Hi;
I assume that when you say "guage" you are talking AWG.
Because now days wire is specified by cross section area I have put in a
link to the AWG to mm^2 conversion:
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/awg-wire-gauge-d_731.html
On Mon, 3 Sep 2012, Ian Mc Phee wrote:
Over past few months I have seen many problems and it all came to a head
this weekend when a person reported blade fuse was OK but it must have been
heated and thus became resistive, A new fuse solved the problem. 30 years
ago a guy was having trouble with his Borgelt acting like a windscreen
wiper, and Mike said "change the fuse" and it was then perfect.
Here are some recent problems
1 A BNC aerial connector would spin like a top and somebody had used a
piece of solder wound around the wire and fitting was done up on that!!!! -
Replaced with crimp BNC and SWR now 1.2 to 1
2 Another had used a BNC with screw driver connection- they are the lowest
of the low in my opinion and should be banned in gliding..
3 A winch aerial had a BNC shorting out at radio end and thinking I had
found the trouble I almost left it but then thought best to check aerial end
and some fool had used a welder and totally melted the insulation at aerial
end.
4 A new glider clearly had a faulty aerial in fin and on checking SWR was a
hopeless 3 to 1
5 I checked a base radio recently and soon found a poor SWR and it turned
out to be the aerial Base connector bought from Dick Smith and was from
Mobile One and had a dry joint on connector. Resoldered and now radio is
just amaizing (SWR 1.1 to 1) and it is a 30 year old Terra 360!!!!
6 An open Libelle and a Cirrus Std both had faulty aerial in fin (those
gliders with an adjustor at base of fin) My only solution is an aerial in
fuse at about the trailing edge and make up a X of ground plane
7 After the 3rd exchange of radio I drove for 7 hours when I was really
sick a few years ago and only to find a piece of 22g wire in the power
circuit Change all wire into 16 G wire and bingo it was strength 5. Not
good enough and this was a $200K aircraft.
I had Dennis Stacey with me over the weekend and we discussed the radio
problems within gliding and really something must be done and I support
Dennis if he acts as present system in gliding is just not good enough. . .
I really believe ALL CLUBS should get a BNC crimp tool and a bag of BNC
connectors with strain relief. Also also buy a SWR meter or atleast be able
to borrow same from somebody.It is not rocket science how to do a BNC or use
a SWR meter. Then ALL gliders should have SWR test in the next 12 months
ideally and must all be checked within 3 years (bit like a GA instrument 8
check) This ALL gliders includes NEW gliders as well.
Secondly ALL gliders must have all radio power wires minimum size 18g (I
prefer 16G for 2 seater).I hate to say it but I find an electrician is not
the person to make up a glider harness as they do not read the manual.
Thirdly lets use say 15A quality circurit breakers attached to battery and
QUALITY circuit breakers on the radio at least.
Finally check batteries annually after a bit of a load say a 12 v brake
light bulb for say 1 hour then check voltage while xmitting and replace crap
batteries PLEASE.
Personally I will only use aircraft wires in a glider harness What is $20 in
the cost of a install and >80% of problems are the install and NOT the radio
even a Microair!!!.
Ian McPhee
0428847642
I do have many tricks with older radios so please make contact And if you
have a Becker 3201 which looses its memory please replace battery NOW as it
could well leak internally and wreck radio. Otherwise they are a bullet
proof radio.
Cheers
--
Peter F Bradshaw: http://www.exadios.com (public keys avaliable there).
Personal site: http://personal.exadios.com
"I love truth, and the way the government still uses it occasionally to
keep us guessing." - Sam Kekovich.
_______________________________________________
Aus-soaring mailing list
[email protected]
To check or change subscription details, visit:
http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
