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912ULS Not Charging

Cyclone

Active Member
Initial engine start, everything in green except battery amps.
Battery at 12.8 volts prior to start. Warmup at 2500 rpm then up to 4000rpm - battery amps remained at -5 with battery volts gradually dropping to 12.4. Any suggestions on resources and methods to trouble shoot? Not seeing specifics in Rotax manuals. Silent Hektik regulator.

Thanks for your help... Denny
 
912 ULSA Not Charging

If it is wired the original way, power to turn it on comes through a 1 amp fuse on the switch module that is soldered on the circuit board. Check to see if you have 12 volts on C Terminal (This is memory because my documents are at the hangar). I blew that fuse while doing some modifications last summer.

Van's now has an alternative wiring plan where two terminals on the VR are jumpered. Again from memory, I think they are the B & C terminals. But if you look at the Notice or SB on Van's site that changes the VR to the Silent Hektik, it provides the details there.
 
Thanks

Somewhere in the process I left the C spade vacant. After looking at the wiring diagram it needs a 12 volt jumper from the B+ terminal. I think tomorrow I'll have a system that's charging. :)
 
Keep in mind that the master switch turns the regulator on or off. If terminal "C" is jumped to terminal "B", then there is no way to shut off electrical power while flying. If there is smoke in the cockpit due to an electrical problem, shutting off the master switch will have no effect. The electrical power is coming from the alternator with no way to shut it off except to stop the engine.
 
ERROR CHAIN

Aviation magazines have published articles about an "Error Chain" leading to an accident. The pilot ignores just one minor problem that sets up an accident when combined with other unexpected events. Bypassing a blown fuse with a jumper wire could turn out to be one link in an error chain. Below are some more links in a chain that could lead to an accident:
The designer locates the fuse where it is difficult and expensive to replace.
The builder blows the fuse and installs a jumper around both the fuse and master switch.
Another pilot buys the aircraft and is unaware of the jumper.
The new pilot does not become familiar with the aircraft electrical system.
The new pilot flies in instrument conditions or at night.
The voltage regulator, which is mounted inside of the cockpit, fails due to cheap parts and poor quality control.
The voltage regulator gives off lots of smoke which stings the pilot's eyes.
The pilot shuts off the master switch and opens the air vents.
The pilot becomes disorientated while being distracted.
Every one of the above have occurred more than once in different aircraft, but luckily not in one aircraft or at the same time.
If an accident happens, who is to blame?
Wouldn't it be better to locate the fuse where it can be easily replaced?
 
Aviation magazines have published articles about an "Error Chain" leading to an accident. The pilot ignores just one minor problem that sets up an accident when combined with other unexpected events. Bypassing a blown fuse with a jumper wire could turn out to be one link in an error chain. Below are some more links in a chain that could lead to an accident:
The designer locates the fuse where it is difficult and expensive to replace.
The builder blows the fuse and installs a jumper around both the fuse and master switch.
Another pilot buys the aircraft and is unaware of the jumper.
The new pilot does not become familiar with the aircraft electrical system.
The new pilot flies in instrument conditions or at night.
The voltage regulator, which is mounted inside of the cockpit, fails due to cheap parts and poor quality control.
The voltage regulator gives off lots of smoke which stings the pilot's eyes.
The pilot shuts off the master switch and opens the air vents.
The pilot becomes disorientated while being distracted.
Every one of the above have occurred more than once in different aircraft, but luckily not in one aircraft or at the same time.
If an accident happens, who is to blame?
Wouldn't it be better to locate the fuse where it can be easily replaced?

I agree that the proper fix would be to relocate the fuse for the regulator activation yellow wire, and NOT use the jumper fix.

That said, your post implies that there is a jumper used to activate the Ducati regulator mounted inside the cockpit and that is not so. I can find no plans or instances where the jumper was used with the Ducati either on the firewall or inside the cockpit. The jumper wire is installed only on the SH regulator mounted on the upper firewall as in the iS. And I can find no instructions by Vans to install the SH regulator inside the cockpit or to install the jumper on the Ducati. I have been following all these developments for a while and can't remember anyone with a Ducati blowing the fuse in the switch module and needing to install a jumper.

Summarizing, those of us with the Ducati mounted inside the cockpit (or outside) should not be alarmed regarding the yellow jumper wire used on the SH installation as our regulator should not be equipped with a jumper wire and Master switch should shut down our regulators.


The latest POH does state that the 30 amp main generator fuse is to be pulled in the event of an electrical fire. That fuse does disconnect the generator and shut down the SH regulator but it does not disconnect the battery. The Master still needs to be shut off if there is something else causing the smoke.

Of course if one were to be buying a used -12, anything is possible as far as mods to the electrical system are concerned.
 
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I never said that the plans called for putting a jumper wire between regulator terminals B & C. But some RV-12 owners have done it after blowing the fuse. My post was meant to discourage others from doing that.
 
I never said that the plans called for putting a jumper wire between regulator terminals B & C. But some RV-12 owners have done it after blowing the fuse. My post was meant to discourage others from doing that.

Yes, I understood that. Just trying to be clear about when the jumper is used.
 
Jumper Wire

But the Electrical Schematic for the 912ULS does call for for the
B to C jumper. Verified the install with Vans support. The reason
I initially left it out was the plans for the SH regulator show it on a
wiring diagram but do not address it in the directions. Left it to be verified
later thus a discharging system at startup.
 
Cyclone, you are right of course. And I have steered the thread off track a bit, sorry for that.

The jumper wire is used with the SH regulator whether you have the ULS motor or the iS motor.

My only reason for responding to this thread is to clarify that the Ducati regulators, which are no longer shown on the plans, do not use the yellow jumper from B+ to C terminals but have a yellow wire to C that is activated by the Master switch. I was responding more to Joe's post rather than to your post.

Since us Ducati guys are on borrowed time it's good to know that the Master will turn off the regulator.

Actually, the latest POH (11/15/18) covers all the bases in the checklist for electrical fires. You turn off the switches as well as pull the 30 amp generator fuse. The pre-iS emergency procedure you only pulled the 30 amp fuse if you had a over-voltage from a run-a-way generator.
 
I have a question about this so I can learn the reasoning behind the wiring system. This is not asked to start an argument or anything like that.

I blew the 1 amp fues on the switch module circuit board while doing upgrades to the avionics system. I installed the auto-pilot control module, knob module, ADS-B In and Out, connected the AOA, put two USB ports on the panel, and installed a Tosten stick grip with pitch trim, auto-pilot disconnect, ident, and push to talk on it.

This was my first time working on the avionics or electrical system of an airplane. I didn't know to disconnect the battery when I started and that is how I blew that 1 amp fuse.

But my question relates to the type of VR. At the time my Ducatti had failed and I had installed a John Deere that I bought from Amazon for $20.00. I got the idea from this forum. So when Van's told me about the new wiring plan for the SH, I installed the jumper on the John Deere and it worked fine. The VR on my airplane was in front of the firewall.

I remember reading a report somewhere if an RV-12 pilot who had smoke in the cockpit. As I remember he not only pulled the fuse and shut the Master switch off, but pulled the wires off of the VR since it was mounted in the cabin. He said that stopped the smoke.

A month or two later I installed the SH and it is wired the same way. I installed the SH because I decided I wanted over-voltage protection and it is build into SH. I did this after learning of two airplanes on my airport that had run away voltage and destroyed the avionics.

So my question is if using the jumper for an SH is a proper method, approved by Van's, why would it not be an approved method for a different brand VR (mounted in the approximate same location)?

Thanks in advance for your answers. I have learned a lot from the people on this forum who openly share their knowledge.
 
So my question is if using the jumper for an SH is a proper method, approved by Van's, why would it not be an approved method for a different brand VR (mounted in the approximate same location)?

Approved by Van?s doesn?t mean it?s correct, we all make mistakes.

It doesn?t matter what regulator you have (of those three,) they all have the same pin functionality . A jumper from the regulator ?control/sense? pin to the ?output? pin is inappropriate in any aircraft application. As others have noted, If you jumper this connection, once started, the electrical power can not be turned off without stopping the engine.

This goes against the ASTM standards that require a ? Master Switch? on an aircraft with an electrical system. I don?t see how a system that can?t be shut down by opening the ?master switch? as being ASTM compliant. Calling your ? battery disconnect switch? a ?master switch? and adding a line in the POH to pull a fuse doesn?t cut it...in my opinion, other opinions welcomed.
 
Right on Mike M.
In lieu of using a jumper from regulator terminal B to C, instead use an inline fuse and switch between terminals B and C. Mount the switch on the instrument panel. In case of high voltage or smoke, the pilot can easily shut the switch off.
 
Adding a switch gives control over the voltage regulator and is standard practice in the AeroElectric Z schematics by Bob Nuckolls.

Can some one verify that the new SH voltage regulator has overvoltage protection built in? This is the first time I heard this. Great news if you want to utilize the Earthx battery.
 
Look at the Van's notice 18-04-06 that outlines the installation of the SH regulator. It states that it has overvoltage protection and explains the working of the alarm wire when connected to the Dynon Skyview.
 
Rain water and the new cowl in Notice 18-04-06

How does the new cowl 00011 in Van Silent Hektik install in Notice 18-04-06 deal with rain water?
 
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