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Just completing my build of a Progressive Aerodyne Searey. On power up and whenever I activate the wastegate servo by moving the throttle, I get a shrill whine through my headset that is clearly EMI coming from the servo motor. This same noise is received from a hand held radio as far as 5 feet away from the aircraft so I'm discounting a wiring issue on my part. I've also used a spectrum analyzer and sensor to capture the noise signature. The motor is brand new. I assumed it must be defective and just yesterday replaced it with another new servo with the same results. The TCU and wire harness are also new from the factory. Has anyone seen or heard of this issue. I can't believe this is a unique situation considering I have received these two motors 10 months apart from each other.
  • Re: turbo servo noise

    by » 7 years ago


    How do you know the noise is coming from the servo motor? You indicated in your post that the servo motor was activated by "moving the throttle." But moving the throttle also affects the generator and therefore the voltage regulator. Does the noise only occur when the servo motor is actually moving the wastegate? Have you tried moving the throttle with the servo out of the picture (by using the servo isolation switch)? If the noise does not occur, then yes it would seem that the problem is with the servo motor or wiring. But if the noise does not go away, that would seem to rule out the servo motor and wiring.

  • Re: turbo servo noise

    by » 7 years ago


    Hi Ken,

    Thanks for the response. All of this testing was done in a hanger with the engine off. The noise is very definitely coming from the motor. I can stand outside of the plane with headphones on and hear the noise as I watch the waste gate level moving. I can also put my fingers on the motor and feel it running coincident with the noise. My biggest confusion comes from the fact that the old original motor is silent. I'm wondering of there is a break in period. I'm pretty certain that this is arc discharge noise coming from the stator contacts. Maybe they need to wear in some and smooth out

  • Re: turbo servo noise

    by » 7 years ago


    Hi Victor,
    i am new Member, just after reading your Problem.
    There is a 100% solution, i had solved this problem in an 914 Installation in a Europa XS.
    There i can hear the same electric noise in Headset, when Radio is on. Turning the ACU of 914 on, the servo starts ist self test, this is the first time, you can hear the noise of the running servo Motor, and by each Action of the servo.
    As an Engeneer, i remarked this as a no-go-item in a good electrical Environment of the aircraft.
    The trouble can be measured by handheld Radio icom etc and with an spectrum analysator. The electrical noise is broadband, so it will be caused by electrical sparks in an electric DC-Motor without any filtering of elecric noise.
    If possible, unsrew your servo-unit. There you can see a very simple electric DC-Motor 12V with plastic gear to drive the Wastegate Cable.
    I was confused, because there was nothing to see, that looks like a capacitor or a filter-network with ferritcoils.
    These minimum filtering you can find in every Installation in the world like cars or Machines or electrical toys, to be able for electrical radio-noise certification.

    The solution i made was very simple, a small capacitor of 100 nF and a Voltage Range over 50 V, with optimal mechanical dimensions, is soldered direct on the printboard, on the 2 contacts, which are connected to the brushes of the little 12 V- Servomotor.

    After this action, no electrical noise was heared, becaus the noise is direct filtered at his source at the motor brush contacts.

    I had proposed this very easy Change to Rotax, but there i was ignored, with Problems of the certification.
    The solution of Rotax is a very complex and expensive shielding of all wires to the servo-unit.
    But this is the wrong way, the noise had to be distroied at his source, the firing collectorbrushes of the DC-Motor.

    My Installation with this little capacitor works fine, no electrical noise can be heared, the problem is solved for every time.

    This capacitor can be helpful for all 914-users, because there is not built in any filtering.
    Unbelieveable for an certified aircraft-installation
    I wish you good luck by solving this problem.

    Let me know, if you do this . . .
    Walter

  • Re: turbo servo noise

    by » 7 years ago


    Walter,
    Thanks you very much for your response! I'm also an engineer and it's very coincidental that just this afternoon I was discussing this issue with a couple of my coworkers and we came upon the same solution to try. It's very encouraging that you came along and confirmed that we are on the right path. I'll try the solution soon and be sure to let you know the results.

    The response you got from Rotax is disappointing. I'm surprised because in the engine installation manual they are very specific about adding a capacitor agross the motor leads of the fuel pumps specifically to filter the motor generated noise.

    I assumed there was an integral capacitor already mounted in the servo unit.

    Thanks again for your help.

    Best regards, victor

    Best regards,

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