DA40 24volt outlet

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Steve
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by Steve »

Quite possibly. Without being able to ask them, I just don't know what the reasoning of the design team was back in 1999. It could be as you say, be regulatory in nature (EASA may have some technical requirements concerning accessory electronic equipment), or something more mundane. As an aside, although I have the special connector for mine, I've never used it (in the air or on the ground). I do carry extra battery packs, or spare batteries, as required, for my portable gear.
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Karl
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by Karl »

And of course the manufacturer has no control over what you connect to it.

If you were to connect something drawing a high load it may compromise the electronics system. Better to label it ground use and avoid any issues later.

Now imagining steam iron or a kettle boiling water plugged into the outlet. Hahaha
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baldesk
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by baldesk »

Agree the 24volt outlet is trouble... I used it once and only once to charge an iPhone on a cross-country trip. On the trip I randomly had GPS antenna failures. 300 hours later, no outlet usage and no more GPS failures.
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RMarkSampson
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by RMarkSampson »

Opinion only - but isn't that what we do when we blog?

Personally, I think it was written by a lawyer - or lawyer wanna-be. Bet if you poured through the log book you would be hard-pressed to find a log entry adding a cigarette lighter power plug to the aircraft. Partly due to all of the pitfalls mentioned above is why someone thought the placard limitation was a suitable solution.

I actually have one in my aircraft that was there when I bought it. I did not even know it existed until after I was the owner. Reviewing the logbook I've never found where it was added. I've never ran that rabbit trail any further to see if the factory put it in. I do believe keeping your tablet powered during flight makes you safer - especially with tablet systems that now provide traffic displays external to the installed panel. I now have a USB power port from MidContinent - installed by the book, backed up with appropriate FAA paperwork...

Especially as a rental, i.e. commercial enterprise requiring 100 hour inspections, this DA-40 owner should address any unsanctioned feature in a certified aircraft, and not with caveats and placards. It likely will not cause an incident, but if an incident occurs, the placard and/or the cigarette lighter plug would probably not stand up under FAA scrutiny and any day in court...

Once again, opinion only - an expert would cite case studies...
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Karl
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by Karl »

The ground use only power supply was fitted at the factory so is approved under the origional aircraft approval.
The flight manual calls it an Accessory power socket.
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HPNAviator
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by HPNAviator »

Case in point. My partner was flying our 2011 DA40-XLS in IMC with his CFI. The flew down to DCA and back and where using their iPads for approach plates and to supplement the G1000. About 50 miles from home the radios in the plane became barely usable due to intense scratching noise in their headsets. After they landed and we spent some time trying to diagnose the issue with the radios we concluded the problem that caused the radios to go bad was plugging the iPad charger into the cigarette lighter socket. While flying the plane my partner and the CFI did not correlate the loss of radio capability with plugging in the iPad charger but we subsequently proved it on the ground.
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Rich
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by Rich »

This all begs the obvious question: If the power outlet was only intended for use on the ground, what the heck good is it? What possible device would you use only when the engine (presumably) isn't running?
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CharlesMc
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Re: DA40 24volt outlet

Post by CharlesMc »

Respectfully, regretfully and with consideration -- Marlboros. It's an artifact in my view, and as long as it doesn't impact my operations, I leave it alone

All good reasons above that when 7CA goes in for ADS-B, will have the Stratus USB power source installed and perhaps cap or even remove the 24v outlet capability.
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