Color coded breakers / fuses

[MooneyBob]

Which breakers / fuses you have color coded? Why ? 

Do you keep the list or color legend somewhere in the plane? 

Thanks

[flyboy0681]

Autopilot, just in case.

[jetdriven]

Autopilot and electric trim.  Also looks like I did the ALT field. Pulling it resets the old style mechanical voltage regulators, it resets the crowbar circuit.

[ArtVandelay]

  On 4/2/2018 at 11:16 PM, jetdriven said:

Autopilot and electric trim.  Also looks like I did the ALT field.

Both my AP and trim are on it’s own CB,switch right in front of me, so my CBs have none.

[Cruiser]

In case of electrical failure (alternator or generator) circuit breakers can be used to reduce electrical load. So some critical thought as to what equipment should be maintained and what equipment can be shut off is appropriate.

The first thing that comes to mind is COM power. 

the second thing would be the landing gear (if electric)

third would be GPS/NAV and Pitot heat (if IFR and cold)

fourth would be lighting if at night

All of these breakers should be marked so in an emergency you can pull everything else without trying to figure out which ones are for what equipment.

 

 

[ArtVandelay]

  On 4/2/2018 at 11:47 PM, Cruiser said:

In case of electrical failure (alternator or generator) circuit breakers can be used to reduce electrical load. So some critical thought as to what equipment should be maintained and what equipment can be shut off is appropriate.
The first thing that comes to mind is COM power. 
the second thing would be the landing gear (if electric)
third would be GPS/NAV and Pitot heat (if IFR and cold)
fourth would be lighting if at night
All of these breakers should be marked so in an emergency you can pull everything else without trying to figure out which ones are for what equipment.
 
 

There is no load when gear is up, so I wouldn’t pull it.
Lights, com/nav #2, t/c unless IFR, AP obviously... I have enough juice to last 2 hours with lights and almost 3 without.

[flyboy0681]

I've always wondered if the alternator fails whether it's best to get the gear down immediately while there is still battery power since you know that you're coming down real soon. I can't imagine having to land with no battery and having to deal with manually dropping the gear at the same time.

[Marauder]

Red is autopilot, yellow is the landing gear, white are for things I may need (ex. flaps) and green are the essentials. Rest are pulled.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[ArtVandelay]

  On 4/3/2018 at 12:08 AM, Marauder said:

Red is autopilot, yellow is the landing gear, white are for things I may need (ex. flaps) and green are the essentials. Rest are pulled.

You would pull stall, gear warnings? They consume almost no power and I consider them vital safety equipment.

[exM20K]

None of mine are, and it’s near impossible to read the placarding at night -I had to pull th AHRS breaker before takeoff one night when it needed a reboot, and I had to get out the big flashlight to find it.  So, I would want: trim, a/p, and AHRS  at a minimum, when I get around to it, which will probably be when the days get short again

[Marauder]

  On 4/3/2018 at 12:48 AM, teejayevans said:

You would pull stall, gear warnings? They consume almost no power and I consider them vital safety equipment.

That isn’t the current picture of the panel. I do have the gear/stall and one other labeled white.


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[Oldguy]

  On 4/3/2018 at 12:00 AM, flyboy0681 said:

I've always wondered if the alternator fails whether it's best to get the gear down immediately while there is still battery power since you know that you're coming down real soon. I can't imagine having to land with no battery and having to deal with manually dropping the gear at the same time.

Expand  

Did exactly that when my alternator failed on the way to a MAPA PPP. Had less than an hour back to my home drome. With the gear down, it's like flying a 172.

[jetdriven]

  On 4/3/2018 at 12:00 AM, flyboy0681 said:

I've always wondered if the alternator fails whether it's best to get the gear down immediately while there is still battery power since you know that you're coming down real soon. I can't imagine having to land with no battery and having to deal with manually dropping the gear at the same time.

Expand  

If there is any voltage at all the gear will come down. The airflow pulls it down. You should be able to load shed down to one nav /com radio, a transponder, and be a fly over an hour before voltages an issue. A ~10-15 amp load should last that long with a good battery. My alternator field wire broke for the last time and I was checking a guy out because he just bought a M20J and wasn't sure how to fly it. We finished steep turns, did the stall series, came back and did three take offs and landings with 1 nav/com, strobes, HID landing light, and transponder on.  About 30-40 minutes. Then later in the course of troubleshooting, started up three more times.  If it's a good VFR day, maybe turn everything off and fly at 155 kt to your destination then turn it back on, put the gear down then.

[DCarlton]

My original row of breakers on the right side are red.  Unlike my newer black breakers, they don’t have the indention around them, that lets you get a grip and pull them.  They protrude but are smooth.  Was that intentional?  Were they not meant to be pulled manually?  Thoughts appreciated.  

 

[carusoam]

  On 3/29/2024 at 3:16 AM, DCarlton said:

My original row of breakers on the right side are red.  Unlike my newer black breakers, they don’t have the indention around them, that lets you get a grip and pull them.  They protrude but are smooth.  Was that intentional?  Were they not meant to be pulled manually?  Thoughts appreciated.  

 

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Hey DC!

Sounds like they may be the push to reset type….?

when they trip, they pop out about 1/4”…?

 

PP guessing only, not an electrician…

Best regards,

-a-

 

[DCarlton]

  On 3/29/2024 at 6:01 AM, carusoam said:

Hey DC!

Sounds like they may be the push to reset type….?

when they trip, they pop out about 1/4”…?

 

PP guessing only, not an electrician…

Best regards,

-a-

 

Expand  

Yes correct.  There must have been a philosophical design change from the early M20s to where we are now.  It seems most folks choose the breakers that can be manually tripped now.  

[carusoam]

  On 3/30/2024 at 12:10 AM, DCarlton said:

Yes correct.  There must have been a philosophical design change from the early M20s to where we are now.  It seems most folks choose the breakers that can be manually tripped now.  

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In the ideal Mooney world where nothing ever wears out, or misbehaves…

circuit breakers only popped when needed…

people didn’t use them as switches to cut the power off…

 

in the real world… we want two ways to turn some things off…. AP servos especially.  
 

fortunately… the push button CBs can be exchanged for the desired type ‘relatively’ easily….

 

PP thoughts as usual… not a mechanic…

 

Best regards,

-a-