Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

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dwurfel
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Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by dwurfel »

In colder weather I keep getting an annunciation that the rear canopy door is not locked. During the same flight as it gets warmer it will go out. Usually on the return flight it never appears. Anyone had same?
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PIERRELFAI
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by PIERRELFAI »

Hi david yes we have the same problem on our DA40 (2007 model ) we made several adjustment but still same , depend OAT , sometimes no alarm in flight and alarm sound just after landing , so .... the real problem is to not pay any attention if the rear door is really unlock
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Rick
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Rick »

I am also starting to have this problem on my 2007, very occasionally. When the warning comes on, I can move the rear latch lever just slightly and the alarm will go off. It's like the latch is not quite holding itself closed all the way. For me, this feels like the same problem I was having with my front latch last year, which turned out to be the gas strut inside of the latch. I replaced my front strut and that problem went away. I suspect we all need new rear latch gas struts...
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by gordsh »

Had a similar problem but on the front door of my 2010 XLS. Had to change the "Door-Canopy switch Assy - DA4-5271-60-00" as its referred to on my invoice. Cost for the part was $551.31 Canadian and apparently very difficult to change . Took over 2 hours and needed to remove the from seat.
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Rich
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Rich »

gordsh wrote:Had a similar problem but on the front door of my 2010 XLS. Had to change the "Door-Canopy switch Assy - DA4-5271-60-00" as its referred to on my invoice. Cost for the part was $551.31 Canadian and apparently very difficult to change . Took over 2 hours and needed to remove the from seat.
I replaced mine years ago and didn't find it particularly difficult to change. Remove the pilot seat (it comes out every annual anyway), then remove the air vent on the left door post and it's right there. Just don't drop the screws that hold the switch in place :x

It could conceivably be done without removing the seat, but I don't find it hard to do with all the practice I've had. 8-)
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Karl »

Rick wrote:I am also starting to have this problem on my 2007, very occasionally. When the warning comes on, I can move the rear latch lever just slightly and the alarm will go off. It's like the latch is not quite holding itself closed all the way. For me, this feels like the same problem I was having with my front latch last year, which turned out to be the gas strut inside of the latch. I replaced my front strut and that problem went away. I suspect we all need new rear latch gas struts...
Not just the gas strut but there is also an SB for the pin that holds the gas strut in. Apparently they can bend over time and should be replaced with a stronger version. Of course any bending, movement or wear can impact on the way the micro switch is activated. RSB 40-83, RSB D4-105, or RSB 40NG-053.
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Toddf »

I have 2002 DA40 and had a situation where my doors alarm activated just before take off so I decided to taxi back to the FBO to look at the doors but as I was taxing the light went out. I checked the latches and everything was solid but once in the air it alarmed again. It now does not shut off. Both the back and front latches lock well and door handles are flush when closed. The latch pins come out evenly on the front canopy and are solid. The back seems to extend properly as well. My question is where is the switch that triggers the alarm? Do the pins extend and hit the switch?
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Karl »

The switch is operated by the forward pin, it is accessed by removing the air vent between the door and the canopy.

Check the gas strut by moving the locking lever with the door open. The lever should be spring-loaded to both the open and closed positions. IE. snaps to the closed/open position as you move the lever.
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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Steve »

Toddf wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2020 3:34 am...My question is where is the switch that triggers the alarm? Do the pins extend and hit the switch?
Here is a page from the DA40 IPC which shows the switch assembly (PN 350 on the diagram). It is mounted in the side of the fuselage, between the canopy and rear door:
Door Unlocked Switch Assembly.jpg
The metal strips that are pushed by the locking rods and activate the microswitches are pretty thin gauge metal, and easy bent/deformed. I believe that Diamond used this design to minimize the criticality of locking rod extension in activating the switch. But the metal strips do seem to get deformed unexplainably.

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Re: Canopy ( rear ) open Warning Light Anomaly

Post by Rich »

Those metal strips in my '02 were amazingly cheap, flimsy, aluminum things that I could not keep adjusted. It looked like they were cut from a beer can. They were replaced with newer ones that are spring steel. They also can be tricky to adjust properly. Open the canopies and, sicking a pencil or something in the holes you can tell at which points they operate. Removing that vent will give you access to them for adjustment.
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