Alternator vs. Generator

[Frank Green]

When i was rebuilding the 22 I switched the generator to a Denso alternator. I learned one drawback from that last sat. I left the master on friday nite only to find out saturday morning when I was trying to make a pancake run. No problem I'll just hand prop it and it will charge in route. 3 tries fired right up and switched places with my cockipit occupant only to see the voltmeter (yes i added one with the alternator change) was still 0 and no sign of life on the old amp gauge. First thought was panic. Friday nite was my first nite flight since the change and did it cook the alternator? Then it finally dawned on me. The battery was so dead it wouldn't excite the alternator. Didn't have that problem with the old generator. A car if you jump start it you also start the alternator. Not so with a hand prop. Food for thought for you back country guys. I borrowed a battery from a plane down for annual in the hangar nearby and put mine on a charger. Swapped them back later. I wonder how much it would take thru the cigerate lighter to start the alternator. I'm thinking about making up a jumper cord with 2 cigerate plugs on it so I can feed the alternator when I hand prop. Yea I know it would be much easier if I just turn off the master.

[MN_flyer1]

That is one thing nice about the ECI Tach. It stays lit like a Christmas Tree until you shut off the master.

[andya]

I wonder if you could have used an old ELT battery (narco 10) type to get the field excited. I have kept about 6 years worth of them and the weakest still puts out 12.5 volts unloaded.

[nicka]

I always leave my beacon on as an external Batt idiot light, used to flash the field on generators on quite a few different aircraft w/ two D cell batteries taped together, never tried it on an alternator, As far as back country flying if the prop is turning we're leaving.

[Jetfever]

That is one thing nice about the ECI Tach. It stays lit like a Christmas Tree until you shut off the master.

I (Always) double check the fuel gauges when leaving the plane, You can look through the window of a locked door.

"Mixture/ Master/ Mags". On engine shutdown: I found if you just take a moment while still seated, to say this aloud 3 times, and check the switch position 3 times....

You will still need to go back and check one more time: That you actually have the switches off!

[Grantmac]

I leave my strobe beacon on full time.
It gets peoples attention when the master comes on and gets mine when I forget to turn it off (hasn't happened yet, but a couple close calls).

-Grant