Post by mackattack on Sept 4, 2016 18:05:20 GMT
Of course, I could be talking about my personality but not this time ... 
Yesterday I noticed the voltage on my 914 Astore on the high side. Typically when I start up (or run on aux power), my voltage is right at 13 or 13.1. I hadn't really noticed it while flying or otherwise before yesterday, to be honest, so it was probably not in the red and seemed normal on startup. But during engine start/taxi/runup and during a short flight in the pattern yesterday, the voltage was up in the 14s (still green), then near 15 and then finally it did hit 15.1 (and red) but only briefly.
Today, I connected the bird to aux power to fiddle with the G3X config menu for something else, and the voltage was steady at 13. When I started it up, it climbed slowly to 13.4 or 13.5, and then during another short flight went a bit higher into the 14s and may have briefly touched 15 again before settling back down into the 13s on the descent and in the pattern.
Very odd - I remember Shannon at Tecnam telling me to always check the voltage on start up and it should be at 13 ... but of course, the green goes higher than that. I have talked to a couple other 914 owners and their voltages are in the high 14s.
I'm not sure if this is worrisome, normal, indicative of a regulator on the decline, a bad battery or none of the above ...
FWIW, I checked the Rotax Owner's forum and didn't find much specific to the 914, but a lot of general concern about high voltage meaning either a bad regulator or shortening regulator/rectifier life. Low voltages (under 12) mean a bad alternator, according to the POH but interestingly, there is nothing in the emergency section about high voltage.
Anybody have any ideas or thoughts? Informal poll on your personal voltage experience!!! Stay tuned for the "shocking" results!!!
Thanks in advance!
Joel
Yesterday I noticed the voltage on my 914 Astore on the high side. Typically when I start up (or run on aux power), my voltage is right at 13 or 13.1. I hadn't really noticed it while flying or otherwise before yesterday, to be honest, so it was probably not in the red and seemed normal on startup. But during engine start/taxi/runup and during a short flight in the pattern yesterday, the voltage was up in the 14s (still green), then near 15 and then finally it did hit 15.1 (and red) but only briefly.
Today, I connected the bird to aux power to fiddle with the G3X config menu for something else, and the voltage was steady at 13. When I started it up, it climbed slowly to 13.4 or 13.5, and then during another short flight went a bit higher into the 14s and may have briefly touched 15 again before settling back down into the 13s on the descent and in the pattern.
Very odd - I remember Shannon at Tecnam telling me to always check the voltage on start up and it should be at 13 ... but of course, the green goes higher than that. I have talked to a couple other 914 owners and their voltages are in the high 14s.
I'm not sure if this is worrisome, normal, indicative of a regulator on the decline, a bad battery or none of the above ...
FWIW, I checked the Rotax Owner's forum and didn't find much specific to the 914, but a lot of general concern about high voltage meaning either a bad regulator or shortening regulator/rectifier life. Low voltages (under 12) mean a bad alternator, according to the POH but interestingly, there is nothing in the emergency section about high voltage.
Anybody have any ideas or thoughts? Informal poll on your personal voltage experience!!! Stay tuned for the "shocking" results!!!
Thanks in advance!
Joel
