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Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

in 912 / 914 Technical Questions 13 years ago

  • Re: Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 13 years ago

    Hi Raymond,

    Sure sounds like a bad connection and or a frayed wire.

    Roger Lee
    LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
    Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
    520-349-7056 Cell

      
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  • Re: Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 13 years ago

    Roger,

    I'm thinking the same thing. I just now got off the phone with the Rainbow people and will be bringing my airplane to the class, which starts Oct. 17th. I can rest easy for now. Running down a loose or frayed connection in all those wires is a formidable task.

    Thanks for all the help.

    Raymond
      
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  • Re: Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 13 years ago

    Raymond
    the regulators are quite capable of going out. I replaced mine at about 300 hour (800 hrs now). It also was intermittent and just about drove me crazy. At that time there was NO info out there to refer to. I just bought a new one, replaced it, and have never looked back.

    Dale
      
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  • Re: Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 13 years ago

    Dale,

    Thanks for commenting. I was told the same thing by a friend I called when the problem first surfaced. I am in no way an airplane mechanic, but fancy myself a fairly competent auto mechanic. I always try to pinpoint the problem to avoid what I see all too often in mechanics not knowing what the problem is and replacing part after part. That said, there seems to be a consensus as to the Ducati regulator failing. Why can’t it be tested?

    My God, this is an aircraft. Why is this part not reliable after all this time? I suppose there are not enough of us to complain (I’m withholding judgment until I’m sure it is the Ducati part) to get any resolution. With a “one-year” warranty, probably a really good chance the part will have very few hours on it when the period expires. My airplane was flown less than 100 hours each year when I bought it used. (Certainly puts my little Hyundai 100,000 mile warranty into perspective!)

    If this were a certified aircraft would FAA be tracking these failures?

    Oh well, a friend told me that once I decided to fly under power I needed to get used to opening my wallet and watching the Benjamin’s fly out. How much did the regulator cost you?

    Raymond
      
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  • Re: Charging System- Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 13 years ago

    If Rotax and other aircraft and engine manufacturing entities were held to the standards of American Auto Companies they would fold. I don't believe I ever heard of anyone getting anything replaced by "warranty". How would you do it? For me the nearest service center is 1000 miles away, do I send him the regulator and tell him it is not working right. No, he will want the whole airplane to check it out himself. In my case he advised just to buy a new regulator and try it, if that's not it, maybe you can sell it to someone else. I did this and it fixed the problem. Hell of a way to get things done.
    I too consider myself a fair "wrench", look at Rotax manuals, they are prehistoric compared to a manual for a Honda motorcycle or Suzuki outboard. Rotax manuals are vague, poorly written, poor English, and as of the present they are much better today than 8 years ago, but they have a long way to go.
    For what we pay for a new Rotax engine we should get a quality set of manuals that tell you how to check everything on that engine. We also should get everything on this Rotax Owners site free so we can service our engines and do it right when can we quit paying at every corner.
    I don't remember what I paid for the new regulator but it was over $100. I don't like to complain about what it costs to fly because I love it, but I tell you I do feel gouged by Rotax anytime I deal with them on parts. They have read the Lycoming and Continental books and make them look cheap sometime.
    I love my Rotax, it is powerful, efficient, clean, neat, and the best engine out there, I wouldn't have anything else, but it is at a very steep inflated price. I never recommend any other engine for the light sports planes, there is just nothing better.
    Dale
      
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