Service difficulty report · Brush Block · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
April 15, 2004
Submitted
October 5, 2004
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
14,856 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540A2C
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Brush Block
Condition
Shorted
Location
Alternator
Component
Alternator · Prestolite
Component part number
ALU8521
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
H, J
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

AFTER DEPART, LOW VOLT IND & SELECTED AUX VOLTAGE REG WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. SEVERAL SELECTIONS WERE MADE BETWEEN MAIN & AUX REG WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. A/C RETURNED TO AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. INVEST REVEALED A SHORT-CIRCUITED BRUSHBLOCK IN RT ALTERNATOR R, WHICH DESTROYED BOTH MAIN & AUX REGULATORS, WHICH PREVENTED FUNCTIONAL LT ALTERNATOR FROM FUNCTIONING. SHORTED BRUSHBLOCK IN THE RT ALTERNATOR REPLACED WITH A FUNCTIONAL BRUSHBLOCK & BOTH REG`S REPLACED WITH NEW UNITS. ENG`S WERE GROUND RUN & VOLT REGULATORS CHECKED AT 28.5 VOLTS, A/C RETURNED TO SERV.

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