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242 – Your Airplane’s Alternator: Neglected or Well-Cared-For?

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Manage episode 424573238 series 1028900
Content provided by Dean Showalter. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Dean Showalter or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

In this podcast episode, we’re talking about alternator maintenance!

Here’s the alternator I removed from a Beechcraft Bonanza to inspect the drive coupling and the brushes… note the brush assembly in the lower right side of the photo:

The brushes had plenty of length left, but they needed a good cleaning due to carbon dust that had collected from normal brush wear. Check it out:

After a good cleaning, the brushes looked great and were ready to reinstall.

Another thing (and perhaps more important) I wanted to check on this alternator is the elastomer drive coupling:

There have been numerous cases where these drive couplings have come apart and caused serious engine damage and / or failure.

Since it had been nearly 500 hours since this alternator was removed and inspected, I wanted to verify the drive coupling’s condition.

I performed the following: (Reference Continental M-0 manual.)

  • Verified no slippage at 140 inch pounds.
  • Verified proper coupling attach nut torque.
  • Installed new cotter pin.
  • Cleaned off old gasket and installed alternator with new gasket.

If you have a belt driven alternator, it’s important to keep the belt tensioned properly and in good condition.

How about you?

Do you have a plan for proactive preventive maintenance on your airplane’s alternator?

If not, you may be interested in listening to the audio for this episode, and then make a plan that best fits your situation.

It’s certainly a good idea to check alternator brushes each 500 hours.

And for gear driven alternators, it’s probably wise to check the drive coupling at a shorter interval than that. There have been too many stories of these couplings coming loose and / or coming apart, and if we can prevent that, it’s always a good thing!


For some additional discussion on this topic, here’s some interesting info I found on the Pilots of America site:

When to Overhaul / Replace Alternator


The post “242 – Your Airplane’s Alternator: Neglected or Well-Cared-For?” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com

  continue reading

155 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 424573238 series 1028900
Content provided by Dean Showalter. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Dean Showalter or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

In this podcast episode, we’re talking about alternator maintenance!

Here’s the alternator I removed from a Beechcraft Bonanza to inspect the drive coupling and the brushes… note the brush assembly in the lower right side of the photo:

The brushes had plenty of length left, but they needed a good cleaning due to carbon dust that had collected from normal brush wear. Check it out:

After a good cleaning, the brushes looked great and were ready to reinstall.

Another thing (and perhaps more important) I wanted to check on this alternator is the elastomer drive coupling:

There have been numerous cases where these drive couplings have come apart and caused serious engine damage and / or failure.

Since it had been nearly 500 hours since this alternator was removed and inspected, I wanted to verify the drive coupling’s condition.

I performed the following: (Reference Continental M-0 manual.)

  • Verified no slippage at 140 inch pounds.
  • Verified proper coupling attach nut torque.
  • Installed new cotter pin.
  • Cleaned off old gasket and installed alternator with new gasket.

If you have a belt driven alternator, it’s important to keep the belt tensioned properly and in good condition.

How about you?

Do you have a plan for proactive preventive maintenance on your airplane’s alternator?

If not, you may be interested in listening to the audio for this episode, and then make a plan that best fits your situation.

It’s certainly a good idea to check alternator brushes each 500 hours.

And for gear driven alternators, it’s probably wise to check the drive coupling at a shorter interval than that. There have been too many stories of these couplings coming loose and / or coming apart, and if we can prevent that, it’s always a good thing!


For some additional discussion on this topic, here’s some interesting info I found on the Pilots of America site:

When to Overhaul / Replace Alternator


The post “242 – Your Airplane’s Alternator: Neglected or Well-Cared-For?” appeared first at AirplaneOwnerMaintenance.com

  continue reading

155 episodes

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