I would pass
TrueAirSpeed said:
Has anyone used the Lamar Technologies Master Control Unit (MC-10) and if so what have been the results?
TAS Terry RV-7, finish kit, engine ordered, starting electrical
http://kitplanestuff.chainreactionweb.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1
For $1076, No, I would pass.
Here are their SALES points one by one:
The MC10 is a master electrical control unit for 14V and 28V single engine experimental aircraft. Designed to mount on the firewall or fuselage it houses all the major electrical components except for the battery, the starter and the alternator, and provides a greater degree of protection against moisture, dust and accidental electrical shorts.
(I don't find moisture, dust and shorts hard to guard against with normal / typical wiring practices.)
Features low installation cost, ease of installation and greatly simplified troubleshooting and repair."
(I do not know about low cost installation and trouble shooting is not a big issue in any system. More sales blaaaa blaaa. It think it is way more expensive by a factor of 4 or 5.)
Functions: Master (battery) control closing the master switch on pilot's panel connects the battery to the primary bus
(A master switch and relay cost about $40 bucks and is very simple.)
Three aircraft bus outputs protected via resettable circuit breakers
(Three Buss, Again you can wire up as many busses are you want with traditional wiring. Add a switch and diode you can have an "essential buss". The cost of three circuit breakers, about $60.)
Alternator control includes; voltage regulation, overload protection, field output overload protection and alternator feeder fault protection.
(Wow! what did we do before? The internal voltage regulator in a NipponDenso alternator already has every function listed and more. An I-VR has fault, overload protection. This is not a big deal. They are describing a voltage regulator. If you have an internal voltage regulated alternator, you have it. If you use a external VR alternator you can buy an advance regulator for $60, or get a simple classic Ford "solid state" VR and add on an overvoltage module $9+$52, http://www.periheliondesign.com/LOVM.htm.)
Starter control
(ha, ha, ha, ha, lol, really a push switch or push switch / relay, $15.00-$35.00)
Low voltage warning (L model also includes over voltage, over- current and reverse-current annunciation)
(My NipponDenso Alternator has a, No Charge/Over Voltage Light, build-in. Also my engine monitor, a Grand Rapids Technologies (GRT) EIS 4000 monitors High / Low voltage already. Most engine monitors have Hi/Lo volt warning. My cost is basiclly zero. If you wanted a stand alone device it would cost about $35-$75.)
Battery charge/discharge ammeter drive (current shunt)
(Current Shunt? This is old technology, that works, but most modern engine / system monitors already have a HALL EFFECT ammeter sensor, which allows you to read current with out breaking the line for a "Shunt". If you want a "shunt" they cost $15.00. A stand alone amp meter to go with that shunt, $36.00. They don't mention it coming with a gage.)
Clock output (always-on) protected with easily accessible external mounted fuse
(Wow a wire to the the positive side of the battery and a fuse, $1.50)
Ground power receptacle and control with reverse polarity protection
(You could easily wire in an external Jack with reverse polarity protection. Aircraft plugs are BIG, heavy and cost a lot. Are you going to cut a big hole in your plane for an aircraft plug? I would suggest you have leads that you can access to attach a battery charger. Any thing you do to route BIG thick wires gages to the outside of the plane to "Jump" it is going to add weight. Also my philosophy is I am NEVER going to JUMP a dead battery and go fly. That is a bad thing. If my battery is dead I am going to charge it. Leads to charge your battery can be small gage (since they only handle 5-7 amps, not 300 amps to required to "jump start"). A simple cigarette lighter jack in your panel or a plug you can reach thru the cowl oil door will do the trick. Cost $5.00-$25.00)
This device was designed to lower production labor cost, not be an essential item. Since we are building our own plane, there is no big labor cost for the installation.
Also since everyone wires much the same way, we don't have to sweat the details, which are already figured out for us. You would be forging your own system to include this product, actually spending more time figuring out how to adapt it. This device represents only a small part of the total aircraft wiring. It will not save us much time and cost too much.
Bottom line you already have many of the functions and components that this product offers. As far as value? Really I think you could wire the whole plane for a fraction of the price, at least 1/4 the price with the same functions. This "Control Box" does NOT come with external switches, wires, indicators, connectors. There is no real advantage of putting everything in one Box IMHO.
In fact forcing all componets into one location, verses components placed in the most convenient location, will actually make wiring more cumbersome. Also it really only address one small part of your electrical wiring!
I pass, your call. Good luck. I could be way wrong. Call them and ask what the advantages are.
The only thing I see here is a sales pitch. Wiring is very simple. No need to complicated it with a "master electrical control unit".
George
