An Ovation Battery Question

[Alan Maurer]

hello Everyone, Flying Ovation yesterday I noticed that on Battery#1 the ammeter was showing  -2 amps. For a moment I thought the alternator circuit breaker had popped but

it did not. Is this the sign of a failing battery or should I see this in normal flight. I thought it should be in the plus range showing charging?

Thanks

Alan

N913ND Ovation M20R

[triple8s]

If the engine is idled up as in flight it should be either charging if the battery state is lower than full charge or it may not be charging. You can turn on landing and taxi lights while in flight and see if it keeps up if not it can be a sign of not charging. On the TCM engine there is an sb (I think it’s a service bulletin) any how you are supposed to check the alternator coupling. This is accomplished but removing the alternator and there is a tool like a socket and another thing that locks the alternator shaft or the coupling can’t remember which but one is locked and a torque wrench torque is applied and if it slips before a specified torque setting then the coupling is bad. It’s about .8 k iirc mine was bad a couple of years ago prices have probably changed for the procedure. I think I remember that pieces of said coupling (orange plastic shards) can shed off into the engine oil sump and cause problems if not fixed. Plenty to read on the issue on the beech site and other places.

8’s

[ArtVandelay]

First confirm it’s discharging by checking the voltage, this could be a broken lead to the shunt.

[Mufflerbearing]

Mine will show -numbers when it's recharging the batteries after starting and then will go to 0 and then even out.  When firing up something like the pito tube, it'll for a few seconds and then catch back up.  Perfectly normal.