Corrosion damage from a leaking 12v main battery. Italians to my rescue. During the first oil change and maintenance inspection of the trip in Italy, Luca Parazzolli (EAA, Chapter 1581) and I discovered corrosion damage to the high current electrical bus and associated components. This was quite unexpected, as the plane was in perfect electrical and mechanical condition before the start of my trip. The corrosion damage was caused by a leak of the primary 12V powersport battery mounted to the firewall and over the electrical components. The likely cause: 1) flight over the Arctic through extremely cold temperatures causing the battery case to crack. 2) a manufacturing error in the battery. The battery was brand new and installed just before the start of the trip. Luca networked with his fellow RV builders around northern Italy and obtained a new battery, main relay, starter relay, Silicone boot, and fabricated a new #2 battery cable, all within hours. We spent 15 hours repairing the electrical system to like-new condition and tested the engine and electrical system. Luca, you are my hero. Thank you for all of your help, resourcefulness, attention to detail, and great network of friends. The Spirit of Aviation lives on in Trento One of the many EAA chapters around the world. Members enthusiastically help out a RTW pilot in need. 1 million Euro view from Luca Parazzolli's hanger in Trento, Italy Smoke on! CREWRV8, Luca's aerobatic team practicing over Trento, Italy. (2) RV8, (1) RV9A experimental aircraft. Luca's hanger/workshop where we performed the oil change and emergency repairs on my aircraft. Photo credit: Luca Perazzolli A quick run-up, then departure from Trento, Italy through a narrow mountainous valley toward the Adriatic sea.
Photo credit: Luca Perazzolli
Brian Eisner
7/4/2018 11:45:36 am
You couldn't have found a better place to stop for maintenance then in Trento with Luca and his friends. I was really impressed when I visited there with the knowledge and workmanship and the beautiful aircraft that were in the hangars. They're a fantastic bunch, glad to call my friends.
John Ragozzino
7/5/2018 05:26:43 pm
Curious which battery had the leakage issue. I looked up
BRIAN EISNER
7/8/2018 03:07:58 pm
Hi John.
Brian Eisner
7/9/2018 07:23:51 am
Glad to hear that you're feeling better and that you made it to Mattala Sri Lanka. Hard to get a good Weather Satellite from India but managed to find one this morning at 5am Atlantic Standard Time (AST). Looked like a good weather window to head down the west side of India and then crossing Southern India then into Sri Lanka. Won't be long now before you cross the Equator. Enjoy the days getting shorter.
John Koehler
7/10/2018 07:14:35 am
Brian,
Brian Eisner
7/10/2018 07:56:28 am
I think my anxiety would have got to me being a weatherman and an RV-4 pilot and having all that weather to fly through. Just curious but how has the weather briefings been along your way so far? I'll keep tracking your progress. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
September 2018
Categories |