Voltage light on steady with master switch on

[JWJR]

Hi all,

I have the zeftronic R1530B. When I turn on the master switch I get a steady voltage light. I pull the passenger side cowl radio cover to access the VR. The light on it is steady red when master is on. I tried pulling Alt field breaker and shutting the master off to reset- no luck still getting the voltage light and red VR light on zeftronic unit. I read the red light indicates a short in the Alternator field. I followed all the wires from the Alternator to the VR. They all look good. Checked the battery and it’s 12.9. Anyway could this Alternator field short be a faulty alternator?

Anyone else ever have the red VR light and if so what was the end result to repair?

Thanks. Local mechanic is backed up so trying to eliminate as much as possible on my own,however electric wiring in not my thing for sure.

 

 

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[Ragsf15e]

Zef has a good troubleshooting guide on their website.  It’s specific to the vr model.  I’d try that first.  An hour with a digital voltage meter and the troubleshooting guide should narrow down the problem quickly.

[carusoam]

Is this while the engine is running?

Or something has changed from before, and is a before start situation?

I would expect a low voltage warning if the alternator isn’t sending power…
 

The ‘field’ wire is the one that gets used to tell the alternator how much to charge…

It is probably the first thing that breaks in the charging system… vibration and sub-optimal support are common issues for this wire…

The Zeftronics device is sensing something incorrect and is letting you know…

When charging, the voltage at the cigarette lighter is often in the 13+ range…

The voltage when everything is off, in the hangar will often be over 12+…

 

+1 on the info booklet from Zeftronics…

+1 on Find the field wire, and follow it end to end… see if anything is broken, loose, or stripped…

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

Best regards,

-a-

[JWJR]

Thanks for the info. This happens when I turn on the master switch prior to engine start. I hear a click from the voltage regulator and the voltage light on the panel comes on and the light on the Voltage regulator mounted on the engine side of the firewall turns red.
1975 M20C. The alternator is a plane power unit. The zeftronic and plane plane power alternator were installed at the same time 260 hours ago in 2013


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[MikeOH]

If the field short is within the alternator, then disconnecting the field wire at the alternator would remove the short; if it is not, then the short would be in the wire from the VR to the alternator.  However, I do NOT know if the Zeftronics would still show a failure light with the field wire open.

[JWJR]

Yes that makes sense as you can see the print on VR that explains the lights. Thank you! I’ll call plane power tomorrow and verify that if I remove the field wire from the alternator and get a green light that would indicate a defective alternator and if light is red that would indicate a wire short.





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[JWJR]

The issue was the alternator. Plane power manufactured in 2010. Installed in 2013.
It lasted 8 years calendar. 260 hours flight time. These cannot be overhauled. I did not have a core of the original alternator or the mounting bracket so I bit the bullet and dropped around $800 for another plane power unit.
Add on top of this labor to install. I’m a bit disappointed in Plane Power now Hartzell to say the least.


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[jamesm]

Make sure the  ground(s)  isn't missing to the Voltage regulator or the annunciator light.  when I was  the process upgrading my Engine Monitor after had finish the  Over Voltage Light was lit.   If I recall correctly  I missed one or more  the grounds to either voltage regulator (Zeftronics R1530B)  Plane Power Alternator or the ground was missing to over voltage light.  I have had virtual no issues of the 17 years operation. So far with Zeftronics and Plane Power combination.

 

Hope this helps,

James '67C

[carusoam]

Similar topic currently being discussed…

-a-