Activity Stream
Posts Activity Stream
-
-
Generally I have not seen any issues with any lithium unless you are overcharging or charging too fast, or trying to pull more current than they are designed to dump (discharge rate). I know they have a "built in charger" but unless you have a good regulator/rectifier (not the stock Rotax POS) you are giving it dirty power with a good dose of AC in the mix. So far I have had very good and stable power out of the Key West regulator. The old lead acid batteries are much more tolerant of over draw, over charge etc. therefore everyone thinks that lithium's are the devil.. Without lithium's, our technology and toys would be light years behind what they are now. What used to be a 3 pound battery pack for my RC airplane is now 6 oz's. I use lithium's every day but I have not yet made the jump to putting it in my plane. I love the idea of saving weight, but I hate the idea of giving up 75 gallons of flight time to do it
I would be a whole lot of money ahead to loose that weight off my ass instead of my battery 
-
I thought Lithium Iron's were safe and Lithium Ion's were the bad boys.
To hear that the Earth X is Iron technology makes me no longer trust my Aero Voltz which supposively is Iron technology or am I over reacting?
What safe batteries are recommended to start the Rotax 912uls (100 hp) ?
Herman
-
I found a set of 6 strobes with variable controller at auto zone - battery powered, but also 12 volt. don't have a photo - they have long wires and are clear stick-on little domes that you could put anywhere. Price was near $30 tho. Didn't try them for brightness.
Did you notice that the price on the truck strobe lights went from $12.xx to $22.xx for the U. S. version - shipping for $1.95 is good tho.
EDMO
-
A while back I got a bunch of fire alarm strobes and used 2 on the Avid. I meant to take pics today before I replied but didn't get the pics. They are like what is used in a hospital or school fire alarm system. Even though they are for use in buildings, they use 12 volts to power them however so they work fine in an Avid. Not as bright as Whelen strobes, but better than nothing by a long shot. Just went out to the garage and shot a few pics of what I'm talking about. Actually I had 2 different kinds of these strobes. Red ones are brighter. If you talk to an electrician that's working on a remodel job where they are redoing the fire alarm systems, maybe you can get a few for free. That's how mine came about. Jim Chuk
PS on my avid when I installed mine, I cut a hole in the side of the turtle deck just big enough for the clear lens to fit through, one on each side. Made them easy to wire up there also.
2 people like this -
-
-
Here they are in the US...
Looks like they may be fun on my prowler
-
Just guessing - maybe this has something to do with Mr. Puttin and Mr. Oh Bummer's little spat?
EdMO
-
If I was home you know I would have been headed your way in a heart beat! Been there done that, you cant feel as stupid as I have at times! I thought I had the market cornered on that one!
-
Hey ED;
hmmm.... well that´s stupid really!!! no shipping to the US, I guess it´s about right for distribution or something, mine are also from Crazed pilot website, one of the first models, now he has different models, this ones failed after very little hours of operation, they light constantly, but not as strobes, I checked the LED controller and there was poorly done, I try to fix them but it´s really cheap to spend time on them.
Regards
Dimi3
-
OUCH! Looks like she be a bit sticky there! One reason why I am leery of muddy rivers. I have walked on some bars that looked solid gravel but it was just a sprinkling on top of the mud and mud knee deep under the pretty gravel layer.
Were your not able to get in touch with anyone using the Inreach SE ?? Or did you just not have the phone numbers with you?
I too keep my survival pack in the plane at all times. Not only do I need it stuffed back in the tail for W&B but its time like this that a nice tent and sleeping bag as well as many other goodies in the bag make the stay much more pleasant.
Glad you got out of there, and very happy to see that it was just the prop. This sounds like a story to tell around a campfire some place!
I still had cell service so that made it easier. The buddy that came to my rescue was actually down at Kenai dipnetting at the time but had his plane there so he flew back in the morning and picked up my other prop and flew it out to me. Another buddy I got ahold of didn't think he was in flying condition since it was around 10:00 Sat night. You were about next on my list. It all worked out good but a nervous night since I was right at water level. Fortunately no real rain and was cool so the glacier didn't have a big melt or It would have made things a lot more difficult. Maybe around a campfire I can tell you how stupid I felt. LOL
1 person likes this -
Dimi,
I have a pair of those square lights from Crazed Pilot - see his site - planning to put them in my wingtips for wig-wag lights. The ad for the truck strobe lights says, "DOES NOT SHIP TO UNITED STATES"???
Thanks,
EdMO
-
Robert - Just curious why you would opt for the B box over a C box? I understand the weight penalty but the C box allows improved torsional vibration dampening and 2x the prop weight mass inertia, a requirement if you will ever use a larger diameter or heavy Warp prop IMHO. After trying multiple prop/gearbox combinations, the original builder of my KF3 removed his 2.58 B box in favor of a 2.62 C box w/ 68" 3-blade and never went back.
in one word - "Budget"
I know there are better options and I would like to change at a later time but at the moment we are pretty broke and just want to be in the air and this seems to be the cheapest route.
Bob has taken care of us just waiting for the mail man now
Thanks again Bob1 person likes this -
-
Glad to hear you made it out and it was only a one nighter,I better finish my survival pack
-
OUCH! Looks like she be a bit sticky there! One reason why I am leery of muddy rivers. I have walked on some bars that looked solid gravel but it was just a sprinkling on top of the mud and mud knee deep under the pretty gravel layer.
Were your not able to get in touch with anyone using the Inreach SE ?? Or did you just not have the phone numbers with you?
I too keep my survival pack in the plane at all times. Not only do I need it stuffed back in the tail for W&B but its time like this that a nice tent and sleeping bag as well as many other goodies in the bag make the stay much more pleasant.
Glad you got out of there, and very happy to see that it was just the prop. This sounds like a story to tell around a campfire some place!
-
Hey ED; I saw this on Ebay,
I currently have the square bulky on the sides windows behind the pax and pilot and I would like to replace them with this ones, not that I Want to fly in pitch dark and hoping this is the solution, but just to make myself visible in high traffic areas, should be easy to install and doesn´t cost much.....
Regards
Dimi3
-
Did the W&B and fired it up and timed it last weekend. Jack is ready to schedule the DAR!!!
2 people like this -
I got to spend the night out on the Matanuska River a couple of weekends ago...unplanned.
The Good
The Bad
The ugly. Did you ever want to know what's inside Stretch Armstrong?What I learned: 1. If you end up in a bad spot; shut down, get out and walk the plane through by hand if possible. 2. Keep emergency gear with you in your plane, your probably are not getting out the same day. 3. Have good buddies that fly and keep your contact list with you and a way to contact them. (Leni, we need to get that going for our AFF group by local areas). 4. Keep a spare prop! My Warp Drive has save me more than once now; it is well worth letting it collect dust in the hangar. 5. Pray that God takes care of you as good as he has me.
-
This video get's close to summing up the week....close... but it misses the 10K airplanes that I spent 10 hrs a day for a week walking around. Snaps makes an appearance in the first 10 seconds. Congrats John! Of a show of this magnitude just seeing your plane is awesome.
-
Good tips.
First time I had mine apart was to fix the fork arms. Now it is the bush tail wheel the way it needs to be.
-
-
-
Is the A box / B box reversible to mount the engine upside down like Avid?
Thanks for the info Jim. I thought maybe they were specific to engine mounting.
EDMO
.JPG.08f9e23d729418efb8a3e9fd398de605.thumb.JPG.c67c136500da29b77d95e9683855f5f4.JPG)
Earth X Battery Warning!!!
in Avid and Kitfox parts Suppliers
akflyer
Posted
The question is, where do you draw the line at? I am sure we all know of someone who lost an engine and died... Lycoming, Cont. Franklin, all the certified engines, all have failed, all have killed people. Does that mean that we are scare shitless to fly behind ANY Lycoming or other certified engine?? There have been a whole lot more Cessna's kill pilots than Avid's or Kitfox, so do we ban all Cessna's?? I am not one to panic and run with the lemmings off a cliff. I appreciate the warnings that others give, I try to learn from others mistakes (cause I know I wont live long enough to make them all on my own) but at the end of the day, I still believe that when its my time its my time, till then nothing I do can speed it up or slow it down. Yes you read about the Lithium fires here and there, but you don't read about the 10s of thousands of safe flights every day or week that involves lithium's. I for one would not run out and replace a lithium battery with a lead acid if I already had the lithium, but I would keep an eye on the amp meter and volt gauge.