Handclutch
Well Known Member
My Silent Hektik regulator (F4112) failed last week at around 180 hours. Anybody else had a SK failure?
The failure was quite sudden. I flew a two-hour leg with voltage indications normal before landing for fuel. Voltage was then okay on start-up but shortly after takeoff I got the low-voltage warning (I have the low-voltage warning set quite high to act as a generator failure warning for IFR flight). It worked!
It was a very hot day but the temperature strip on the regulator had maxed at 71? C, less than what I had previously seen on the Ducati. However, it is possible that the SK had seen slightly higher temperatures previously before I modified its cooling system.
Now for something interesting - I did a Google translation of the SK website and found that they don't guarantee the regulator unless you use phosphor bronze crimp connectors. Here is what they say:
Wrong connectors on the 912er alternator connection:
The LiMa connector plugs of the 912 engines are of inferior brass. That's a massive problem for three reasons.
- The brass plugs are not designed for the high currents, with up to 20A, and therefore overloaded and prone to overheating.
- The brass plugs have a low spring force and are therefore not vibration-proof and loosen over time.
- The brass plugs have no surface protection and oxidation then produces brownouts and malfunctions.
For safety reasons, therefore, we only recommend Tyco FastOn tinned phosphor bronze connectors . Everything else is botched.
Could this be a reason why there are so many regulator failures?
Jack
The failure was quite sudden. I flew a two-hour leg with voltage indications normal before landing for fuel. Voltage was then okay on start-up but shortly after takeoff I got the low-voltage warning (I have the low-voltage warning set quite high to act as a generator failure warning for IFR flight). It worked!
It was a very hot day but the temperature strip on the regulator had maxed at 71? C, less than what I had previously seen on the Ducati. However, it is possible that the SK had seen slightly higher temperatures previously before I modified its cooling system.
Now for something interesting - I did a Google translation of the SK website and found that they don't guarantee the regulator unless you use phosphor bronze crimp connectors. Here is what they say:
Wrong connectors on the 912er alternator connection:
The LiMa connector plugs of the 912 engines are of inferior brass. That's a massive problem for three reasons.
- The brass plugs are not designed for the high currents, with up to 20A, and therefore overloaded and prone to overheating.
- The brass plugs have a low spring force and are therefore not vibration-proof and loosen over time.
- The brass plugs have no surface protection and oxidation then produces brownouts and malfunctions.
For safety reasons, therefore, we only recommend Tyco FastOn tinned phosphor bronze connectors . Everything else is botched.
Could this be a reason why there are so many regulator failures?
Jack