I'm a student pilot (45 hours) living in the high desert (5k feet) and I co-own a Piper Dakota, which has been great!
Please pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand the alternator related gauges and I was hoping someone could help me.
First - I have an analogue gauge by the left knee of the left seat pilot (attached photo is while plane is not running). It is called "ALT AMPS" and has notches at 0, 35 and 70. It seems to float around 50-ish. What is this measuring and what does it mean?
Second - I have a JPI Engine monitor and in the lower right corner it monitors alternator charging...it seems to bounce around between the mid-high 14s to low 15s. I'm guessing this is the charging power going TO my battery from the alternator?
Third - My "ALT" annunciator light is out. I read a helpful post about how it's only 6v and the lights on either side are 14v and so the bulb can have a tendency to burn out faster. I replaced the bulb, but it still doesn't illuminate. I'm guessing that if I have an alternator problem I'll be alerted by my engine monitor, so I'm not too fussed about the ALT light, except that I like to have every detail working properly.
Thank you!
Please pardon my ignorance, but I don't understand the alternator related gauges and I was hoping someone could help me.
First - I have an analogue gauge by the left knee of the left seat pilot (attached photo is while plane is not running). It is called "ALT AMPS" and has notches at 0, 35 and 70. It seems to float around 50-ish. What is this measuring and what does it mean?
Second - I have a JPI Engine monitor and in the lower right corner it monitors alternator charging...it seems to bounce around between the mid-high 14s to low 15s. I'm guessing this is the charging power going TO my battery from the alternator?
Third - My "ALT" annunciator light is out. I read a helpful post about how it's only 6v and the lights on either side are 14v and so the bulb can have a tendency to burn out faster. I replaced the bulb, but it still doesn't illuminate. I'm guessing that if I have an alternator problem I'll be alerted by my engine monitor, so I'm not too fussed about the ALT light, except that I like to have every detail working properly.
Thank you!
