Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
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- Rich
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
Pretty much whenever anything was changed in my plane I wound up with a supplement for the Flight Manual. In fact, this is even true of optional equipment that was delivered with the plane. I've got like a dozen of these things. There should be something, somewhere about how to operate the standby alternator. Does it have it's own voltage regulator, for example? If so, what kind?
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
- saramse
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
In case you haven't already found the answer.....I also have the Standby Alternator option on my plane (N905PA). As mentioned above, there should be an AFM Supplement (which I have and could send to you, if necessary). Here is the Checklist Procedure from the AFM Supplement (it was not in my checklist either):
BEFORE ENGINE START
Master Switch and STBY ALT Master Switch ON
BEFORE TAKEOFF
Add the following procedures after item "Throttle -- 1800 RPM" (I actually do this after the Magneto and RPM lever checks at 2000 RPM as part of the run-up)
Primary Alternator master switch - OFF (Battery remains ON)
STBY ALT ON annunciator - Check ON
Increase electrical load as necessary (to >20A). Check STBY ALT ON annunciator FLASHING (if exceed 20A max)
Decrease electrical load as necessary. Check STBY ALT ON annunciator - ON (not flashing)
Throttle - 1000 RPM
Primary Alternator master switch - ON
STBY ALT ON annunciator - Check OFF
BEFORE ENGINE START
Master Switch and STBY ALT Master Switch ON
BEFORE TAKEOFF
Add the following procedures after item "Throttle -- 1800 RPM" (I actually do this after the Magneto and RPM lever checks at 2000 RPM as part of the run-up)
Primary Alternator master switch - OFF (Battery remains ON)
STBY ALT ON annunciator - Check ON
Increase electrical load as necessary (to >20A). Check STBY ALT ON annunciator FLASHING (if exceed 20A max)
Decrease electrical load as necessary. Check STBY ALT ON annunciator - ON (not flashing)
Throttle - 1000 RPM
Primary Alternator master switch - ON
STBY ALT ON annunciator - Check OFF
- gordsh
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
Hi Scott, thanks for posting your procedure, nice to see you have the same setup as me (I was starting to feel left out LOL). I did get the supplements for my plane from Ray at Premier Aircraft who was very very helpful. The procedures are exactly as you post and I have updated my check list and POH with the docs. I have tried this procedure and it appears that the bulbs in my [std by alt] indicator are either blown or the the alternator is not working. My plane goes to XU Aviation next week for mags and air conditioning retro fit kit install so I will have them look at the stand by alternator. Thanks again.
- gordsh
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
It does have its own voltage regulator and as Ray from Premier Aircraft explained to me, the Standby Alternator (which is made by B & C Specialty Products) does not charge the battery, it simply, once activated by way of the switch, provides 20 AMPS of power to the main bus as soon as it senses a voltage drop from the battery. In talking this through with my instructor he suggested that it should have been called a Standby Generator and not Alternator. Here are the part numbers B & C Specialty 20A 28v Standby Alternator, P/N BC410-100-1, voltage regulator P/N BC203-20.Rich wrote:Pretty much whenever anything was changed in my plane I wound up with a supplement for the Flight Manual. In fact, this is even true of optional equipment that was delivered with the plane. I've got like a dozen of these things. There should be something, somewhere about how to operate the standby alternator. Does it have it's own voltage regulator, for example? If so, what kind?
- gordsh
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
Here is the wiring diagram for the StanBy Alternator in my DA40.
- Josh F
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Re: Standby Alternator pre-flight check.
For future reference I also have one of these, any the mechanic who did my 2000hr/12 year had never seen it before. Thanks for the wiring detail and checklist items.