On Dec 12, 2022, at 3:01 PM, Michael Coates <mcoates@...> wrote:

Hello everyone, the problem with using bicycle parts is they are simply not made to stop the weight of an aircraft. The calipers are just not strong enough and will eventually fail the first time you really need them, usually breaking off where they mount.

Bicycle braking systems are normally designed to pull up something that is a maximum weight of 120 kg total. Braking something 3 or 4 times this weight is much more than what the system is designed for, the rotor will build up so much heat that it will warp and the fittings holding the brake caliper will eventually break.

You should be looking at systems for things like motor scooters.

Even though the weight of a motor scooter is not as much as an aircraft they are continuously braking from fairly high speeds and are more than strong enough for something like the X-Air. You will see that the brake caliper itself is probably twice the weight because it has a decent casting where it attaches to the frame and also the disk itself will be 3 times thicker.

Experience shows that the bicycle system especially if you go hydraulic works really well for things like engine run up at the first time you need to brake in a real emergency may end up in tears.

Robert Marietta wrote on 13/12/2022 12:05 am:

Can you give us the?Shimano model or part number you used.
Thanks, Bob

-- 
With regards,    Michael Coates

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USA +1 213 984 1237


PIPISTREL AIRCRAFT DEALER OF THE YEAR 2012
Winner of the EAA August Raspet Award 2012
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"Amateurs practice till they get it right;
Professionals practice till they can’t get it wrong."

I'm far from an expert but it does sound to my befuddled amateur brain like a wiring issue.

Only thing for it is replace old connectors and possibly also cables. Soldered joints are always better. I spent yesterday replacing a temporary chocolate screw connector with a soldered connection. Its difficult to do neatly in the confines of? the cockpit.

How often should fuel pumps be replaced. Mine are original from when my aircraft was built in 2003. Its done around 450 hours. It has a Pierburg mechanical pump which you cannot get any-more and I have been advised that an old Piesburg is better than a new replacement. The electrical pump is also original but working fine.

Regards

Jon

X air Falcon

 

On 11/08/2022 02:23, Justin Gregoris wrote:

Hello everyone once again,

I changed my facet cube auxiliary electric fuel pump with a bravex auxiliary electric fuel pump. The specifications between the both are merely identical - my current bravex pump has a current draw of 1-2amps with 2-4psi output.

After I installed it yesterday and went flying today, the ammeter inside my cockpit registers current draw of about 5-8amps give or take, but as soon as I switch the auxiliary pump on, the needle bounces back and forth like it's going crazy. No beakers pop/open but I'm confused as to why the ammeter needle is bouncing; it's bounces almost like one would simulate the same phenomenon by shaking the Ammeter, if it were to be disconnected, in your hands, sort of thing.

For starters, I changed the facet pump thinking it was defective when it stopped working, but afterwards re-plumbing new fuel lines with a check valve and after Installing a new pump, I then realized the wire connector was the culprit of the pump stopping - the puno was fine but rather the wire and circuit of the auxiliary fuel pump had 2 sets of cheap plastic push-on connectors that were 15 years old and landing on rough grass field, probably exacerbated the connection to finally malfunctioning, amongst oxidization and humidity, and quality of connector, etc.

Anyway today I went flying with the new bravex fuel pump, soon realizing the brand new bravex fuel pump stop working.

After I landed I was surprised to find out if I got a defective new pump. I then chased the wires and circuit of the auxiliary fuel pump one more, to then realized I noticed yet another cheap push on connect. I moved the last cheap connector that was part of this circuit around, at which point the new bravex fuel pump states to work again.

I will remove this last problematic connection and splice a straight through connection.

Could my ammeter needle be bouncing abruptly because of this (last) poor connection in the auxiliary pump circuit, or could that be a coincidence and the ammeter needle bouncing in the dial be tied towards something else?

If i don't turn on the newly installed pump, the needle doesn't bounce, but rather accurately measures total current in the entire electrical circuit of the plane.

When I turned on the auxiliary pump with the engine off, the needle also did not bounce around like crazy.

When I had the engine running more or less at idle, with the auxiliary pump on, the needle did not bounce around even then.

However, once I applied full throttle and got off the ground with the auxiliary pump on, the needle then started bouncing around back and forth like crazy.

I will be fixing the last connection issue tomorrow, but thought I'd reach out to you all for any advice.

Maybe once I fix the last connection problem within the auxiliary pump circuit, will the ammeter needle stop acting this way?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you!

Hello everyone once again,

I changed my facet cube auxiliary electric fuel pump with a bravex auxiliary electric fuel pump. The specifications between the both are merely identical - my current bravex pump has a current draw of 1-2amps with 2-4psi output.

After I installed it yesterday and went flying today, the ammeter inside my cockpit registers current draw of about 5-8amps give or take, but as soon as I switch the auxiliary pump on, the needle bounces back and forth like it's going crazy. No beakers pop/open but I'm confused as to why the ammeter needle is bouncing; it's bounces almost like one would simulate the same phenomenon by shaking the Ammeter, if it were to be disconnected, in your hands, sort of thing.

For starters, I changed the facet pump thinking it was defective when it stopped working, but afterwards re-plumbing new fuel lines with a check valve and after Installing a new pump, I then realized the wire connector was the culprit of the pump stopping - the puno was fine but rather the wire and circuit of the auxiliary fuel pump had 2 sets of cheap plastic push-on connectors that were 15 years old and landing on rough grass field, probably exacerbated the connection to finally malfunctioning, amongst oxidization and humidity, and quality of connector, etc.

Anyway today I went flying with the new bravex fuel pump, soon realizing the brand new bravex fuel pump stop working.

After I landed I was surprised to find out if I got a defective new pump. I then chased the wires and circuit of the auxiliary fuel pump one more, to then realized I noticed yet another cheap push on connect. I moved the last cheap connector that was part of this circuit around, at which point the new bravex fuel pump states to work again.

I will remove this last problematic connection and splice a straight through connection.

Could my ammeter needle be bouncing abruptly because of this (last) poor connection in the auxiliary pump circuit, or could that be a coincidence and the ammeter needle bouncing in the dial be tied towards something else?

If i don't turn on the newly installed pump, the needle doesn't bounce, but rather accurately measures total current in the entire electrical circuit of the plane.

When I turned on the auxiliary pump with the engine off, the needle also did not bounce around like crazy.

When I had the engine running more or less at idle, with the auxiliary pump on, the needle did not bounce around even then.

However, once I applied full throttle and got off the ground with the auxiliary pump on, the needle then started bouncing around back and forth like crazy.

I will be fixing the last connection issue tomorrow, but thought I'd reach out to you all for any advice.

Maybe once I fix the last connection problem within the auxiliary pump circuit, will the ammeter needle stop acting this way?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you!

?Kevin

Jul 28???#12422??