories.html
Tim - 260 hours and counting