I vote for no. 2. (1) Frankly I have never seen a shorted battery cell but would presume the outcome would be a boiling over of cell fluid.
(3) A bad regulator would certainly up the current but it is doubtful it would peg the ammeter and even if it did, it would tend to boil the battery (all cells) but would take some time. (2) Several possibilities here. I would follow the battery lead from start to finish looking for spots where the insulation has been cut through especially at bulkheads. My master relay is under the passenger window/floor. If yours is near the smell, it is possible it is breaking down and shorting to ground. It is unlikely the short is upstream from the ammeter or it wouldn't read hi charge, it would read discharge as the battery would be feeding the short through it at a higher rate than could the generator. It is unlikely your problem comes from bad connections. While they can smell, they would usually cause the ammeter to read less, regardless of whether in the positive or negative battery leads. I would run a temporary lead from the battery to the passinger seat for a voltmeter so you can monitor battery voltage regardless of the position of the master switch. You will become aware of the usual voltage of the battery. If cutting the master during high charge causes the battery voltage to dive below 12.5 - 13 volts the short is likely on the bat side of the master. If cutting the master results in nominal 12.5 - 13 volts open circuit batt voltage the short is likely on the ammeter side of the master relay. Engine failure included, an in-flight fire is probably the most dangerous event that can happen when you are airborne, especially in a plane with a header tank so: See if you can reproduce the event mode on the ground and stay there. Keep a fire extinguisher in grabbing distance. Carry no passingers. Try to devise a way to open circuit the battery ground such as an automotive battery knife/disconnect switch in the battery ground lead. If the short is between the master relay and the battery, it is the easiest way to remove amps from the short. Ancient wisdom says that most electrical stuff actually operates on smoke. The proof of this is that when the smoke starts escaping, the stuff quits working. :) Dick in NM. P. S. I almost had a controller at Centennial run me into a 172 on final on day so watch 'em like a hawk. They screw up quite often. Staff there really are either newby's or wash outs from the big time. Used to live a couple of miles SE of there and would sit in the front porch swing watching traffic and listening to a monitor. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sunday, March 12, 2000 11:20 PM Subject: [COUPERS-TECH] Electrical Odor in Cockpit >The possible defects that have been mentioned are: >1) Shorted cell in battery >2) Positive lead from battery intermittently shorting, causing the >regulator to think the battery was low and calling > for the generator to supply current. >3) Bad regulator > --------------------------------- to unsubscribe send mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________ Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15
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