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...Only solution was to completely
> power down the aircraft and use the handheld radio.  Thank God for vacuum
> gyro's.  When I got on the ground the alternator had fried itself to the
> point of burning all the paint and protective coatings off.  Had another
> alternator flown in the next day and life again was good.
>
> Mike DeHate
>
Mike,

Apparently, you have a conventional electric system and split
electric/vacuum gyros. That was simply a cheap and easy way for small
aircraft to acheive gyro power redundancy, dating to the 1930's. Electrical
technology has come a LONG way since then.  The "big guys" (commercials)
have used all-electric, with multiple electric power backups all along.
I have dual electronic ignition and all electric gyros and a sound
electrical installation. However, as a backup to any electrical system
failure, I've installed a Sears Die-Hard motorcycle battery on the right
side of the nose gear tunnel, forward of the rudder pedals. It's
electrically isolated from any other devices and it's charge is maintained
by a diode connecting it directly to the charging bus.
In the event of any electrical power failure, a simple DPDT "Backup
Power" switch on my panel connects it directly to the ignition and gyros.
It's easily checked prior to each flight by simply flipping the "backup
power" switch and verifying that the engine and gyros continue to run.
Bill Rumburg
N403WR  (Sonic bOOm)

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