Is there even the slightest possiblity (Aircraft Electrical question)

[FlySince9]

I recently started having a weird problem with my radios. When I power up the radios after engine start, I try to call Ground and they can't hear me (they report garbled/unreadable). After several attempts I can get enough thru to them that I get cleared to taxi to the runway... By the time I get there, do my runup and call tower for departure, the trouble seems to have cleared and the tower doesn't complain about any problem with readability. After the initial trouble there doesn't seem to be an issue with any radio communications.

So Monday, my solenoid craps out and its now been replaced. I haven't had the opportunity to check to see if the radios are still having issues yet, but is it possible that the solenoid was putting noise on the ground connection and interfering with the radios.

 

[Juliet Hotel]

Stupid question. Does the plane sit outside? Any chance you're getting some moisture in the radio that has to dry off as it heats up?

One of the work Supercubs I used to fly had a leaky windscreen and if it rained, water would pool inside the radio. I used to keep a radio screwdriver in the plane. If the radio didn't transmit or receive after startup, I'd turn it off and use the screwdriver to pull it out of the tray. I'd hold it out the window with the end turned toward the ground until the water stopped coming out. Then I'd put it back in the tray, power it up and it would work fine.

 

[FlySince9]

Stupid question. Does the plane sit outside? Any chance you're getting some moisture in the radio that has to dry off as it heats up?

One of the work Supercubs I used to fly had a leaky windscreen and if it rained, water would pool inside the radio. I used to keep a radio screwdriver in the plane. If the radio didn't transmit or receive after startup, I'd turn it off and use the screwdriver to pull it out of the tray. I'd hold it out the window with the end turned toward the ground until the water stopped coming out. Then I'd put it back in the tray, power it up and it would work fine.

LOL ... Yea, its outside but it has an extended Canopy cover on it so doubt any real moisture can get in there... Thanks..

 

[eman1200]

you're welcome.

 

[weirdjim]

LOL ... Yea, its outside but it has an extended Canopy cover on it so doubt any real moisture can get in there... Thanks..

At this time of the year, more probable a component that doesn't like the cold warming up as the cabin warms up. Most of us that do troubleshooting like this keep a squeeze bottle of Freon on the test bench to "hit" parts that we suspect. After, of course, a lot of signal tracing to isolate the problem to one circuit.

The alternative to this is put the radio in the fridge overnight and then touch one component after another with a hot soldering iron.

Jim

 

[FlySince9]

At this time of the year, more probable a component that doesn't like the cold warming up as the cabin warms up. Most of us that do troubleshooting like this keep a squeeze bottle of Freon on the test bench to "hit" parts that we suspect. After, of course, a lot of signal tracing to isolate the problem to one circuit.

The alternative to this is put the radio in the fridge overnight and then touch one component after another with a hot soldering iron.

Jim

Its a 430W... not putting that in the fridge... LOL

 

[unsafervguy]

At this time of the year, more probable a component that doesn't like the cold warming up as the cabin warms up. Most of us that do troubleshooting like this keep a squeeze bottle of Freon on the test bench to "hit" parts that we suspect. After, of course, a lot of signal tracing to isolate the problem to one circuit.

The alternative to this is put the radio in the fridge overnight and then touch one component after another with a hot soldering iron.

Jim

using the F word in California? im sure the California EPA types will be knocking on your door momentarily.........

 

[Lantraxco]

Got a voltmeter in the panel anywhere? Could be the battery is dropping badly during the start and it takes a while for the charging system to bring the voltage back up. Bad connections, especially poor grounds can cause similar symptoms.

 

[Skyrys62]

Let the wife know you need a new plane.....it's the only safe choice.