> Most mechanical circuit > breakers are rated for 10,000 trip cycles. > > Sid Wood > Tri-gear KR-2 N6242 > Mechanicsville, MD, USA > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If my mechanical circuit breakers are getting close to 10,000 trip cycles, I have done something very wrong... Real world failures of mechanical circuit breakers seem to be more related to corrosion on the contacts creating a voltage drop across the breaker. I've seen that a number of times in 1960s vintage aircraft. That is an issue one should never see with electronic breakers. Of course your mechanical breakers need to age for about 40 or 50 years before that becomes a problem. Not really my cup of tea, but for those that like an electronic panel. Vertical Power seems to be the favored company if one wants to use electronic breakers. Their VP-X Sport and VP-X Pro series units integrate with a number of EFIS displays, so can be controlled from the EFIS. Their stuff isn't cheap, but it works quite well. The vertical power unit also integrates a lot of whiz bang capability as well by giving you the capability to program it to not allowing flaps to extend above a certain speed, or warn you if you exceed your flap speed with them deployed, can control your trim, operates the landing lights as Wig-Wags, and allows each circuit to be programmed individually for the electronic circuit breaker trip current. Lots of bells and whistles for those that want to program their airplane. -Jeff Scott Los Alamos, NM
