Dirthawker
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2021
- Messages
- 2
Hello all,
I’m new here and new to ultralights and I’m looking for some help concerning voltage regulator outputs on a Kawasaki 340 engine.
I bought this aircraft slightly used and initially had an RPM indication error on my GRT EIS display. At the advise of GRT, I installed a new voltage regulator but that did not fix the problem. Turns out, it was a bad connection on the rpm lead and not related to the regulator. Point is, now ,i have a new voltage regulator.
I installed a LiFE PO4 battery and things operated normally for the next 3-4 hours of taxi time and ground test. This lithium batter has separate charging leads at the top of the battery case and I connected that lead with a quick disconnect plug for ease of removal and charging if needed.
The next day while taxiing, my EIS screen flickered and then went blank. I turned the EIS power off, and taxied back to the hanger and shut the aircraft down. A few minutes later, I powered the EIS and it would come on for a few seconds, showing low voltage and then it power off. I pulled the battery out of the aircraft and it indicated less that 3 volts. Obviously I had just ruined a $200 battery. It appeared the battery was not being charged.
I installed a lead acid battery and connected a volt meter to the out put of the voltage regulator . It indicated 14.4v at idle rpm. Unfortunately, what I did not do, was increase the engine RPM while monitoring the v/r output voltage.
I was under the impression that the lithium battery was equipped with internal charging protection. I had decided that the battery had dropped below a low voltage threshold and the charging circuit opened preventing the battery from charging and that I had continued to use the battery thus totally depleting it. I ordered and installed a new lithium battery and charged it with a LiFe charger. I checked the voltage before and after start and taxied around for about 10 mins. Back at the hangar, I check the voltage after engine shut down and couldn’t below what I saw, 24V and decreasing. That can’t be right. I exited the airplane and checked the voltage with a voltmeter at the terminals, 21v and decreasing. I cleared the area and remained clear of the airplane for about 2 hours. I then removed the battery which was now showing less than 1V , another one bites the dust! I had set a low voltage limit warning in my EIS but I did not set a high rpm limit and the voltage is not displayes in the normal run page after start. Lesson learned!
I installed a lead acid battery again and started the airplane. At this point, the v/r is not connected to the battery but I am monitoring the v/r output with a volt meter. At idle, 14.4V but then as I increase the engine rpm and saw an output over 24V. So what I thought was lack of charging was actually over charging. So I installed the original v/r and still have the lead acid battery installed and now I’m not seeing the voltage output increase with rpm, I’m almost seeing the opposite. After a few minutes (3-5) at low rpm, the voltage will increase to about 17v. If I advance the throttle the voltage output drops quickly to 14.4 and will stay in that 14V range if I stay at around 4500rpm of higher. Is this normal output for the voltage regulator or should it deliver 14v consistently at all rpm ranges?
thank you,
Cody
I’m new here and new to ultralights and I’m looking for some help concerning voltage regulator outputs on a Kawasaki 340 engine.
I bought this aircraft slightly used and initially had an RPM indication error on my GRT EIS display. At the advise of GRT, I installed a new voltage regulator but that did not fix the problem. Turns out, it was a bad connection on the rpm lead and not related to the regulator. Point is, now ,i have a new voltage regulator.
I installed a LiFE PO4 battery and things operated normally for the next 3-4 hours of taxi time and ground test. This lithium batter has separate charging leads at the top of the battery case and I connected that lead with a quick disconnect plug for ease of removal and charging if needed.
The next day while taxiing, my EIS screen flickered and then went blank. I turned the EIS power off, and taxied back to the hanger and shut the aircraft down. A few minutes later, I powered the EIS and it would come on for a few seconds, showing low voltage and then it power off. I pulled the battery out of the aircraft and it indicated less that 3 volts. Obviously I had just ruined a $200 battery. It appeared the battery was not being charged.
I installed a lead acid battery and connected a volt meter to the out put of the voltage regulator . It indicated 14.4v at idle rpm. Unfortunately, what I did not do, was increase the engine RPM while monitoring the v/r output voltage.
I was under the impression that the lithium battery was equipped with internal charging protection. I had decided that the battery had dropped below a low voltage threshold and the charging circuit opened preventing the battery from charging and that I had continued to use the battery thus totally depleting it. I ordered and installed a new lithium battery and charged it with a LiFe charger. I checked the voltage before and after start and taxied around for about 10 mins. Back at the hangar, I check the voltage after engine shut down and couldn’t below what I saw, 24V and decreasing. That can’t be right. I exited the airplane and checked the voltage with a voltmeter at the terminals, 21v and decreasing. I cleared the area and remained clear of the airplane for about 2 hours. I then removed the battery which was now showing less than 1V , another one bites the dust! I had set a low voltage limit warning in my EIS but I did not set a high rpm limit and the voltage is not displayes in the normal run page after start. Lesson learned!
I installed a lead acid battery again and started the airplane. At this point, the v/r is not connected to the battery but I am monitoring the v/r output with a volt meter. At idle, 14.4V but then as I increase the engine rpm and saw an output over 24V. So what I thought was lack of charging was actually over charging. So I installed the original v/r and still have the lead acid battery installed and now I’m not seeing the voltage output increase with rpm, I’m almost seeing the opposite. After a few minutes (3-5) at low rpm, the voltage will increase to about 17v. If I advance the throttle the voltage output drops quickly to 14.4 and will stay in that 14V range if I stay at around 4500rpm of higher. Is this normal output for the voltage regulator or should it deliver 14v consistently at all rpm ranges?
thank you,
Cody
