Flap issue now!

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astaib
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Flap issue now!

Post by astaib »

Hello,

I just ferry back my plane from the mechanic after annual maintenance.

The preflight in the flaps was ok. After landing I noticed a flap issue:
From flap two to flap one: it works
From flap one to flap 0: it doesn’t work
Also from flap two to flap 0 it didn’t work neither.

I went to fuel station and after some minutes with the switch on flap 0 the flaps worked and get back to flap 0, but the green light of the flap 0 is not on. For information the white light for flap one and flap 2 is working.

Now the plane is in the hangar and all the position are working in every direction, any position and any sequence, but the green light is still not on.

Do you have an idea of what it can be?!!

Thanks again!!
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
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astaib
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by astaib »

Additional information I had a relative big plan for landing and the speed with flap 2 out was roughly at the maxi of white trace (90kt)
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
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Chris B
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Chris B »

astaib wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:30 pmNow the plane is in the hangar and all the position are working in every direction, any position and any sequence, but the green light is still not on.

Do you have an idea of what it can be?

Try swapping one of the "white" indicator lights with the "green" one. Behind the plastic lenses, all three are white incandescent bulbs, which eventually burn out. A short piece of the appropriate sized shrink tubing works great for extracting the bulbs.

Chris
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Rich
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Rich »

These bulbs do burn out. The green one is on almost all the time, so it's the most likely one to burn out. They are easy to replace but note that it is possible to insert a bulb in a position in which it does not work. Rotate it 90 degrees and you're good to go.

BTW the lenses can be popped out with just a fingernail. I have a very small tweezers that allow insert/removal. The bulbs are super cheap. I got a ten-pack for like $15.00 IIRC, from Atlanta Light Bulbs.

The erratic operation would give me pause. There is a somewhat complex interaction between the triple-throw switch on the panel and limit switches actuated by flap movement.
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
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astaib
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by astaib »

My goodness you are so brilliant! My bulb below the green cap is dead...
But what is strange is the fact that I had an intermittent failure after landing. Do you think that the limit switches may have a problem too? Because of my high speed approach maybe?

Arnaud.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
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Rick
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Rick »

I doubt your approach had anything to do with it, but during the annual with the rear seats out they may have inadvertently bumped one of the limit switches just enough to make it at the edge of contacting the flap rod. That is where I would start...
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Rich
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Rich »

I have no solid answer for the flaps not quite working, but it might have been just a bit of dirt in the contact for the flap zero contact.

But as Rick said, something affecting the limit switches could be the culprit. Checking into it requires the ever-popular back seat removal :scream:

This could be a hassle if it repeats when trying to retract flaps after takeoff. It's no fun cruising around with flaps stuck down. :x
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
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Rich
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Rich »

The AMM section 27-50 has an extensive description of the flap system, including a troubleshooting guide. This has an entry I believe describes your situation.
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
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astaib
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by astaib »

I will check the AMM, thank you very much!
Do you recommend to change the bulbs for the same one or make the modification for led described in the forum?

Thank you.

P.S: i will make a third post following my annual because there was something strange with my 24v battery !
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
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Chris B
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Re: Flap issue now!

Post by Chris B »

astaib wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 5:22 pm Do you recommend to change the bulbs for the same one or make the modification for led described in the forum?
I assume that you are referring to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3638

By far the simplest solution is a replacement incandescent bulb.

Getting the LEDs to work with the dimmer requires calibrating the inline resistor sizing. Otherwise the LEDs will *always* be at full brightness. :(

And as noted on page 4 by Kent:
Diamond Support wrote:Hi, for the DA40-180 only the T4.6 24-20 incandescent bulbs are certified for the flap indication lights.

OTOH, my IA considered this a minor modification, and I definitely prefer LEDs. :thumbsup:

Chris
Last edited by Chris B on Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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