DesertNomad
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2015
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A few days ago in Indiana, I had the master switch on my Dakota replaced because the plastic battery switch (left side) cracked.
https://www.piperforum.com/threads/broken-split-master-switch-pa28-236.17998/page-3
After it was replaced, I flew about 3 hours to upstate New York (KELM). Today I departed KELM for a fuel stop in Rome, NY (KRME) about 40 minutes away (100LL for $3.86!). All that was fine.
After getting fuel and starting up, I was not showing any load on the ammeter gauge and my JPI 830 indicated 12.1 volts (not charging). I turned off all the avionics and cycled the right side of the switch (ALT) with no change. I told ground I need to reposition to the ramp to investigate. Once over there I left the avionics on and cycled the ALT switch whereupon it came up and indicated a correct draw on the ammeter and the JPI read 13.7 volts. All good. I then cycled the ALT switch a few more times and got good results. Everything seeming ok, I flew to Lebanon, NH where I am now.
In all this I don't think the ALT annunciator light ever came on but I am not 100% sure.
I hope in the morning it will work ok. I am a bit suspicious that there is something wrong in the switch since that was very recently replaced. The alternator belt is tight and I have never had this happen in the 4.5 years and 500 hours that I have owned the airplane.
Has anyone else had the alternator not come on like this and fixed with a cycle (or two) of the switch?
https://www.piperforum.com/threads/broken-split-master-switch-pa28-236.17998/page-3
After it was replaced, I flew about 3 hours to upstate New York (KELM). Today I departed KELM for a fuel stop in Rome, NY (KRME) about 40 minutes away (100LL for $3.86!). All that was fine.
After getting fuel and starting up, I was not showing any load on the ammeter gauge and my JPI 830 indicated 12.1 volts (not charging). I turned off all the avionics and cycled the right side of the switch (ALT) with no change. I told ground I need to reposition to the ramp to investigate. Once over there I left the avionics on and cycled the ALT switch whereupon it came up and indicated a correct draw on the ammeter and the JPI read 13.7 volts. All good. I then cycled the ALT switch a few more times and got good results. Everything seeming ok, I flew to Lebanon, NH where I am now.
In all this I don't think the ALT annunciator light ever came on but I am not 100% sure.
I hope in the morning it will work ok. I am a bit suspicious that there is something wrong in the switch since that was very recently replaced. The alternator belt is tight and I have never had this happen in the 4.5 years and 500 hours that I have owned the airplane.
Has anyone else had the alternator not come on like this and fixed with a cycle (or two) of the switch?
