RIP STec30

[DanM20C]

Mike beat me to it.  800hrs with my old Stec 30 and I never left heading mode, just used GPSS or the bug.  My 30 was rock solid in both axis, once I had pitch oscillations and it was fixed with Mike's servo cleaning recommendation.  I loved that autopilot, If I were you I would OH the 30. 

Cheers,

Dan

[MikeOH]

3 hours ago, DanM20C said:

Mike beat me to it.  800hrs with my old Stec 30 and I never left heading mode, just used GPSS or the bug.  My 30 was rock solid in both axis, once I had pitch oscillations and it was fixed with Mike's servo cleaning recommendation.  I loved that autopilot, If I were you I would OH the 30. 

Cheers,

Dan

Me, three.  Not sure I've EVER tried the STEC's tracking modes; ALWAYS in HDG, and GPSS or the bug, as you say.

Mine has always worked perfectly, including the altitude hold. 

If mine broke I'd fix it for sure...waaaay before unloading tons of cash on some new fangled AP.

[Amelia]

OK. A long look in the mirror has convinced me that the fancy and sexy boat sailed some years ago. So STec30 repair/cleaning/OH is the sensible way to go. An avionics tech I know and have great faith in will stop by next time he’s in the neighborhood, look things over, remove what he needs to, clean what he can, and restore what came with. And I’ll keep on using heading mode, once there’s no more smell of burning electrons. The idea of upgrade got to involving too much rearranging, of panel space and existing boxes, not to mention new pieces and parts and way too many weeks and weeks of down time. 
I’m truly grateful to each of you good people who offered thoughts and advice !!

Now we placard inop and wait for the expert.

[mike_elliott]

33 minutes ago, Amelia said:

OK. A long look in the mirror has convinced me that the fancy and sexy boat sailed some years ago

I look at you and see beauty, Mimi

[Amelia]

Aw, Mike... you dear. ☺️

[steingar]

On 12/11/2020 at 12:07 PM, ArtVandelay said:

Cheapest option is to look one removed because of an upgrade, check various boards, eBay sites. Also I don’t know, but is the 50 plug compatible with the 30? If yes, then I would think it would be easy to find a substitute. You might want to pick up a servo as a spare as well if you find one.

Maybe, but I suspect that old Stecs aren't binned or resold unless there's something wrong with them.  

[neilpilot]

30 minutes ago, steingar said:

Maybe, but I suspect that old Stecs aren't binned or resold unless there's something wrong with them.  

Likely true in many, but no all, cases.  As an example, the sTec 30 from my 64E was sold by the aircraft salvage company after N1310W was totaled in 2012.  There was nothing wrong with the sTec, just with the airframe it was attached to.  

So units offered by salvage agents like our Grim Reaper and Jerry P are likely to be functional. 

[Amelia]

We ARE looking at technology 15 or 20 years old, analog stuff in an increasingly digital world. All the cool kids are going with Garmin, and other snazzy options not even certified for Mooney. The bins are full, if eBay is to be believed, of perfectly good old-school autopilots removed in favor of autopilots that will even rewarm your coffee. Will they work with what I have? Ah. That, my friend, is why I  have an expert or two I’ll pay handsomely to do what must eventually be done.

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, steingar said:

Maybe, but I suspect that old Stecs aren't binned or resold unless there's something wrong with them.  

Lots of airplanes get parted out after gear-ups or other end-of-life events or even just upgrades.   There's a lot of servicable used stuff out there.

Edited December 17, 2020 by EricJ

[steingar]

On 12/17/2020 at 9:34 AM, neilpilot said:

Likely true in many, but no all, cases.  As an example, the sTec 30 from my 64E was sold by the aircraft salvage company after N1310W was totaled in 2012.  There was nothing wrong with the sTec, just with the airframe it was attached to.  

So units offered by salvage agents like our Grim Reaper and Jerry P are likely to be fu

23 hours ago, EricJ said:

Lots of airplanes get parted out after gear-ups or other end-of-life events or even just upgrades.   There's a lot of servicable used stuff out there.

 

 

 

Let's not forget that every Stec has to be STC'd for your airplane.  From what I hear those STC's don't come cheap.  Even if you can get a serviceable unit Stec will charge you up the nose before you can install it in your aircraft.  I still have the sneaking suspicion that in the end the cheapest thing to do is send it in for overhaul.

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, steingar said:

Let's not forget that every Stec has to be STC'd for your airplane.  From what I hear those STC's don't come cheap.  Even if you can get a serviceable unit Stec will charge you up the nose before you can install it in your aircraft.  I still have the sneaking suspicion that in the end the cheapest thing to do is send it in for overhaul.

Since the OP is replacing a failed unit the STC should already be in place.

[Amelia]

Yes. That, all the rearranging and add-ons, and the fact that I never feel the need to fly to 200 and a half, anymore, means the old and somewhat limited System- 30 will serve me fine. 

[Ragsf15e]

9 hours ago, EricJ said:

Since the OP is replacing a failed unit the STC should already be in place.

Supposedly the stec stc covers the specific serial # of the part installed in the airplane.  I haven’t read the STC that closely to know, but that’s the “conventional wisdom” that he’s referring to.

[Amelia]

And for a mere pittance of a nominal contribution to the company’s corporate health, Genesys will fix whatever went up in smoke, and send my original serial number back, with refurbished or repaired innards. Least that’s what I heard. Who knows? But I did have fun for a minute dreaming of all the new and sexy I could stuff in that lovely bird’s panel. 

[LANCECASPER]

16 hours ago, Amelia said:

And for a mere pittance of a nominal contribution to the company’s corporate health, Genesys will fix whatever went up in smoke, and send my original serial number back, with refurbished or repaired innards. Least that’s what I heard. Who knows? But I did have fun for a minute dreaming of all the new and sexy I could stuff in that lovely bird’s panel. 

Looks pretty nice already. . . .