secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

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rv7charlie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:28 pm

secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by rv7charlie »

Hi,

I've got a new-to-me HX in my RV6 (along with a Mini GA), and while the Mini seems immune to voltage sag during engine start, the HX is not. Occasionally it will continue its boot process through engine cranking, but typically hangs during boot, so I'm forced to cycle power to the electrical buses to get the HX to boot.

Does the HX have the 'smarts' to auto-powerdown after an optional timer runs, when voltage is removed from the primary input? edit:Should have specified in the powerdown question: 'with a secondary battery tied to the secondary power input'. Newer EFISs with internal battery backup will do this, but I don't see anything in the docs showing that the HX has this capability. Is this a 'catch 22', where I'll have to install a separate switch on the 2nd supply to turn off the HX?

Also, the manual mentions '10 seconds' for initial boot, but since the manual includes later models, I don't know if that applies to the HX. My HX takes roughly 2 minutes, based on the on-screen countdown timer, to fully boot. Is this normal behavior for the HX, and do I need to keep the plane stationary until I get the EFIS display?

Thanks for help with this older model,

Charlie
Last edited by rv7charlie on Tue Sep 15, 2020 10:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bobturner
Posts: 444
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:34 pm

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by Bobturner »

The Hx has multiple power inputs but they are all equal - no primary or secondary. So yes, they all need to be switched off to turn off the unit. OTOH if one power source fails, you don’t have to do anything to keep the second supply on. The Hx takes a couple of minutes to fully boot up. It’s important to keep the airplane stationary for the first 10 seconds or so, as the initial attitude software boots up. It will still boot if you start taxiing right away, but will take longer.
jnewsum1
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:49 am

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by jnewsum1 »

To prevent the Hx from hanging up or rebooting due to voltage sag during engine start up GRT recommends using an external backup battery on one of the power inputs.

TCW Technologies makes several different ones of varying capacities. I initially installed the 3 amp BU battery version with my GRT EFIS units but replaced it with a TCW Power Stabilizer. The TCW backup battery needs to be enabled on before engine start and turned off after shutdown and needs to be periodically tested for capacity. The Power stabilizer requires no pilot interaction, it just works in the background. Even if your alternator were to fail, the Power stabilizer will extend operation as the primary ships battery discharges for the units that get backup power from the stabilizer.

For VFR operation the stabilizer is a good option. If your doing IFR flying a BU battery might be a better choice.

https://www.tcwtech.com
rv7charlie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:28 pm

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by rv7charlie »

Thank you both for the info. After reading your answers, I re-read 6.2, 'power connections' & finally picked up the 'isolated' term in the description; that simplifies the brownout/sag cure. It's also good to know that I don't have to wait the entire 2 minutes to move the plane. 30 seconds isn't even noticed, but 2 minutes feels like an eternity, for a quick VFR flight from an uncontrolled field. :-)

Charlie
Bobturner
Posts: 444
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:34 pm

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by Bobturner »

As an old electronics guy, I would recommend not running avionics during engine start, unless you have backup power. Modern electronics are usually very tolerant of over-voltage events, but not necessarily under-voltage events.
craig.roser
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:05 am

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by craig.roser »

Both my HX and HS reboot after starting. There is a BU Battery. Could it be that this BU is too weak. It's a few years old. Voltage and amperage during preflight and flight seem normal. The EIS 4000 stays on no issues.
Craig Roser
2015 GUNTER MALICH RV8 N888CR EL ZUNZUN
2005 CESSNA 182T N65995 ALEXANDRA
2022 CUBCRAFTERS FX3 AMPHIBIAN GERRIDAE
West Central Florida
GRT_Jeff
Posts: 802
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:11 am

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by GRT_Jeff »

craig.roser wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 10:55 am Both my HX and HS reboot after starting. There is a BU Battery. Could it be that this BU is too weak. It's a few years old. Voltage and amperage during preflight and flight seem normal. The EIS 4000 stays on no issues.
The BU battery is probably too weak from age or too small for the power demands of the HX + HS. At 12.0V and maximum brightness the HX and HS combined could be using 2.6A. These units have some components that will shut down not far below 10V.

The EIS uses around 0.2A and survives a little lower voltages. It also reboots in a few seconds.
craig.roser
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:05 am

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by craig.roser »

The BU battery is an ENERWATT AGM WP912 12V9AH. Picture attached. Appropriate capacity? I'm not clear what INITIAL CURRENT:LESS THAN 3.60A means.
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Craig Roser
2015 GUNTER MALICH RV8 N888CR EL ZUNZUN
2005 CESSNA 182T N65995 ALEXANDRA
2022 CUBCRAFTERS FX3 AMPHIBIAN GERRIDAE
West Central Florida
rv7charlie
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 6:28 pm

Re: secondary power input and auto startup/shutdown

Post by rv7charlie »

'Initial current' is related to the previous 3 lines; how to charge the battery. If it's in 'cycle use', charge at 14.1-14.4 V. If it's in something like an emergency light in a building, with a charger on it constantly except when power fails, the charger should be at 13.5-13.8 V (a 'maintainer' voltage). And in any case, the initial charge *current* shouldn't exceed 3.60 Amps, to avoid damaging the battery. In other words, don't let it get to a discharged state, and then crank your engine where the alternator could push 10-15 amps at it due to its discharged state.

To your reboot issue: Can you share how you have the backup wired into the system? If it's simply tied into the main battery feed, then the starter will pull both batteries down during start. If it's wired to the extra diode-isolated inputs on the EFIS-s, and the battery is good, you shouldn't see the rebooting.
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