Monday, December 1, 2008

Astar 350 & 355 Electrical Troubleshooting Tool

More helicopter info at http://www.heliwrench.com

If you’ve ever had an electrical problem on an Astar with the old style fuses you are not alone. One of the biggest problems of troubleshooting your problem is that you will need several fuses of the right amperage and volts to find the problem. This means carrying around a lot of fuses which is not very practical. So I will show you how to build a simple tool for troubleshooting these types of problems.





Here is what you will need:
(Substitute or improvise as you wish)

- one 10 amp breaker
- one 5 amp breaker
- one 2 amp breaker
- a RadioShack project box ( or build box of your choice)
- some wire and connectors ( you may select the gauge you want)
- one old fuse large style
- one old fuse small style
- one large fuse cap
- one small fuse cap
- connector of your choice


STEP 1: Take your radio shack box and fit the three breakers in the box.




STEP 2: Wire them in parallel as shown in the picture above. Drill a hole in the side of
the box to allow the two wires out and attach a connector of your choice.


STEP 3: Drill a small hole in each end of your fuses (be very careful the fuses break
easily). Also drill a hole in each of your fuse caps.

STEP 4: Now take and slide a wire through the cap and through the fuse. Solder the end
of the wire to the end of the fuse.

STEP 5: Next take and slide another wire through the cap beside the first, this wire is
soldered to the other end of the fuse.

STEP 6: Now attach a connector to each of these fuse/fuse cap setups.


Here is the tool in use in a 10 amp circuit.



Now you can easily insert either of these fuses into a circuit you are having problems with, choose the amperage of that circuit by pushing in the appropriate circuit breaker and connect the box and the fuse/fuse cap together at the connector. If there is a problem, example wire grounding out, the breaker will pop. Use this tool till you find the problem and fix it. Then insert the correct fuse and you are done. No wasted fuses. Hope this helps.

More helicopter info and troubleshooting at http://www.heliwrench.com

EC120B Hydraulic Troubleshooting

More troubleshooting at http://www.heliwrench.com

The following are some steps to take when you have no hydraulics and the hydraulic light is on.

SYMPTOM:
PILOTE REPORTS NO HYDRAULIC ASSIST TO FLIGHT CONTROLS AND HYDRAULIC LIGHT IS ON.


TROUBLESHOOTING:
1. FIRST DETURMINE IF THE FAILURE IS DUE TO ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

2. PREFORM GROUND RUN, LOOK AT SIGHT GLASS ON HYD PACK, HYD FLUID SHOULD BE CIRCULATING.
a. IF FLUID IS CIRCULATING: ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
b. IF FLUID IS NOT CIRCULATING: MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

ELECTRICAL: Ref: WDM 29-11-00-001 & 29-31-00-001

“ELECTRIC VALVE”

1.CHECK B6, 3 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER, ON CARGO CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL.

2. CHECK FOR 28 VOLTS AT PIN 2, WITH HYD SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION. AT THE ELECTRICAL VALVE LOCATED ON THE HYD PACK.

3. CHECK GROUND FROM ELE VALVE PIN 1.

NOTE: ELECTRIC VALVE CAN BE SWAPPED WITH SERVO ELE. VALVE FOR TROUBLESHOOTING “SAME PART NUMBER”

“PRESSURE WARNING”

1. CHECK FOR 28 VOLTS AT PIN 1, ON HYD PRESSURE SWITCH.

2. CHECK GROUND FROM PRESS SWITCH PIN 3.



MECHANICAL:

1. CHECK SPLINE DRIVE BETWEEN HYD PACK AND MGB.

2.BROKEN ROLL PIN ON MUFF COUPLING.

3. WORN SPLINES ON HYD PACK OR MGB.

4. CHECK ROTATION OF HYD DRIVE SHAFT IN MGB.
More troubleshooting at http://www.heliwrench.com