In a message dated 3/1/2004 10:05:00 PM Central Standard Time, RumburgWJ@nnsy.navy.mil writes:

Bill, Et Al

 

Hey, it's experimental - it can be made any way anyone wants.

 

It is not often that a long wire is left unprotected when it is too small for the current it could be carrying and a dead short to ground could occur.  This is how wire fires start.  The bulb is no protection at all since a "short" won't be letting any current past that point.  That wire has to go from the pump/relays to the panel, either bundled or not, passing along hydraulic lines, etc.subject to vibration and potential grounding - if so, it will be asked to carry 20+ amps with the diode bridge and 50+ amps with the Ford relays.  The Ford relay "I" terminal is a direct tap off the contactor plate carrying the juice to the motor.

 

I know of Ford relay failures that looked like contactor problems but were caused by overheating the relay coil thus melting some of the coil wire coating and later trapping the selenoid plunger by either keeping it closed or not allowing the contacts to close completely.   However, I happen to like those relays as evidenced by easily finding a replacement for Arnies'  in Logan Utah on a Sunday at the local AutoZone. 

 

<<<<<<.......if one doesn't want to go to the trouble of reworking the relay power source,
continue to rely on the brain when pulling the pump breaker).
>>>>>>>

 

Yep, That's why some folks have an Avionics master and some don't.  It is just that some people share the relay fuse/breaker with other circuits and then pull the motor breaker to alleviate pump "blips" on the ground or in the air, thus leaving a relay selected for long periods of time because they can't stop the power to the relays.

 

Now, for those who left the motor breaker installed in the baggage bulkhead as a memorial to John Denver, I have a bridge for sale.

 

Lancair didn't always do everything right.  However, I believe the circuits for the Legacy hydraulics are improved.

 

Scott Krueger