REFLECTOR:Rotarys, Lycosaurs, etc.

Brian Michalk reflector@tvbf.org
Sat, 22 Nov 2003 14:07:50 -0600


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For My Frankosaur, I opted for the Autronic for my primary fuel
injection/ignition system.  While not cheap, I think the total came to about
$1500, it's got a lot of features.  It is sequential injection, meaning that
I can time the injectors for each cylinder.  I can change the mixture on a
per cylinder basis, as well as ignition timing.  Many, many features, most
that I won't ever use.

For my backup, I machined a barrel valve, and a really good looking manifold
that drives a set of six fuel nozzles.  I'm rolling my own fuel injection
system that takes only manifold pressure and RPM as inputs.  My backup is
powered by a 20Mhz Cygnal chip, and the whole board in quiescent mode
consumes less than a milliamp.  The backup system is always running, even
when the airplane is tucked away in the hangar.  There is no "off" switch.
Whenever it sees an RPM signal, but no power to the EFI system, he rotates
the barrel valve, turning on the fuel flow to the engine.  The backup system
with a small "gel cell" lead acid battery about the size of my fist will run
well over 2.5 years without a recharge.

The backup system is charged by the main system, and I can talk to it via
I2C, all optically isolated to over 4000 volts protection.  If I were really
running on backup, and I really wanted to tweak my mixture, I could tell it
to do so via the I2C bus.  Other than that, the default fuel table is a
nasty fat fuel guzzling table that won't foul the plugs, and isn't going to
burn anything up either.

Oh, my backup ignition system is a magneto.

 Brian Michalk  <http://www.michalk.com>
Life is what you make of it ... never wish you had done something.
Aviator, experimental aircraft builder, motorcyclist, SCUBA diver
musician, home-brewer, entrepreneur and barely single


  -----Original Message-----
  From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On Behalf
Of Jim Sower
  Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 10:17 PM
  To: reflector@tvbf.org
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Rotarys, Lycosaurs, etc.


  <... no backup for the engine processor ...  this wasn't acceptable ...>
  I agree, that's not acceptable.  But it's not inevitable.  My rotary is
going to have a fully duplexed/redundant electronic fuel control and
ignition system.  I can switch back and forth between side 1 and side 2 in
flight or alternate on even and odd numbered days.  The system captures the
data it uses to control injector pulse width and displays it as MAP, Fuel
Flow, Intake Temp, RPM, etc.  It is programmable so it can be installed on a
wide variety of different engines.  It cost's about $800 complete.  That's
EIGHT HUNDRED.  For the whole shebang, panel display and all.
  Why spend big bucks when I can go first class for less .... Jim S.

  NMFlyer1@aol.com wrote:

    Whilst I was researching higher power engines for my 173E (so I can get
off the ground at my high DA), I looked at NSI work. They do some awfully
nice work. One thing I wasn't comfortable with was there was no backup for
the engine processor.
    Since I have had 3 processors in different autos fail, without warning,
this wasn't aacceptible. The NSI price for the 220 hp. setup at that time
was about 7K more than I spent building up my aluminum block V-6, (that has
over 100 HP More).
    Still.... they do some really nice work!.

    Kurt Winker
    173 FGE 4.3L Chev (340HP).

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>For My=20
Frankosaur, I opted for the Autronic for my primary fuel =
injection/ignition=20
system.&nbsp; While not cheap, I think the total came to about $1500, =
it's got a=20
lot of features.&nbsp; It is sequential injection, meaning that I can =
time the=20
injectors for each cylinder.&nbsp; I can change the mixture on a per =
cylinder=20
basis, as well as ignition timing.&nbsp; Many, many features, most that =
I won't=20
ever use.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>For my=20
backup, I machined a barrel valve, and a really good looking manifold =
that=20
drives a set of six fuel nozzles.&nbsp; I'm rolling my own fuel =
injection system=20
that takes only manifold pressure and RPM as inputs.&nbsp; My backup is =
powered=20
by a 20Mhz Cygnal chip, and the whole board in quiescent mode consumes =
less than=20
a milliamp.&nbsp; The backup system is always running, even when the =
airplane is=20
tucked away in the hangar.&nbsp; There is no "off" switch.&nbsp; =
Whenever it=20
sees an RPM signal, but no power to the EFI system, he rotates the =
barrel valve,=20
turning on the fuel flow to the engine.&nbsp; The backup system with a =
small=20
"gel cell" lead acid battery about the size of my fist will run well =
over 2.5=20
years without a recharge.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>The=20
backup system is charged by the main system, and I can talk to it via =
I2C, all=20
optically isolated to over 4000 volts protection.&nbsp; If I were really =
running=20
on backup, and I really wanted to tweak my mixture, I could tell it to =
do so via=20
the I2C bus.&nbsp; Other than that, the default fuel table is a nasty =
fat fuel=20
guzzling table that won't foul the plugs, and isn't going to burn =
anything up=20
either.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D968355419-22112003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Oh, my=20
backup ignition system is a magneto.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<P><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;Brian Michalk&nbsp; &lt;<A =
href=3D"http://www.michalk.com/"=20
target=3D_blank>http://www.michalk.com</A>&gt;<BR>Life is what you make =
of it ...=20
never wish you had done something.<BR>Aviator, experimental aircraft =
builder,=20
motorcyclist, SCUBA diver<BR>musician, home-brewer, entrepreneur and =
barely=20
single<BR>&nbsp;</FONT> </P>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
reflector-admin@tvbf.org=20
  [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Jim =
Sower<BR><B>Sent:</B>=20
  Friday, November 21, 2003 10:17 PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
  reflector@tvbf.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: REFLECTOR:Rotarys, =
Lycosaurs,=20
  etc.<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>&lt;... <FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
size=3D-1><B>no</B>=20
  backup for the engine processor ...&nbsp; this wasn't acceptable=20
  ...&gt;</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>I agree, =
that's not=20
  acceptable.&nbsp; But it's not inevitable.&nbsp; My rotary is going to =
have a=20
  fully duplexed/redundant electronic fuel control and ignition =
system.&nbsp; I=20
  can switch back and forth between side 1 and side 2 in flight or =
alternate on=20
  even and odd numbered days.&nbsp; The system captures the data it uses =
to=20
  control injector pulse width and displays it as MAP, Fuel Flow, Intake =
Temp,=20
  RPM, etc.&nbsp; It is programmable so it can be installed on a wide =
variety of=20
  different engines.&nbsp; It cost's about $800 complete.&nbsp; That's =
EIGHT=20
  HUNDRED.&nbsp; For the whole shebang, panel display and =
all.</FONT></FONT>=20
  <BR><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>Why spend big bucks when I can =
go first=20
  class for less .... Jim S.</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial><FONT=20
  size=3D-1></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;=20
  <P>NMFlyer1@aol.com wrote:=20
  <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3D"CITE"><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>Whilst I =
was=20
    researching higher power engines for my 173E (so I can get off the =
ground at=20
    my high DA), I looked at NSI work. They do some awfully nice work. =
One thing=20
    I wasn't comfortable with was there was <B>no</B> backup for the =
engine=20
    processor.</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
size=3D-1>Since I have had=20
    3 processors in different autos fail, without warning, this wasn't=20
    aacceptible. The NSI price for the 220 hp. setup at that time was =
about 7K=20
    more than I spent building up my aluminum block V-6, (that has over =
100 HP=20
    More).</FONT></FONT>=20
    <P><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>Still.... they do some really =
nice=20
    work!.</FONT></FONT>=20
    <P><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>Kurt Winker</FONT></FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
    face=3DArial><FONT size=3D-1>173 FGE 4.3L Chev=20
  (340HP).</FONT></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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