Where is your voltage regulator?

[anthonydesmet]

So might be an odd one...might not....Those that remember I recently had a loud squeal in headset that was caused by a diode in belt driven alternator.  I also had a bad voltage regulator that was replaced.  However what I thought odd is where my voltage regulator was placed.  They took my old one out and put the new one in the exact same way.....suspended with tie straps under the copilots side of the instrument panel.  If you were sitting in the copilots seat it would be right above your right leg.  Now my cessna and pipers I've owned, the voltage regulator was always in the engine compartment mounted on the firewall.

 

So just wondering if I'm the norm or is this weird.  I would think this needs to be mounted and grounded to the firewall.  

[Niko182]

Mine is on the copilot side behind the panel. It is bolted onto a plate. It is not strapped on by ties. I like it since it takes 10 minutes to exchange when it finally goes again and I switch it with the spare one i have.

[anthonydesmet]

3 minutes ago, Niko182 said:

Mine is on the copilot side behind the panel. It is bolted onto a plate. It is not strapped on by ties. I like it since it takes 10 minutes to exchange when it finally goes again and I switch it with the spare one i have.

Bolted on what plate and where is the plat mounted?  Panel, firewall, counsel?

[PT20J]

6 minutes ago, anthonydesmet said:

Bolted on what plate and where is the plat mounted?  Panel, firewall, counsel?

 Copilot side, under instrument panel, right of the console. The VR in above and bolted to a flat plate. 

[Niko182]

9 minutes ago, anthonydesmet said:

Bolted on what plate and where is the plat mounted?  Panel, firewall, counsel?

The plate is perpendicular to the panel itself. It attaches to the lower steel bar where thelower portion of the panel itself mounts to.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Niko182

[anthonydesmet]

@Niko182thanks!  Do you know if there is a grounding wire to that plate or if that plate is grounded to the lower instrument panel bar....other than juts being bolted to the plate which is bolted to the bar?

 

[Niko182]

1 minute ago, anthonydesmet said:

@Niko182thanks!  Do you know if there is a grounding wire to that plate or if that plate is grounded to the lower instrument panel bar....other than juts being bolted to the plate which is bolted to the bar?

 

I dont think its grounded out. The voltage regulator from the late model 252s are the same as the eagles. I dont know if thats the case for the 262.

[carusoam]

Hmmmmm....

The 262 is a 12V version of the 252... all other things being equal...

-a-

[Niko182]

5 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Hmmmmm....

The 262 is a 12V version of the 252... all other things being equal...

-a-

I presume that means he doesnt have the rediculously overpriced 2200 dollar voltage regulator which is a good thing. 

[carusoam]

Electrical devices increase in price with...

• 24V vs 12V
• Dual VR, to handle two alternators...
• Small additional costs for a pair of batteries, switches, relays, trickle charging capability...
• The expertise needed to OH them is limited...

PP thoughts only, not a parts expert...

Best regards,

-a-

[PT20J]

42 minutes ago, anthonydesmet said:

@Niko182thanks!  Do you know if there is a grounding wire to that plate or if that plate is grounded to the lower instrument panel bar....other than juts being bolted to the plate which is bolted to the bar?

 

Should be grounded through the connector and wire harness to the ground connector. Check the wiring diagram in the Service Manual for details.

[Aerodon]

This is where it is mounted on a 1986 252.  The second one is underneath the plate.

 

Aerodon

 

[ArtVandelay]

My 78 VR is exactly where OPs is, there is a ground wire connected to it IIRC. It’s a Zeftronics 15300, not sure if it’s OEM or not.

[Greg Ellis]

In my 63 C model, mine is mounted on the co-pilots side of the firewall in the engine compartment.  It is very easy to get to by removing just one side of the cowl, although now that I think about it that is about 35 screws. 

[PT20J]

4 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

My 78 VR is exactly where OPs is, there is a ground wire connected to it IIRC. It’s a Zeftronics 15300, not sure if it’s OEM or not.

My 1994 M20J has it mounted to the plate as stated above. My 1978 M20J had an OECO VR and it was mounted to the inside of the firewall, up high on the copulot’s side and a real PITA to get to. That's probably why mechanics are zip tying in lighter Zeftronics replacements. But that’s not the right way to do it.

Skip

[OR75]

The VR is bolted on the firewall inside the cockpit above the copilot feet. 
the zeftronics don’t have the exact same footprint as the OECO but almost (I think 3 bolts instead of 4 for the OECO). But 3 points is sufficient. 

It is a two person job as someone has to hold the bolt on engine side while the nut is tightened on the copilot feet side (unless you find an ingenious way of preventing the bolt from turning  -  not that difficult) . A long wrench extension helps. 

if it was zip tied , the mechanic did not want the bother. Especially if you have avionics on the right stack 

Edited February 3, 2021 by OR75