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Pre First Flight Electrical System Testing

Zero4Zulu

Well Known Member
Is there a common practice for testing/verifying the entire electrical system before first flight? Maybe simply turning everything on for a period of time, loading up the system and leaving on for awhile? Or repetitive on/off of systems.

My electrical system is fairly straight forward (Z11) with fuse blocks and some breakers. Dynon HDX.
 
I would

Power up one system at a time. When each individual system checks out, test all together. If there is a problem you will likely get a smoke signal.

As Stein said, you can always put the smoke back in, it just costs more...
 
Any individual device is pretty simple...power in, ground out, maybe an external sensor via twisted pair or something. If you've been careful, those should all check out okay.

There are some boxes that need more complicated post-installation checks, and these are usually in the installation manual (I have a GNS-430W, which has a whole checklist for post-install check-out). Go through each of those, if you have any.

Trickiest part, from what I've seen with most builders I know, is interconnections between devices. A Garmin talking via an ARINC box to a Skyview, e.g., or a certified WAAS navigator feeding data to a different brand's ADS-B compliant XPDR. Make sure everything is talking to whatever it's supposed to using the right protocols, data speeds, etc., and that any data is indeed being sent and received properly. Exercise those functions that rely on that communications and make sure they're working properly.

First flight you're really only going to care about watching the engine gauges for any issues, and keeping a dirt simple flight profile, but you don't want a bunch of s**t alarming for no good reason on that flight, to distract you while you figure out if it's real, if it's important, and how to shut it up. Get it all working properly on the ground beforehand. (ETA: Oh, and that means, also, checking out all of the configuration stuff for the Skyview, most importantly including alarm setpoints. Double-check them all.).
 
Recommend you do a battery reserve capacity measurement.

With your battery(s) charged, power up the panel just as if you are flying IFR. Leave off:
- Landing lights
- Strobes
- Pitot heat
- Boost pump (unless you do not have an engine driven fuel pump)
- Misc stuff like heated seats

Monitor buss voltage. Measure the time it takes to get to 11.5vdc or so. This will establish how long you have to land if running only on battery power - a needed entry in your POH.

Charge the battery(s) immediately following this test.

Note - this reserve capacity is only as good as your maintenance of your battery(s). If you abuse a battery (run it flat) assume it is degraded and replace it.

Carl
 
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