Wind Generator Options in AK

[T-Rex]

Hello all any advice would be appreciated. I just moved to Wasilla AK and have an agreement to annual and maintain a plane in trade for the ability to fly it in order to build some "Alaska Time". I am looking to get a t crate up to snuff legally so I can annual it and put some time on it. It has an approved C-90-8 with the Gilberti STC thats all ok. The issue I have is it has a Gennipod wind generator and voltage regulator to power the lights, radio and intercom. I was looking in the TCDS to see what the originally approved wind generators there were and could not find any there. I should be able to get an approval for the wind generator but will likely need to use a TSO'd unit. With the combination of the Gilberti STC and the TCDS I should have enough data to get in trouble. Has anybody ever gotten a Gennipod approved? and what are the other options for a wind generator available? Thanks folks and I hope to see some of you out there as soon as I get this ironed out.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

I don't know about the Gennipod, but I think there are some wind driven alternators that are STC approved for the Taylorcraft.

[PA1195]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

The trend here is to use a portable battery in a -8 plane or even one with just a starter. The details and choice of the type I'll leave up to the user, but there are many small batteries available with high amp-hour ratings that will power reasonable electronics for a flight or several depending upon current draw. LiFePO4 is one popular type but it takes a dedicated charger to properly restore and maintain the battery.

Gary

[astjp2]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Call the Anchorage FSDO and ask to speak to a PMI, if you are not an IA, you wont have one assigned but you can ask for help with it as an A&P. You should expect that you will have to do flight testing, ICA, and a EMI test....just for the generator if you cant find an STC. They should help walk you through the process for previously installed but undocumented equipment.

Personally I would dump the wind generator, lights and stick with just a radio....oh wait, that is what I have. I few from Delta Junction to Wolf Lake, Palmer, Hood, Merrill may times with just a radio in my Tcraft. Save the weight and use it for extra gas, you need it up there! Tim

[mike bc12d]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Look up Turbo Alternator BPE-14, they have one that is for the tcraft or at least they did have. Internal voltage regulator i think 7amps . Never put mine on yet maybe once my repairs are done i will try it.

[Scott]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

I went with a Li-poly pack also, its' small and light enough that a fully charged spare can be carried. I also place a 10W solar panel on the glareshield for longer trips which offsets some of the current draw (during the day). Both are not "installed" devices. The battery pack also has a USB output which is good for keeping an iPad etc. charged.

At OSH I used the solar panel to charge the Li-poly (outside the aircraft) and charge my phone and ipad so I never had to search for a charging station!

Powering lights (I have none) would be more of a challenge unless converted to LED.

The only drawback of the particular pack I chose is it's only 12.6V when fully charged. Li-poly output voltage drops as the cells discharge. For my radios this is not a problem but for some it could be. A pack with an additional cell would bring the fully charged voltage to 14.4 which would be a better starting point. I haven't found an off-the-shelf 14.4V option yet.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Take a look at LiFePO4 packs. Much safer than LiPO and have a very flat discharge curve. The packs are common now with a lot of the RC guys but you WILL NEED a correct charger for them. A LiFePO4 charger works well on NiCd packs but the reverse is NOT true. I am designing a solid state voltage reducer to allow an additional cell to give me a good dropped voltage for output.
Just to be totally honest, I currently have a 12V lead acid battery which does not have the capacity of the new technology batteries, but I don't really need that much right now. Just another project. Engineers just can't leave well enough alone.

Hank

I would NOT use a LiIon pack in an airplane. I don't like fires unless they are for cooking BBQ and I doubt I would taste good even with really good BBQ sauce.

[astjp2]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

AWE come on Hank, if it gets a little too hot, just chuck it out the window!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Doesn't worry me if it gets a "little" hot, but I have never seen one get "a little" hot, and have you seen one when it goes critical? SCARY! You can't put it out and it is blowing flames out from all sides. I wouldn't ever charge or discharge one in an enclosed space (honestly I don't keep them anywhere around me! I had one and use to charge it on the end of an extension cord out on the driveway). Scary battery when it fails.
LiFE has almost the same power density and is MUCH safer.

Hank

[n6346m]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Anyone have experience with earth-x batteries?

[3Dreaming]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Anyone have experience with earth-x batteries?

They are kind of pricey, but their customer service is good. I bought one of their little booster packs for my son. It got connected to a bad battery, and the circuit protection in the lead did what it was supposed to do. They replaced the lead at no charge at Oshkosh this year.

I have a friend who put one of their batteries in his Luscombe to run his Ipad and radio on long trips. They were helpful on his selection of batteries.

[T-Rex]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Thanks all! If it were mine I would dump the generator and stick with a "portable power pack", however I need to try to need to keep the owners wishes in mind. There are strobes on the plane and with the flying I have done in the valley I can see the value of them with the traffic density here, so he would like to keep them. I am an IA and have FA'd other portions of the electrical systems in small airplanes before but do not want to even present this to the FISDO due to the fact that the generator, battery and regulator are not even TSO'd. The first question from my old PMI in MSP was are all the parts being used FAA approved. I do not want to have to prove that the items are manufactured to an acceptable standard for installation on certified aircraft. I figure one way out of this is to find out what the original approved wind generators were for the T crate? and find one of those. Does anybody know what they were and how they were approved? I could not find them on the TCDS? If I could get an approved generator, regulator and battery it would be an easy FA as long as it did not conflict with somebody else's STC.

Also have another question has anybody else ever seen or gotten approved the replacement of the seat sling with aluminum as a seat and backrest?

Thanks!

[PA1195]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

Generator. There are regs of output amperage versus % current demand I believe:

http://www.taylorcraft.org/docs/Wind-Gen-STC1.pdf

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/turboalt.php

https://johnpropst.yolasite.com/resources/Installation%20of%20BPE%20Alternator%20rev10.pdf

Seat. Dr. Tim here has done one:

See under 337's for aluminum seat: http://www.taylorcraft.org/resources.html

Gary

[astjp2]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

There are 337's for non tso'd battery in several airplanes (burls battery box and an oddessy battery on the firewall) and there is one for aluminum seats pans in the tech reference section on taylorcraft.org. Its not in the forum, it is a separate listing. Also if you have any Tcraft 337s that you can email me, I will get them posted so we can share data.

Tim

also the alternator/ generator could be argued based on the piper pa20 and 22 just say automotive type...

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Wind Generator Options in AK

This is the original wind generator as used on the 41 to 46 (could be longer, but my 41 and 45 have this listed as original equipment). If you check out teh part number it is the same as an Evinrude outboard motor generator. The aluminum cast props were known to throw blades if damaged and I know the same generator is on a Fairchild that was at the Va, Aviation Museum in Richmond for years. When you throw the field generator switch to turn them on they make a LOT of drag!
The second photo is the factory pylon on the belly the generator attaches to. I have a copy of the wiring diagram in the "files" somewhere.

Hank

The pylon is a real head buster when you crawl under the plane!