I'm curious as to the life expectancy of a generator. The plane in question is
a 1962 Comanche.

Any info would be helpful.

Thanks...

On 18 Jul 2004 04:10:10 GMT, (Lockrdg) wrote:

>I'm curious as to the life expectancy of a generator. The plane in question is
>a 1962 Comanche.
>
>Any info would be helpful.
>
>Thanks...

I once went through five in one year (1965 Mooney) before I installed the
Inter-Av alternator mod.

I was told the problem then was that no one was manufacturing new ones --
all that was available were rebuilds, and the quality was variable.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

The generator on my Navion is 54 years old and still going strong. Just
like an alternator, there's not much to wear out except for bearings and
brushes. Overhaul consists of skimming the armature, mica undercut,
bearing and brush replacement.

Lockrdg wrote:
> I'm curious as to the life expectancy of a generator. The plane in question is
> a 1962 Comanche.
>
> Any info would be helpful.
>
> Thanks...

A bad generator voltage regulator CAN fry a generator. The voltage
regulator for a generator is also the current limiter. If the current
limiter section dies then so does the windings in the generator soon
afterwards.
Alternators are inherently current limited by the design of the
alternator this is NOT true with a generator.


On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 08:03:39 -0400, Ron Rosenfeld
> wrote:

>On 18 Jul 2004 04:10:10 GMT, (Lockrdg) wrote:
>
>>I'm curious as to the life expectancy of a generator. The plane in question is
>>a 1962 Comanche.
>>
>>Any info would be helpful.
>>
>>Thanks...
>
>I once went through five in one year (1965 Mooney) before I installed the
>Inter-Av alternator mod.
>
>I was told the problem then was that no one was manufacturing new ones --
>all that was available were rebuilds, and the quality was variable.
>
>
>Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

(Lockrdg) wrote
> I'm curious as to the life expectancy of a generator. The plane in question is
> a 1962 Comanche.

Comanches (single and twin) eat generators. Everyone I know has
problems with them. I used to as well. Then I installed Zeftronics
solid state generator controllers. That was the last of my problems.

Michael

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 17:39:49 GMT, (John_F) wrote:

>A bad generator voltage regulator CAN fry a generator. The voltage
>regulator for a generator is also the current limiter. If the current
>limiter section dies then so does the windings in the generator soon
>afterwards.
>Alternators are inherently current limited by the design of the
>alternator this is NOT true with a generator.

My voltage regulator that year tested good, as did a replacement done just
"to be sure".


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)