Tell us about your last flight

[Moneybox]

4 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

The Oaks - Crookwell Hobbs 1.2hrs

 

Ambient temperature about 30 C.

Engine start normal.

Post start checks - normal.

When oil temp above 50 C, taxied to run up area.

Run up checks all normal  (no recollection of checking electrical charge)

Took off. Very little aircraft activity in Sydney Basin, possibly due to lumpy air (not real turbulence).

On Climb-Out to 4000 ft (Max 4500 ft step above) oil temperatures a bit high @ 108 C. Still in the green but lowered nose to increase speed/airflow

Continued Climb to 4500 when past CTA step.  Oil temperatures established at 100C - prefere mid 90 C (Mental note to remove the last of the winter oil cooler blanking).

All right with the World. Stunning scenery. Aircraft performing flawlessly.

Crookwell was part of my conversion training from GA-RAA cross country review. Landed there that time - my prop mowed the long grass.

This time just overflew - seems that they now have two parallel runways, some distance apart. One all marked out as per standard , the other no markings but similar length.

Back home via Mittagong - Climbed up to 5500 ft for the return , much smoother trip. Life just great!

Just as I was preparing my thoughts, to make my 10 NM overfly call to Mittagong, my radio/Mode S transponder went dead & I got a Battery Fail Warning on my Dynon - "Oh Bother Says I XXXXXXX"

Checked everything I could in the air. Decided on a Precautionary Landing at Mittagong. Pulled all the none essential breakers,to conserve battery power.  Made all the calls but transceiver dead!

On descent for YMIG my electricals all came back. What to do? Can almost see The Oaks and still at 4000 ft, engine purring. Made a random call on 126.7 CTAF describing problem and that I would continue on to The Oaks.

Naturally power went off again - on / off several times, on the short run to The Oaks.

Unable to reduce prop from Course to Fine for landing.

Made a Straight In Approach/Landing - something I rarely do, so a bit fast and not the smoothest  - nothing bent.

No other aircraft arround.

On investigation found:

• The start battery down to 11.8 V
• The wiring spade connection between Generator & VR,  significantly heat effected  (see pic)- could this be the problem?

Why did my main battery not last longer?  I think the VR must not have been charging the battery adequately, for at least the last two flights,  I somehow have not noticed (lesson learnt).

I will:

• Replace the plug/spade connectors - make sure they are very tight & may even use a smear of conductive grease.
• Charge the start battery to full capacity.
• Start the engine and carefully note the power input volts & amps for any deviation (I hope the CARMO VR , only 100+hrs, has not failed).

😈

 

 

 

A 1.2hr flight, is that enough to flatten a battery? You'd probably have noticed if it didn't crank over too well when starting from cold.

 

Mine needs a good battery charge to crank for quite a few seconds when cold. Now I have a solar panel connected all the time it's parked. Of course that can mask a poor battery too. I'll jump into the plane on a full battery but if the battery is week I wouldn't get to find out until I parked up somewhere else without the solar charge.

[Thruster88]

10 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

 

Back home via Mittagong - Climbed up to 5500 ft for the return , much smoother trip. Life just great!

Just as I was preparing my thoughts, to make my 10 NM overfly call to Mittagong, my radio/Mode S transponder went dead & I got a Battery Fail Warning on my Dynon - "Oh Bother Says I XXXXXXX"

 

Why did my main battery not last longer? 

😈

 

 

 

You need to set the low voltage warning on the dynon to 13.2? Volts then you will get a timely warning if the alternator goes off. 16-20 amp hour battery should run avionics for several hours.