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Lesson learned. Plane will not start. Contact cleaner?


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I just fixed it!!! A Covid related incident?  Below are problems I had this morning, about 8 hrs ago. 

"12 volt system in 231 will not start. Turn the key, nothing, no clicks silence. 

Found no - negative 12 volts from starter to solenoid. 0 dead.

I supplied 12 v to the starter solenoid from another source and starter engaged. Just fine. So problem is starter switch not sending 12v to solenoid. 

Now the puzzler. At the ign  switch on the I am getting less than 2 volts on the BAT terminal going into starter and I should be getting 12v. Looks like that 12 volts should be coming from the breaker "IGN"/CIG LIGHTER

Ideas?

 

After posting I went back out to plane.  I checked voltage of cig lighter output -  2 volts, just like the hot to ign switch. So I snapped the breaker about ten times in and out and I saw the volts jump to 12. I have flown the plane regularly during covid about an hour a week.  Then I had to go in hospital for an infection 2 weeks ago. So.................we all know the lesson. So if anyone is ever getting goffey low volt readings, try snapping the breaker. 

 

DOES ANYONE RECOMMEND A SHOT OF CONTACT CLEANER? If so, pls be specific. It will have to go in from the front. Contact cleaner in a syrengine? 

 

Thanks all. Hope you are all well. 

 

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MS works in interesting ways... :)

Contact cleaner generally comes in a spray can...

CB switches have a tendency to spark when used..

Each spark knocks off a dust particle of metal... and probably oxidizes it at the same time...

 

The good thing... now you know where the problem is... if it doesn’t clean up, it is pretty sorta easy to replace...
 

Congrats on the problem solving details...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

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If it were me I would replace the breaker and be done with it. I don’t mind fixing a problem once. But I don’t want to deal with it over and over again. Odds are it will fail for good when you are far away from home and no mechanic is on the field.

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"if it doesn’t clean up, it is pretty sorta easy to replace..."

Can someone explain- roughly the process?.

We have had the adjoining instruments out of the way.

Then all the screws that hold in the sub panel.

Pulled it out a few inches. I could be wrong- but for some reason, we could still not get good access. Closed it back up. 

ANY VIDEOS ON THIS? or Step by step- or the best way to search for that data within this resource? 

 

So while we are here, are there any https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/verticalpowerx.php?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyJn5BRDrARIsADZ9ykE_70JnTtyWVq3cgb9IMe5Eb2dI7ZCWj1Q69dr5xxsjmPxrEY-ictoaAjobEALw_wcB

?

 

I think I know that answer.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

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If it were me I would replace the breaker and be done with it. I don’t mind fixing a problem once. But I don’t want to deal with it over and over again. Odds are it will fail for good when you are far away from home and no mechanic is on the field.

Totally agree, I “fixed” my starter not engaging by using silicon spray which work, until I was away, a mechanic on the field got me going again. I had it replaced the following week. Won’t make that mistake again.
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12 hours ago, willerjim273 said:

"if it doesn’t clean up, it is pretty sorta easy to replace..."

Can someone explain- roughly the process?.

We have had the adjoining instruments out of the way.

Then all the screws that hold in the sub panel.

Pulled it out a few inches. I could be wrong- but for some reason, we could still not get good access. Closed it back up. 

ANY VIDEOS ON THIS? or Step by step- or the best way to search for that data within this resource? 

 

So while we are here, are there any https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/verticalpowerx.php?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyJn5BRDrARIsADZ9ykE_70JnTtyWVq3cgb9IMe5Eb2dI7ZCWj1Q69dr5xxsjmPxrEY-ictoaAjobEALw_wcB

?

 

I think I know that answer.

 

Thanks

 

 

 


WJ,

It would help if we knew what model Mooney you have... there is a place to leave that written down.

1) Replacing CBs.... remove bus bar, and other wires connected to it...

2) CB comes out the back of the panel...

3) The bus bar is in the way, and requires a few screws to remove it...

Check with your mechanic... great project for a PP, with mechanic oversight...

4) Before I send you away.... looking at replacing a switch that is easy to test...

You know the switch activates another switch called a relay right? The thing that goes thunk when it is activated...

So if your switch works, yet no thunk... most likely the relay has gone bad... no cleaning, OH was the method of the 60s... most just get replaced....

There ware a couple of names for relays... like solenoid... seems like you want to check you starter solenoid for its health...

Easy to replace, more easy than a CB switch... just expensive...

Whatever that other device is... looks like it says experimental on it... I’m not familiar...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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100hr inspection procedure on our flight school Piper Warrior III which uses the same style Klixon breakers calls for pulling and resetting all breakers with power off, maybe it helps clean the contacts without arcing which may happen with power on?

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On 7/30/2020 at 8:02 PM, larryb said:

If it were me I would replace the breaker and be done with it. I don’t mind fixing a problem once. But I don’t want to deal with it over and over again. Odds are it will fail for good when you are far away from home and no mechanic is on the field.

Totaly agree. I wrestled with an intermittent starting issue for several months. Would start fine half the time. The other half of the times it was hit or miss and would only start after fussing with the ign switch. My mechanic insisted it was the starter solenoid which we replaced. It seemed to get better but not 100%. It persisted. Then one day away from home it did it to me again. I had enough and resolved to replace the ignition switch. No fuss since.

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