I need your help --- ADAHRS problem

[skydancer]

Dynon said I'm the only one has this problem and they have done everything they could to resolve my problem but with no luck. so, I'm running out of choice and really screwed.

I'm here to ask your help, if you have two ADAHRS in the system, you can verify something for me (and for yourself), just compare the heading between two ADAHRS, manually activate each ADAHRS and record the heading difference.

Here is the background of my problem.....

1. Running single  ADAHRS (either Primary or Secondary) in the system is fine. Heading will be right on. but when run both ADAHRS in the system, then one ADAHRS heading will be right on and the other will be off between 10 - 60 degrees depend on which direction I turned my airplane to (I manually selected each ADAHRS).

2. I have no problem configuring, calibrate and download the firmware to both ADAHRS, I even force loaded a couple times without any problem (system will automaticlly loads the firmware to each ADAHRS, EMS and ARINC module), they all communicate to each other with DB-9 Network cable, the cable that connected to SV-1000 display (all pins are identical and running in parallel).

Please help

This is the time for you to verify the accuracy of your ADAHRS too, remember to manually activate each ADAHRS and record the heading.

P.S. You don't have to do this at the Compass Rose, just outside of your hangar and turn the airplane around, select each ADAHRS manually and check, no need to start the Engine either.

 

[dynonsupport]

We're looking into Jay's problem on our end, but we'd be interested to hear what more of you find as well.

If you do have heading discrepancies, please note if the ADAHRS are co-located or not.

 

[jlakins]

RV9a ADAHRS mounted behind baggage compartment.
ADAHRS are mounted one above the other on a aluminum shelf using brass spacers, brass screws, and brass nylok nuts.
I see a maximum of one degree when switching ADAHRS.

Jimmie

 

[skydancer]

Jimmie,

Did you pick all four directions? Not necessary to be N.E.S.W.?

Most likely you have a reliable ADAHRS, thank you for the feedback.

ADAHRS is randomly selected by SV, better to know both units are giving you the correct data.

Wish I can get more feedback from other pilot before jumping into the next level of repair. I do have idea how to troubleshoot this problem if indeed the problem is not in the ADAHRS unit.

We all need to confirm that we have a reliable system, especially for IFR flight, there is no room for error.

ADAHRS is the core of the system, this is a simple way to find out if you have a reliable heading instrument or not.

Jay

 

[dynonsupport]

Jay. To be clear, if there's a problem, we don't believe it to be with your ADAHRS's hardware, but more likely with the calibration routines, and in a non-obvious way. We are investigating that on our end, but don't have any discoveries to report as of yet.

What is true is that each ADAHRS gets calibrated and verified as having a correct "baseline" factory calibration that would be correct in a magnetically perfect environment. How that is turning into a bad calibration for one or more of your ADAHRS due to the cal process / locational effects is the thing that we need to crack.

 

[jlakins]

Jay
North and South were dead on.
East and West I saw one degree.
I switched ADAHRS 2 times in each direction.
Jimmie

 

[skydancer]

Thank you Jemmie,

My ADAHRS were installed in the same location as in your RV-9A.

My RV-7 was built by a professional RV builder who has built more than 40 RV's. My cable harness were professionally made by Approach Fast Stack and I've 30+ years experience repairing radio communication systems.

Today, I'm going to do Pin-to-Pin continuirty check on the ADAHRS and run with only one skyveiw display at a time, see if the symptom changes.

This is my panel.

 

[dynonsupport]

Jay - if both your ADAHRS work, period, then it's not a wire continuity issue. Those lines carry data, not raw voltages or signals, so a discontinuous wire would cause an ADAHRS to not work, period.

 

[skydancer]

This was the post I did 364 days ago, just to let you know I was working very hard to solve the problem, and Dynon did helped a lot but without a good ending.

 

[Dynon]

Jay - As mentioned in the other thread you poseted in: We actually did find a bug in SkyView's calibration routine, in part thanks to your data and feedback. See http://www.dynonavionics.com/docs/WhatsNew_SkyView.html for more details. You need to be running 5.1, and recalibrate one final time, for a correct cal to take on both ADAHRS. If you're working OK today, of course, no need to change anything. Our support staff did send you an email when 5.1 was released, by the way, since they'd been working with you offline.

 

[skydancer]

You should be getting my SV-D1000 any time from today, I shipped it to you last Saturday.

Once I get my SV back, I'll calibrate one last time, will report back to you with the result.

If that indeed fix my problem, I'll continue to do business with you and promote your product, if not, I'll suggest all my friend to stay away from your product.

Lets hope for the best.

 

[skydancer]

I have a great news to report...

Dynon solved my ADAHRS problem, the latest software Ver. 5.1 + debugged ADAHRS calibration routine took care of the problem.

But during the calibration, I did find another issue, I had problem locking on the East, West and South with ADAHRS-200 activated. I ended up finish the calibration routine with ADAHRS-201 set as primary. And the compass heading was within +/- 1 degree after calibration.

To be more specific about ADAHRS-200, I was able to lock on the North, but when I try to calibrate the East, the moment I move my heading pass just 1 or 2 degree from the East, the highlighted East changed to South immediately, and I could never get it back on the East again, even I corrected my heading to 90 degree or a few degree less. This happend to the South and West as well. Any answer for this?

This troubled ADAHRS-200 was a replacement unit I got from Mike a year ago since I had first reported the ADAHRS problem. At that time, I didn't know the problem was actually switching between the two ADAHRSs, I thought the -200 was the one causing the trouble. Mike couldn't find anything wrong after bench checked, he gave me a choice of swapping out with another remanufactured unit, I took it, and unfortunately the symptom was never changed after recalibrated. I lived with this problem for over a year.

I consider myself a test pilot for Dynon product, as long as I can get the problem solved, I don't mind burning all the fuel and time to get the test data out for you.

I do enjoy a lot of good features in the lastest software release, I think the Skyview is great product after all the problem debugged, the Sunshine has finally arrived, it's time to promote the SV together (I really mean it).

I'll be making another trip to Alaska next month from southern California, I'll be much more comfortable flying SV in any of the conditions, thank you Dynon.

 

[TRCsmith]

I'll be making another trip to Alaska next month from southern California


where do you go once there?

 

[skydancer]

It all depends on the Wx.

Alaska really isn't a big place for pilot, especially flying a high performance aircraft.

Good luck with your trip, and make sure to have enough survival equipment on board.

If you have a SPOT, consider to participate eSRS ---http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs/alaskan/alaska/esrs-ak/media/Sat_Assist_FP_brochure_v17i.pdf