hotrod180 wrote:

corefile wrote: looking forward to getting the 180 stripped, primed, and painted.

Is Bushliner gonna do the painting also?

Yep - they just finished installing their new paint booth.

corefile wrote:Another little mechanical issue that was fixed as part of this.

Ah... the old upgrade your generator to a 70 amp alternator - but leave it on a 50 amp circuit breaker install method. And yes I did have that circuit breaker pop before.

Nice, 70 AMP ALTERNATOR, I gots power to spare



Not so nice - they installed it and kept the original 50 amp circuit breaker

Was the wiring changed with the alternator install?

The 50A C/B is there to protect the wire from overheating and causing a fire. If you didn't change (increase) the wire gauge going from the alternator output to the electrical bus, then no change to the C/B is necessary...better to have a C/B pop, then reduce load, than the system demanding more current from the alternator than the wiring can handle. 50 plus amps in a simple airplane like a 180 is a LOT and maybe something is wrong if you're needing more??

Refer to AC43.13-1B Section 4, Capter 11 (Table 11-3) for applicable wire gauge/CB chart

On Edit: I've done two of these Plane Power Alternator conversions on 180's, and the main reason was to reduce weight and add reliability, not to correct a current deficiency. Both times, I've kept the original 8ga wire size (not the original wire mind you)and upgraded to a newer C/B (50A for 8ga wire)

bart wrote:...... I've done two of these Plane Power Alternator conversions on 180's, and the main reason was to reduce weight and add reliability, not to correct a current deficiency. Both times, I've kept the original 8ga wire size (not the original wire mind you)and upgraded to a newer C/B (50A for 8ga wire)

Used to be a 50 or maybe 60 amp alternator conversion was the norm,
nowadays it seems like they're going bigger, for example this 70A Plane Power.
I understand that everyone's running a lot more electrical stuff,
but it's mostly all low-draw stuff like LED lighting & solid state avionics & instruments.
Is a 70A alternator really required?
My old C180 still has a 35A generator & it seems to keep up with everything just fine.
Couldn't somebody make an STC'd lower-capacity alternator that's smaller & lighter?
I see them for experimentals but not for certified aircraft.

hotrod180 wrote:

bart wrote:...... I've done two of these Plane Power Alternator conversions on 180's, and the main reason was to reduce weight and add reliability, not to correct a current deficiency. Both times, I've kept the original 8ga wire size (not the original wire mind you)and upgraded to a newer C/B (50A for 8ga wire)

but it's mostly all low-draw stuff like LED lighting & solid state avionics & instruments.
Is a 70A alternator really required?

Everyone thinks LED are very low power draw - and usually they are - so I was surprised when the wingtips and in wing landing light come in at over 23 amps. I was so surprised that I called the vendor (sponsor of this site) and they confirmed those numbers were correct. Quasar CX (AeroLED) are 13.4amps and their PAR46 in wing landing light is 10 amps - it takes alot of power to be as bright as the sun. Avidyne IFD 440 is 6.5 amps when transmitting, Each Dynon HDX 10" Panel is 5 amps (x2 for me) (if the backup battery is charging), USB-C charging an Ipad and Iphone are 5-6 amps, audio panel is 3.5 amps. Heated pitot tube is 7 amps

I realize those are the listed numbers, but confirmed that is the actual draw on the lights. So just with a few things and its already pushing close to 50 amps - and I still have position lights, strobes, beacon. aircraft main battery, all the dynon component modules, co2 detector, ADS-B/Transponder transmitting, etc.

Sound like you need to tell them to simply replace the charge wire with a larger gauge and install a 70 amp breaker. Pretty simple. I would have thought the wiring would have been replaced already with that scope - maybe just needs a $50 70 amp breaker tossed in.

hotrod180 wrote:

bart wrote:...... I've done two of these Plane Power Alternator conversions on 180's, and the main reason was to reduce weight and add reliability, not to correct a current deficiency. Both times, I've kept the original 8ga wire size (not the original wire mind you)and upgraded to a newer C/B (50A for 8ga wire)

Used to be a 50 or maybe 60 amp alternator conversion was the norm,
nowadays it seems like they're going bigger, for example this 70A Plane Power.
I understand that everyone's running a lot more electrical stuff,
but it's mostly all low-draw stuff like LED lighting & solid state avionics & instruments.
Is a 70A alternator really required?
My old C180 still has a 35A generator & it seems to keep up with everything just fine.
Couldn't somebody make an STC'd lower-capacity alternator that's smaller & lighter?
I see them for experimentals but not for certified aircraft.

I've been very happy with my 40amp B&C alternator. But I'm not sure it works on these bigger engines. It's a real alternator and voltage regulator, not like their little ones.

https://bandc.com/product/bc400-alterna ... -pma-wlt1/

hamer wrote:......I've been very happy with my 40amp B&C alternator. But I'm not sure it works on these bigger engines. It's a real alternator and voltage regulator, not like their little ones.
https://bandc.com/product/bc400-alterna ... -pma-wlt1/

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Very nice (and small!) unit.
I wish they offered something like that for the 470.

I honestly don't see much difference between a B&C and Plane power. Other than slightly nicer cases and higher price on the B&C. Really much weight difference? Or cheaper to skip breakfast? Lol

Smaller physical size is always nice too.
Looks tidier, plus makes it easier to get in there & work on surrounding stuff--
like installing a new throttle cable.

Got the lighted panel overlay done - really happy with how the panel is shaping up:

YOW!!!!!! That is simply outstanding! Damn, now I don't want to go fly my airplane.....and stare at that panel.

You are truly evil......but very talented.

Thanks for the peek, I guess.....

MTV

Yes sir, very,very cool!!!!!!

corefile wrote:Got the lighted panel overlay done - really happy with how the panel is shaping up:

What do you have going on under the PAR200B? That the autopilot? Looks fantastic! Love everything, especially that switch panel.

Nushi wrote:
What do you have going on under the PAR200B? That the autopilot? Looks fantastic! Love everything, especially that switch panel.

Yes that will be the Dynon Autopilot - once it’s been certified for the 180 - I have the wiring harness already installed - just the Dynon ap module and servos to install once it’s legal too.

Is there a program for designing your own cockpit display or was this photoshop?

Stew0014 wrote:Is there a program for designing your own cockpit display or was this photoshop?

That looks like solidworks CAD files of his panel pieces and then they just copy/pasted in images of the dynons. Easy to recognize the way solidworks puts a border around the dynon displays.

While it was opened up for the tail inspection, it got a good cleaning

60 years of gunk is gone and looking newish (notice the QMI Tail Cone Angle Kit for the hockey sticks)



And a nice coating to last another 60 years - or at least my lifetime...

While stripping the plane for paint - found that the vertical stabilizer had worn into the fuselage. Checking the depth to see how deep - I believe 20% of the thickness of the material is the limit? Anyone else have this problem? Do you go without the black rubber gasket - mine had hardened over the years into a hard plastic, and must have eaten into the fuselage? What are the options to the rubber gasket - I've seen some 180's that have just left them off, any other options?

corefile wrote:While stripping the plane for paint - found that the vertical stabilizer had worn into the fuselage. Checking the depth to see how deep - I believe 20% of the thickness of the material is the limit? Anyone else have this problem? Do you go without the black rubber gasket - mine had hardened over the years into a hard plastic, and must have eaten into the fuselage? What are the options to the rubber gasket - I've seen some 180's that have just left them off, any other options?

That’s what decades of dirt trapped between the rubber seal and fuselage will do, forms a lapping compound and grinds away. A fresh rubber seal and clean paint it’ll be good to go.


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A King Air at work hit a C172's tail with its wingtip while taxiing by last year. When they were doing the repairs they found the front of the stab had worn completely through the fuselage skin right where you show a groove on yours.