VP-X Starter Switch Problem

mmarien

Murray M.
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
1,206
Location
Saskatoon SK CAN
I posted this on the VP forum but repeat it here as it could be a Skyview problem.

I have my starter switch wired to VP-X Pro J10-1 pin so that the starter button lights up when the starter switch is active. There are a few articles showing this, one on this forum I believe. This is not the Starter Annunciator Wiring J2-11. I have that one wired to a Skyview EMS contact but don't normally monitor it. My EFIS is a Dynon Skyview Classic.

On a recent flight the starter button lit up randomly a few times. I can only think of two instances where this could happen. The first would be a VP-X problem. The second would be a communications problem between Skyview and VP-X. I suspect the starter switch is not active if there is some signal from the Skyview EMS that the engine is running. I ruled out a wiring problem with the starter button as VP-X supplies power and not a ground. So the only place the power would come from is VP-X.

I check the Skyview logs but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. There are a couple of VP-X FAULT's in the alerts logs. These seem to be associated with turning the power switch ON and OFF. The Skyview backup battery keeps Skyview on after the power switch is OFF. I suspect that Skyview would record the fault when VP-X stopped communicating. I may also have turned Skyview ON before I turned on the power switch ON which would cause the VP-X FAULT at the start of the flight log. I checked back to last year and the VP-X FAULT's were happening at power on and off then also.

There are no VP-X FAULT's in the logs during the flight when the starter switch light was coming on. And yes, the engine was running.

Another coincidence is that there are no VP-X FAULT's in the last flights logs when I noticed the starter switch light coming on. This probably indicates that something has changed, either in my habits or the equipment.

I checked that VP-X is communicating with Skyview by turning equipment on and off with Skyview. I didn't try all the VP-X pins.

Question is, is there someway that I can troubleshoot the problem? Could someone with VP-X check their logs for VP-X FAULT's.
 

jakej

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
2,079
Location
Adelaide, Australia
Am trying to figure why you would not connect J12-11 as the VP-X will disconnect power to the start solenoid when the rpm is over about 5-600rpm. No need to have it on a contact & therefore no need to monitor it (as stated, you don't anyway), it all works in the background.
You can then have the starter button lighting up when switch is active, as you do now. :-?
 

nigelspeedy

New Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
101
Location
CA
I have my starter wired through the normal start pin on the VPX. A while back I started to see the starter annunciator illuminate in flight and what it turned out to be was an early warning of the starter solenoid failing.
Cheers
Nige
 

mmarien

Murray M.
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
1,206
Location
Saskatoon SK CAN
Am trying to figure why you would not connect J12-11
You're right Jake. I check my AS-BUILT schematic. J2-11 is connected to the starter side of the contactor and the VP-X starter warning is just a EMS WIDGET_INFO that looks like a contact.
early warning of the starter solenoid failing
Might be worth looking at but my starter button light is a separate circuit that gets power from VP-X. It is never directly connected to the solenoid. VP-X is lighting up the light, the question is why?

starter.png
 

jakej

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
2,079
Location
Adelaide, Australia
That's a sassy way of connecting it  ;D ;D - Seriously though, simply, the 'power' wires have a very low millivolt reading when the circuit is 'idle' (the circuits come alive when loaded) -that's also why VP-X , with the light wired as you have it, I'd expect the light to come on sporadically.  If you increased the wattage a fair bit the light would stay on permanently.
 

mmarien

Murray M.
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Messages
1,206
Location
Saskatoon SK CAN
So an etcetera to this problem. I flew a few x country flights thru the Canadian Rockies this weekend and VP-X didn't act up and crash my plane into any big rocks. That part is good. The start button light also didn't act up during flight. That's also a good sign, but I'm not convinced the problem is solved and will continue to monitor it. Strange behavior is usually an indication of bad things wanting to happen.

I also did a search of the VP forum and found that the wiring of my starter button may be sassy but is approved by Marc.

http://www.verticalpower.com/forums/showthread.php?501-Lighted-Starter-Switch-Cool!#13
 
Top