goalstop Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 13 months and many AMUs into the panel overhaul + annual (10 of those months not flying at all), on the VERY DAY I'm supposed to take delivery and fly her... The master contactor relay is sticking open. It was just replaced. Battery is brand new. All the wiring in the plane is brand new... Mechanic does a thorough check for grounding issues. No issues in the wiring. Isolates the starter - turns out there's a failed ground inside my starter So now I'm replacing the starter for an ElectroAir, and putting a new lock on the door for a bit of safety Hopefully just a day's delay, not another month Posting in case anyone else comes across a similar issue Just another day... know not to keep my hopes up too much. Aircraft ownership has meant significantly less flight time vs renting for me... 2 Quote
goalstop Posted January 13, 2023 Author Report Posted January 13, 2023 ...and because I can't resist at least posting an "almost" finished picture... 3 Quote
jamesm Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 If your system is original. The ignition switch provides grounding to magnetos. for the push to start potion of the ignition switch provides . if I remember correctly a voltage for the shower of sparks you should be hearing buzzing sound. You could have intermittent ignition circuit breaker which I had kind of bugger to find. I believe that the start portion of the ignition switch provides ground the starter contactor. 1 Quote
PT20J Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 Nice panel and a good reminder that just because you spent a wad of money doesn't mean these old things won't break something tomorrow. 2 Quote
Aerodon Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 1 minute ago, PT20J said: Nice panel and a good reminder that just because you spent a wad of money doesn't mean these old things won't break something tomorrow. Yes, I'm doing a M20K panel, and replacing anything that might break. Some wiring, switches etc. can look just fine after 36 years, but one needs to be very realistic about physical and mechanical aging of wire, insulation, mounting clips etc. I have managed to remove several of the CPC connectors, sometimes splicing wires, sometimes just installing a new wire from one CB to the next. Helps to have a proper crimper and pins for the CPC connectors. And the proper pin removal tool makes removing and installing new pins quite satisfying. Aerodon 1 Quote
jghyde Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 Explain grounding problem "inside" the starter? Quote
TheAv8r Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 1 hour ago, goalstop said: ...and because I can't resist at least posting an "almost" finished picture... Some great equipment in here but I can't help but comment that there are so many oddities to this layout... everybody's flying flow is their own I guess. You have plenty of room in the center stack for the transponder, why throw it all the way to the right sitting in the center by its lonesome? Makes it look and feel out of place. I would have at least left-aligned it to the JPI 900 to have some kind of visual flow to it and put it in a place where it's easier for me to get to. You have created room for your STEC AP controls to live on the panel instead of on the center rest, why not move that up there? Also, is there an AP Disc button on the yoke? I thought that was required for the STC but maybe I'm wrong. The additional hacked together metal circuit breaker panel going down from the panel would drive me nuts, my passengers would bang their knees on that thing all the time. You cut a new panel, why not move all of those breakers in all the empty space you have on the right side to put them? I'll stop , not trying to rain on your parade! Quote
goalstop Posted January 13, 2023 Author Report Posted January 13, 2023 1 hour ago, TheAv8r said: Some great equipment in here but I can't help but comment that there are so many oddities to this layout... everybody's flying flow is their own I guess. You have plenty of room in the center stack for the transponder, why throw it all the way to the right sitting in the center by its lonesome? Makes it look and feel out of place. I would have at least left-aligned it to the JPI 900 to have some kind of visual flow to it and put it in a place where it's easier for me to get to. You have created room for your STEC AP controls to live on the panel instead of on the center rest, why not move that up there? Also, is there an AP Disc button on the yoke? I thought that was required for the STC but maybe I'm wrong. The additional hacked together metal circuit breaker panel going down from the panel would drive me nuts, my passengers would bang their knees on that thing all the time. You cut a new panel, why not move all of those breakers in all the empty space you have on the right side to put them? I'll stop , not trying to rain on your parade! Lol! All good questions transponder - there wasn’t room in the center stack because of a structural beam behind the top of the stack. Normally have a copilot to push the buttons anyway. That was the best spot for it to fit what’s behind the panel STEC is plenty easy to use and out of the way down there. Don’t think it requires a disconnect on the yoke (was never there to start). Adding it to the panel just would’ve crowded it and taken a space for a future gizmo circuit breaker - didn’t think of it. Whatever Quote
0TreeLemur Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 2 hours ago, PT20J said: Nice panel and a good reminder that just because you spent a wad of money doesn't mean these old things won't break something tomorrow. My wife and I have a saying... "There's always something." 1 Quote
Guest Posted January 13, 2023 Report Posted January 13, 2023 10 hours ago, goalstop said: 13 months and many AMUs into the panel overhaul + annual (10 of those months not flying at all), on the VERY DAY I'm supposed to take delivery and fly her... The master contactor relay is sticking open. It was just replaced. Battery is brand new. All the wiring in the plane is brand new... Mechanic does a thorough check for grounding issues. No issues in the wiring. Isolates the starter - turns out there's a failed ground inside my starter So now I'm replacing the starter for an ElectroAir, and putting a new lock on the door for a bit of safety Hopefully just a day's delay, not another month Posting in case anyone else comes across a similar issue Just another day... know not to keep my hopes up too much. Aircraft ownership has meant significantly less flight time vs renting for me... I’m confused with your list of snags. The master relay is closed by completing a circuit to ground. How does this turn into a starter replacement? Electro air is an electronic ignition, or are you referring to something else? Quote
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