REFLECTOR: Major Outline

[michalk]

> Dual batts.  I weigh 150 lbs and will fly solo a lot, so the dual batts 
> are as much a CG fixer. 

Excellent decision.

> Dual alts:  Less sure on this need.  But if done, 20amps vs 8amps on the 
> pad and 60 amps or so belt-driven

Figure out your reliability requirements.  And temper those with reality 
and complexity.  I did a failure analysis of a dual battery system, 
single alternator.  This is essentially three power sources.  One could 
argue that if both batteries go, so does the alternator.

If you figure a battery will unpredictably utterly completely fail in 
100 flight hours, that's a chance of .01 in one hour.  If two batteries, 
that's a chance of both failing simultaneously of .0001 per hour, or one 
failure every 10000 flight hours.  Of course, this could happen on your 
first flight.  Damn statistics.

Compare this to vacuum pumps.  Weigh your risks on the probability 
statistics.  DO NOT ACCEPT ANECDOTAL ADVICE.  Get good hard facts and 
verifiable data.  If you are not afraid of electricity, go with electric 
gyros.

> 
> Bus structure:  Work in progress. 

Sounds like you have a good start.  With dual batts, I assume you can 
separate critical/non-critical busses, and feed critical from either 
battery.

I'm not convinced of the argument that a person needs to be able to tie 
the two batteries together for extra starting current.  If this is the 
case, I would suggest that perhaps your batteries are getting old and 
need to be replaced.  My critical bus/battery can't connect to the 
starter, and with a battery isolator, that means my avionics and 
computers remain up and running without power glitches through an engine 
start.

> And now for a bit of humor from the new guy on the block…I hope to be in 
> the air by Christmas.  Thank you all very very much for the warm welcome 

Bwahahaha!!!