I'm a diode freak

[mad max]

I am also a bit of a conspiracy freak! It seems to me like a coincidence that the humble diode and soon after the transistor came out soon after the Roswell crash of a "weather balloon". I think us humans are too dumb to suddenly jump from a vacume tube to solid state in such a short time. I grew up with the solid state gismo"s evolving with great suspicion after a skydiving comrade died relying on his electronic reserve opener. Anyway, now that the diode has become very reliable, not to mention IC"s I like to put one across any inductive gismo on my gyro in order to protect the electronics from reverse polarity spikes, specially the electric pre-rotator which pulls down the voltage and can send out reverse polarity spikes. I put a universal 10 amp Alt. diode from the main terminal to earth at the starter pre. - rot. motor.

[gbw]

Thanks for that Max. Filed in my useful info folder. Might have helped in the days of my TR^ which had mechanical fuel injection. I had starting problems, which were over come when I ran an outside battery to the fuel pump. The voltage drop on starting caused my pump to drop 2 psi, which caused the problem. I ran a relay from the battery and all was fine.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtM6XJlynkk

[mad max]

That looks like good news for energy storage Graham. I feel privileged to be around during these interesting times. When I was young the radio was a giant box and the telephone was a giant box with a crank handle screwed to the wall. I always put a diode across soleniod relay windings as when they turn off they can induce 200 volts reverse polarity and the diode absorbs it.

[mad max]

Just test flew my ea81 hot cam trainer after installing a twin electronic pick-up distributor feeding two coils into a H.T diode unit and feeding single spark plugs after 3 engine failures over 15 yrs. due to ignition problems. The engine certainly starts better than single points dist. I"ve removed the advance weights and vacume unit. The cam seems to like 9 deg. all the time. Tried turning off one ign. then the other in flight. Am very happy with the system. Helps keep my mind off the EFI problem on the ej25. Have put it back in the hanger for now.

[gbw]

Years ago there was a bloke selling Luminition. Three times the TR6 had a forced landing in the city. Each time there was no points gap. Never looked under the cap after installing it.http://www.vid4fun.com/video_player/index.php?vid=103. This might make the gyro redundant.Graham

[mad max]

Very impressive Graham, but a light gyro on same wheels with a 914 and good mechanical pre-rot. I think would give it a run.

[asra]

Id get a wheel caught on a rock, roll it then smash the rotors....Im out

[blakemorem]

Hey Mad max,Just thinking about ya electronic ignition.And remember a problem with high energy coils.The red coil had higher energy output than the black coil.The red coil had lower resistance in the primary winding(about 1.2 ohms) the black coil had about 2.2 ohms from memory.I found the red coil was over heating the switching transistors in the ICU.Oh one other obvious stuff up... never charge battery connected will fry ICU...very expensive.Diodes are good to use for polarity protection we call them sacrificial diodes.Keep in mind they will do exactly that short circuit and smoke so must have right rated fuse +Ve in series.You can run diodes in series for polarity protection keeping in mind the load current and right diode rating you will always get a 0.6V drop across diode but no smoke.Not practical for high current applications though.I agree you should always use em for those nasty back EMF voltages but be aware your relay has just become polarity conscious.Mike.

[birdy]

This might make the gyro redundant.Whos gyro?Gota admit, thats pretty impressive....................... for a FW. But, the ferel can land with a much steeper approach, with 0 roll, then blast off shorter than that thing, and climb steeper till its over the trees.