Skyview screen failure in IMC

[DrewSwenson]

Just happened to me yesterday---most likely my fault----but looking for help. Skyview is installed in my Cozy MKIV. ILS approach in the driving rain into KLAF---all was well. Airplane is not completely leak proof and I had left off the glider tape that seals the back edge of the canard. End result---while parked at KLAF----it is possible (but not probable) that the AHRS unit got wet up in the nose------it is likely that the backup battery got wet (near the seam with no glider tape)-----and 50/50 chance that the back of the skyview screen may have gotten some moisture on it.

Took off into the goo when the screen went black. Was on stby instruments for remainder of flight. Multiple resets of the breaker switch did not bring it back alive. 1/2/5 did not bring it back. Turned the heater on to help dry it out---if that was the issue----did not work.

After landing------pulled the access panel off----all dry---no wetness anywhere----but my heating over the 3.5 hour flight may have gotten rid of the evidence. With master and dynon switch off----I pulled the big dynon connector off and felt around it----felt dry----plugged it back in----and the display fired up on the backup battery.

Backup battery is low (may have been trying to power the display during flight??). While on the ground, could not consistantly turn on the dynon with ship's power unless I unplugged the backup battery.

I can fix the plane so that none of the components get wet again. But the backup battery connected/not connected issue seems strange---and still scratching my head-----but maybe this is the unit just still trying to dry off?

 

[Dynon]

There is a rare known issue that can cause SkyView display+batteries to not boot up upon master power application that we're aware of, but this prevents boots on master power up, and doesn't affect behavior once fully powered up. Also, 1/2/5 will always reboot the display and fix it. So that doesn't explain what you're seeing. Of course water ingress can cause unpredictable power behavior that can come an go with the moisture's state as you've identified.

But, the bottom line is, if 1/2/5 doesn't bring your SkyView back to life when it's receiving master power and it's worked perfectly before that, either 1) there's something wrong with the display, or 2) well, the same as 1, but because it got wet.

 

[DrewSwenson]

Problem resolved. Pulled unit out of airplane and placed in desiccant for a week as a precaution. Did not see any trace of wetness anywhere---but did it anyway. All connectors were dry. Checked breaker switch for proper operation---good. Checked the two ground wires----they were good. Checked the two power lines (they were connected together to a fat wire. Fat power wire was intermittently grounding out.

Display works good----and backup battery operation is normal.

I had a separate issue with my EMS-10 rebooting several times in flight unrelated to my very wet day. In tracing all of the Skyview wires, I found the reboot issue----loose connection on a bus jumper.

 

[bkthomps]

thanks for updating us, can i suggest anyone reading this who wants to avoid the same situation or vulnerability invest in the backup batteries? i do not think you'd have had this issue with the batteries in place

 

[DrewSwenson]

The backup battery was installed and charged. I think that the power-line shorting out was doing funny things---even preventing the backup batt from taking over.

The one thing I did not think of doing in flight when I lost the display was to turn the breaker switch off and then use 1/2/5 to start on the backup batt. Will 1/2/5 start me on b/u? Anyway---everytime I went to do 1/2/5, the power switch was on.

 

[dynonsupport]

The input power on SkyView can be shorted and the backup battery will still work. This still sounds like a case where the unit was wet or damaged internally.

1/2/5 is a REBOOT, not a power on command. To power on a system with only a battery you need to press and hold button 1 (and only #1) for about 3 seconds until the screen lights up.

If you are running on master power, 1/2/5 will reboot a unit. If you are on a battery it will shut it off.