Monty
Well-Known Member
There are some real junk sensors avialble....no doubt. Buy quality name brand sensors, not cheap crap on fleabay. Test thoroughly. This is part of engineering. Test the failure modes. Disable the sensors and see what happens ON THE GROUND. Do this in a disciplined, planned manner.The video mentions Bosch electronics and was apparently made before Aeromomentum starting using the Microsquirt system. Customers get an engine with the Microsquirt installed and the engine test run, which is nice. For a customer buying an Aeromomentum engine and wanting an SDS ignition/FI system, the optimum situation (IMO) would be for it to be installed and test run before it is delivered. With a newly manufactured engine, that seems like the best way to avoid a lot of finger pointing and head scratching.
It should be mentioned that AirTrikes has been adapting Suzuki engines for aircraft use for many years, too. They use the SPG series of PSRUs (from Russia?) and "experienced" engines from cars. They have a long track record and, as far as I can tell, happy customers.
Just to point it out: There are mumblings (informed? Uninformed?) about quality differences between the Suzuki engine components made in Japan and those made elsewhere. I don't know if there's anything to this or not, but some sellers of used engines promote a used Japanese-made engine as being possibly a better bet than a brand-new engine made of components manufactured elsewhere. I have no way to validate any of that, it could just be B.S.
Monty, thanks for the firsthand report. Maybe I didn't sufficiently caveat my post. I'm not a Megasquirt basher, I wish them success. But, as you point out, anybody counting on that system to keep their airplane aloft needs to go in with their eyes wide open. They need to not only know stuff, but "know what they don't know." And, IMO, that includes an understanding of the software architecture used in Megasquirt, which is the only way to appraise its stability and response to various sensor failures (none of us can hope to accumulate enough time in our own car to find the failure modes that may occur in an airplane, though it looks like you are doing your part!). As a user, is it possible to "engineer" a Megasquirt system? I don't mean install various bits and make sure they run, but look at the source code and truly understand what is happening inside the black box?
Mark
Grounding is a seriously important thing for electronics. If you have a composite airplane....things will be harder.
The CPS is the worst single point failure on any EFI system. It needs to be VERY reliable. Trying to make a redundant sensor is not really an option, because the failure mode checking introduces other failure modes. Just make it really reliable. The crankshaft is a single point failure too...
You can determine if the system is reliable and quantify the failure modes before you leave the ground. Can you engineer the code?...no. You don't have to. It's been done. You can however test it.
Not everything in MS land is great.....The biggest problem with MS is the documentation....they are working on that...but WOW.....just...WOW....
Monty