Curious spike in amps while Skyview loading and rebooting

porterjames

I love flying!
Joined
Sep 26, 2016
Messages
57
I loaded the new Skyview software today and (while the engine was not running) I noticed two spikes in Amps.
I downloaded the data from todays flight and found that the two spikes (again while the engine was not running) were 43 amps and 53 amps. Both were only recorded for 1 second and were probably a minute or two apart.
I previously noticed a previous short term event about a year ago, and have been looking at the amps profile after each flight. This is the first I have seen since then. As I recall, the previous event was while the engine was idling on the ground with nothing unusual noted.
All the Skyview systems were on for the software update, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what point of the events occurred.
Anyone have any thoughts?
 

Rhino

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
1,760
Current surges are difficult to troubleshoot, especially when they're intermittent and/or infrequent. I would generally consider this an anomaly and not worry too much about it unless it recurs more frequently. However, like you, I'd be curious to say the least. The first thing I would do is check all connections in the measurement path. Ammeter shunts, if used, and their connections, are a fairly frequent cause of strange current readings. Next, I would check my power supply, and maybe put some sort of measurement ability on that line. No sense troubleshooting the aircraft if the input power is the problem. I would probably then accomplish a slow startup of all systems one by one, to see if I could duplicate it and isolate it more definitively. After that I'd probably scratch my head a lot.
 
Top