Lesson 10: Aircraft

Electrical Systems

Aircraft Electrical Systems

A circuit must have at least three parts.

Aircraft Electrical Systems

A circuit must have at least three parts.
The source

Aircraft Electrical Systems

A circuit must have at least three parts.
The source
The electron transportation and distribution
system

Aircraft Electrical Systems

A circuit must have at least three parts.
The source
The electron transportation and distribution
system
The load (Where the work is done)

Series And Parallel Circuits

Series Circuit
All electrons must flow through all active
components.
The amount of voltage dropped across the
filament is always less than the total.
Voltage drop depends on the amount of
resistance of the individual load.

Series And Parallel Circuits

Parallel Circuit
A portion of the electrons flow through each
filament.
The amount of voltage drop is equal to the total
voltage produced by the source.

Voltage And Current Measuring

Instruments
Current and voltage are the most commonly
measured variables.
Voltmeters
Ammeters

Voltage And Current Measuring

Instruments
Voltmeters (Parallel)
Measures current but indicates values of
voltage.
Indicates electrical system condition.

Voltage And Current Measuring

Instruments
Ammeters
Measures current flow
Battery is charging when electrons are flowing
from the positive terminal.
This would be a positive indication.

The Aircraft Electrical

System

The Aircraft Electrical System

Source
12 volt battery with the negative terminal
connected to the airframe (negative ground).
Master solenoid
Master switch

The Aircraft Electrical System

The Starter Circuit
Starter switch circuit (control circuit)
Starter solenoid circuit (motor circuit)
The master switch/solenoid circuit must also
be connected.

The Aircraft Electrical System

The Busbar
Rigid point that is a convenient place to
terminate many wires neatly and safely.
Connected to the positive terminal of the
battery, when the master switch is on.
Same electrical potential as the battery.
Circuit breakers are often mounted.

The Aircraft Electrical System

The Alternator
The alternator switch completes a circuit to the
voltage regulator.
The voltage regulator samples the system
voltage and increases or decreases the field
voltage which limits alternator output.

The Aircraft Electrical System

Ammeters And Loadmeter In The Circuit
Installed between the master solenoid and the
busbar.
Senses the amount and direction of current
flow in the battery circuit.
Installed between A terminal of the alternator
and the busbar.
Senses current flow (in one direction), or
output, of the alternator (loadmeter).

Ignition Systems

Battery Ignition System

Magnetos
Completely independent of the electrical system of
the airplane.
Primary current is interrupted by a set of breaker
points, and high voltage for the spark plugs comes
from the voltage step-up in the magneto coil.
Rotating Magnet Magneto

Rotating Magnet Magneto

Rotating Magnet Magneto

Resultant Flux (E-gap)
Maximum current is flowing several degrees
after neutral.

Rotating Magnet Magneto

Rotating Magnet Magneto

Dual Magnetos
High-tension Magnetos
Low-tension Magnetos

High-tension Magneto

Low-tension Magneto

Rotating Magnet Magneto

Aids To Starting
Magnetos provide a good, hot spark at idle, at
cruise, and at high speed.
But not when the engine is turning slowly
during start.
Impulse Coupling

Impulse coupling
A small spring-loaded coupling between the
magneto shaft and the engine drive gear.

Impulse coupling

Vibrator starting system

Shower of Sparks
Pulsating DC from the induction vibrator is directed
into the magneto coil.