rbridges Posted August 13, 2014 Report Posted August 13, 2014 went flying today and noticed the low vacuum light. the weird thing is that the AI and HI seemed to be working fine at the time. Almost like it was slowly failing. I thought vacuums died suddenly. I started checking with the backup pump, and the light would go off and suction gauge went to green. Anyway, which direction should I head? new or rebuilt? any particular brand? silver lining for me is that it happened in VFR and my plane is going into annual this month anyway. btw, do I need to make sure the mechanic does anything besides just switching the pumps? thanks in advance. Quote
Marauder Posted August 13, 2014 Report Posted August 13, 2014 went flying today and noticed the low vacuum light. the weird thing is that the AI and HI seemed to be working fine at the time. Almost like it was slowly failing. I thought vacuums died suddenly. I started checking with the backup pump, and the light would go off and suction gauge went to green. Anyway, which direction should I head? new or rebuilt? any particular brand? silver lining for me is that it happened in VFR and my plane is going into annual this month anyway. btw, do I need to make sure the mechanic does anything besides just switching the pumps? thanks in advance. Since we are spending your money, how about an Aspen or G500? I think mine is an Airborne. Quote
rbridges Posted August 13, 2014 Author Report Posted August 13, 2014 Since we are spending your money, how about an Aspen or G500? I think mine is an Airborne. haha, want me to get you one, too, while I'm at it? Quote
N601RX Posted August 13, 2014 Report Posted August 13, 2014 I had to buy a new one last fall and decided I liked this one. 1300 hr tbo and a wear port to view condition. http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/in/vacuum_0pumps_tempest/tornado3000_1.php Quote
FBCK Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 Mine went yesterday, 700 miles away from home and at 14000 feet, weather was not so great either, but I dont think I would ever fly in marginal weather again without a back up. Took what I was give, Rapco 215cc as well. Quote
yvesg Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 For the price difference I went with the new Rapco 215CC. Pump failed while returning from KOSH. I always buy refurbish for my car... for the aircraft... different story. Labour was 2 hours. Yves Quote
preinke Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 I went with Tempest and added the clearview filter. The previous Rapco was only good for 150 hours. Seemed like there was carbon dust in the AI Paul '77J Quote
ToddDPT Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 What is with the death of the vacuum pump? Mine died last Wednesday. It is used for a backup since we have an Aspen PFD. Contemplated getting a second Aspen and ditching it all together until my wife gave me the look she is really good at giving me so I still have a vacuum pump and a lot more money in my bank. Oh yeah...and a happy wife! Quote
Marauder Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 What is with the death of the vacuum pump? Mine died last Wednesday. It is used for a backup since we have an Aspen PFD. Contemplated getting a second Aspen and ditching it all together until my wife gave me the look she is really good at giving me so I still have a vacuum pump and a lot more money in my bank. Oh yeah...and a happy wife! Or the wife knew that even with the second Aspen you are still required to have a backup AI independent of the Aspens. With the second PFD and the extended battery pack, you can lose your ASI and altimeter. Quote
ToddDPT Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 Or the wife knew that even with the second Aspen you are still required to have a backup AI independent of the Aspens. With the second PFD and the extended battery pack, you can lose your ASI and altimeter. Thought you could get rid of it with the extended battery. You have one beautiful panel Marauder. Maybe I should just get the second Aspen now and beg for forgiveness later. 1 Quote
rbridges Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Posted August 14, 2014 Thought you could get rid of it with the extended battery. That's what I was thinking, too. Quote
rbridges Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Posted August 14, 2014 just reading the manufacturer's info, but it looks like the newer ones are guaranteed for 1000+ hrs. Is that realistic? I've got the tempest and a gasket in my Spruce shopping cart. Should I also replace the filter? Quote
Marauder Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 Thought you could get rid of it with the extended battery. You have one beautiful panel Marauder. Maybe I should just get the second Aspen now and beg for forgiveness later. Unfortunately not. Depending on your AP, you can get rid of the TC, ASI, VSI and altimeter with the extended battery pack and a second PFD. The STC still requires a backup AI. Quote
Marauder Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 just reading the manufacturer's info, but it looks like the newer ones are guaranteed for 1000+ hrs. Is that realistic? I've got the tempest and a gasket in my Spruce shopping cart. Should I also replace the filter? Anytime I had a vacuum pump fail, I had the filter replaced. 1000 hours is a lot, it would be nice if it did last that long. I wonder how they did the testing to make that claim. It is one thing to hook it up to a mechanical power source and run it straight for 1000 hours and quite another to start and stop it a bunch of times over a 1000 hours. Quote
yvesg Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 just reading the manufacturer's info, but it looks like the newer ones are guaranteed for 1000+ hrs. Is that realistic? I've got the tempest and a gasket in my Spruce shopping cart. Should I also replace the filter? The one that went bad on me last week was a Rapco 211CC. It had 1100 hours on it. So I think it is realistic... but for the warranty, I think it is 3 years or 1300 hours. I will never fly that much in 3 years. Yves Quote
1964-M20E Posted August 14, 2014 Report Posted August 14, 2014 just reading the manufacturer's info, but it looks like the newer ones are guaranteed for 1000+ hrs. Is that realistic? I've got the tempest and a gasket in my Spruce shopping cart. Should I also replace the filter? Yes get the garter filter for the regulator and the other vacuum filter. I put the new Rapco on mine just a couple of months ago. I was getting very low vacuum even at cruise RPM somewhere around 4" or less. Quote
cliffy Posted August 15, 2014 Report Posted August 15, 2014 You can go to the TCDS sheet for your M20C and read what vac pumps are directly replaceable without and STC (it's on page 14 of the Mooney TCDS sheets) I have copied the info below: 602. ……Vacuum Pumps (Required IFR, Optional VFR) see NOTE 24 (a) Airborne, 113A1, or..................................................................................... 4.0 lbs. ..................... 0.0 ( Airborne, 113A5, or..................................................................................... 4.0 lbs. ..................... 0.0 © Airborne, 200CC, or..................................................................................... 3.5 lbs. ..................... 0.0 (d) Airborne, 211CC.......................................................................................... 2.5 lbs. ..................... 0.0 Quote
yvesg Posted August 15, 2014 Report Posted August 15, 2014 The 211CC is discontinued. Replaced by the 215CC It is FAA-PMA approved on a slew of engines. http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgPMA.nsf/0/DFDCFEBEB5C1D1458625773E00428F91?OpenDocument&Highlight=215cc Yves Quote
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