Bottom Line: If you are going to go with an alternator vs, a generator, the Ford/Cessna and/or Plane Power are going to give you more than you need.
Both are proven ane reliable, both require a 337 and/or STC. The lighter one happens to be more expensive. If you decide to stay with a generator, it would be hard to exceed 35 amps for a VFR-only Ercoupe. YMMV, Dave --- In [email protected], "Donald" <dongen...@...> wrote: > > > > Well, even I would agree that 60 amps is wild overkill, but overkill like > taking off with a full tank of fuel to make a few touch and goes. My little > 10 amp generator fried because it simply was being called on to do more than > it was capable of. If I would have had a good 35 amp gen, I may have done it > differently. > My friend with a coupe and 10 amp generator here in the valley, puts his > plane on the charger when he lands, then he has enough to fly for a few hours > before his radio quits from low voltage. Not my idea of the way to do things. > I chose it because in use on many Cessnas and the guts on Fords, partw will > always be available. I worried about the PlanePower people getting silly > with parts and prices, or going out of business, and I plan to keep the old > coupe for a long time. > > --- In [email protected], "bigbrownpilot@" <bigbrownpilot@> wrote: > > > > I have the $700 50 amp Plane Power alternator in my 'coupe. I replaced the > > Ford/Cessna 150 style alternator and voltage regulator that was on the > > airplane when I bought it after I started having problems. The entire draw > > on the system is about 15 amps and I have a GPS, Electric ADI, Electric > > T&B, Grimes beacon, dual landing lights, Electric oil gauges, and lots of > > cockpit lighting. The main advantage to that over the Ford alternator is > > lighter weight. I can't imagine that you would need anything more that 35 > > amps for an Ercoupe, though. > > > > --- In [email protected], "dtaylor9319" <dtaylor9319@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > In my copy of Coupe Capers, I have seen for sale a kit to convert my > > > existing Delco Generator to a new fancy alternator. Cost is around $700. > > > If I find that my Delco 35 amp generator needs replacement, would there > > > be any real benefit, or problems with converting to an alternator. Up til > > > now, everything has been working fine, no radio problems or circuit > > > breakers popping out, lights working, no smoke in the cockpit. I would > > > really rather stay with the old generator if there will be little or no > > > good to come of switching to an alternator. Is the 35 amps the generator > > > enough? I would think the alternator would produce 50 amps at least, but > > > do I really need that much. > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Iflysmodel@ wrote: > > > > > > > > Hey DTaylor: I am no expert, but here are some of the things to > > > > check/try: > > > > It is very easy to test the generator on the plane. The test is > > > > definitive. > > > > > > > > Disconnect the ground from the battery. Remove all the wires from the > > > > generator. Connect a volt meter between the armature of the generator > > > > and > > > > the generator case (ground). Connect a jumper wire from the field > > > > terminal > > > > to the generator case. Start the engine. Voltage should track RPM's > > > > and > > > > reach 13-14 volts by the time you get to about 1500 RPM (probably > > > > sooner). > > > > If this test fails connect the volt meter from the field terminal to > > > > ground > > > > and repeat. If you get a volt or two, the generator is bad. If you get > > > > nothing flash the field then repeat the first test. > > > > > > > > Troubleshooting Alternator and Generator Issues: > > > > > > > > > > > > DC Charging systems can be identified as "A" or "B" circuit. It is > > > > necessary for the technician to determine > > > > which system he has in order to properly troubleshoot. The "A" system > > > > controls the output by regulating the > > > > field circuit to ground. The "B" circuit controls the output by > > > > regulating > > > > the battery to field. > > > > > > > > All Delco Remy Generator charging systems are "A" circuit, therefore > > > > their > > > > regulator controlled how much > > > > ground was placed on the generator field circuit. This was originally > > > > accomplished by a vibrating point system > > > > in the voltage regulator. The more the points were vibrating toward > > > > the > > > > closed position the more the output. > > > > The further apart the points were during the vibrating function, the > > > > less > > > > the output. > > > > > > > > The solid state generator controls work by controlling the generator > > > > field > > > > to ground through a system of > > > > electronic components rather than the vibrating points. The theory > > > > remains > > > > the same, the more ground on > > > > the generator field, the more output and vice versa. > > > > > > > > Most general aviation alternators are "B" circuit. In order for them > > > > to > > > > output current from the alternator, > > > > battery must be applied to the field. The more battery to field, the > > > > higher > > > > the output. The regulator is then > > > > assigned the task of controlling the amount of battery to field. > > > > There > > > > are > > > > some general aviation charging > > > > systems that are of the "A" circuit type. These are normally found in > > > > Prestolite alternator systems with two > > > > field terminals on the alternator. If neither of the fields is > > > > grounded > > > > to > > > > the frame of the alternator, then > > > > the system is "A" circuit. This simply means that the voltage > > > > regulator > > > > is > > > > controlling the alternator field > > > > to ground to control output. > > > > > > > > The reason it is important for the technician to determine whether the > > > > system is of the "A" or "B" style is so > > > > that they can proceed to diagnose the system. A common method of > > > > diagnosing > > > > charging system problems begins > > > > with the full field test. This test is used as a method of > > > > determining > > > > whether the generator or alternator is > > > > functioning. Since the regulator controls how much battery or > > > > ground is > > > > being applied to the generator or > > > > alternator, the full field test requires bypassing the regulator and > > > > jumping full ground or battery to the > > > > field circuit. This causes the generator or alternator to charge at > > > > full > > > > output when rotated at cruise RPM. > > > > > > > > If you are testing a Delco Remy Generator system, remove both the > > > > armature > > > > and field wires from the generator. > > > > To prevent damage, cover the wire ends with tape. Next, jump the > > > > field > > > > post > > > > on the generator to a good airframe > > > > ground. Connect a DC voltmeter to the generator armature terminal. > > > > Connect > > > > the plus side to the post and the negative > > > > side of the meter to ground. With the field grounded the generator, > > > > if > > > > good, will generate a voltage on the armature > > > > terminal. The voltmeter should follow the throttle. The more engine > > > > speed > > > > the more output. Using a digital meter in > > > > this application is sometimes not effective. An analog (needle > > > > movement) > > > > meter is much more reliable. > > > > > > > > Should you have a Generator that is not Delco, it could possibly be > > > > of > > > > the > > > > "B" circuit, Field to Battery, type > > > > application. If so, follow the instructions in the previous > > > > paragraph, > > > > except connect the jumper from the Armature to > > > > the Field post. Then connect the meter from the armature post to > > > > ground > > > > and measure the output voltage. Normally, > > > > the generators manufactured by Bendix, General Electric and Leece > > > > Neville, > > > > > > > > adopted the "B" circuit method. > > > > > > > > When testing general aviation alternators, the brands encountered > > > > will be > > > > Ford, usually found on Cessna and Chrysler > > > > on most older Pipers. You might also run across Delco Alternators on > > > > various models of Piper and Beech aircraft. > > > > Motorola units, in the form of STC approvals by Alcor or InterAv, must > > > > also > > > > be taken into consideration. All of these > > > > unit are "B" circuit requiring a jumper from the Battery post to the > > > > field > > > > post in order to "full field". This means > > > > you must remove the field wire, tape the terminal for protection, > > > > and > > > > connect a jumper from the large output terminal > > > > over to the field post. Connect your DC voltmeter from the output > > > > terminal > > > > to ground and the voltage should then follow > > > > the RPM if the alternator is good. > > > > > > > > In the instances where you have a Prestolite charging system, you > > > > must > > > > first determine whether the system is "A" or > > > > "B" circuit. If the alternator has only one field post it is "B" > > > > circuit > > > > and requires jumping battery to field. If > > > > the unit has two field post, normally f1 and f2, disconnect both > > > > field > > > > wires and protect. Now connect one jumper from > > > > the Battery output post to one field post and a second jumper from the > > > > remaining field post to ground. This will full > > > > field the dual field models. The voltmeter is connected from the > > > > Output > > > > post to ground as in the previous example. > > > > > > > > If the generator or alternator passes the full field test the next > > > > most > > > > likely culprit is the voltage regulator. A > > > > fairly reliable quick test is to connect your voltmeter to the wire > > > > delivering battery to the regulator from the bus. > > > > This should read battery voltage, either 12 or 24 volts depending on > > > > the > > > > system. If you are getting good input voltage > > > > to the regulator, connect your voltmeter to the field circuit exiting > > > > the > > > > regulator. You should read some amount of > > > > voltage. If the reading is zero the voltage regulator is probably > > > > defective. > > > > > > > > Before replacing the regulator it is always a good idea to measure the > > > > resistance of the field circuit. This can be > > > > done at the regulator field wire or on the field post of the generator > > > > or > > > > alternator. The normal reading from the > > > > field post on 12 volt systems is 4 to 6 ohms. On 24 volt systems this > > > > doubles to 8 to 12 ohms. This can vary slightly > > > > and still be considered normal. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > In a message dated 7/12/2010 4:32:22 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > > > > dtaylor9319@ writes: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Went to fly Saturday morning and found a sharp discharge on the Amp > > > > Meter > > > > when electronic circuits were turned on. Ran up to 2100RPM with nothing > > > > on > > > > but the radio and got no positive indication. Where do you start to > > > > sort out > > > > what the source of the problem is. Cigarette lighter plug in voltmeter > > > > shows 11.2 volts. 1966 Alon Aircoupe with a C90 16F. Has generator not > > > > alternator system. > > > > > > > > > >
