Aviation Power On Tester - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: pwd82
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 10, 2021, 10:00:14 pm
content: hello all,I was tasked at work with aiding in the design of a piece of test equipment. I need to display the status of about 30 different power sources simultaneously and the sensor need to be wireless. I need small sensors located at each power input that when powered by the power source will transmit power on/off status to a lamp at the base unit. The power inputs are all 28V on an airplane. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2021, 11:24:24 pm
content: The first step would be to decide on a communications method. Bluetooth, for instance. Then shop for sensors. Reinventing the wheel makes no sense here, as this stuff is already available.

author: msat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 12:12:21 am
content: This sounds like a job for a low speed, fairly noise-immune (but not truly necessary) wireless protocol. Should be several suitable options. Of course Wifi is an option, especially if you have an access point.Does power consumption matter? The way you make it sound is that you're trying to verify which power carts are active, rather than testing various 28V points inside one plane.

author: S. Petrukhin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 11:43:52 am
content: I hope this is a test bed for power supplies and you're not going to broadcast a bunch of garbage on an airplane?

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 02:14:54 pm
content: As a licensed pilot (way beyond my credential listed in my Bio) it scares me to think your company has tasked you to create this system and you are here on a beginner's website asking for advice!?!?!? Sounds like you work for brand G Aviation, the poorest excuse for aviation engineering I have ever had to deal with. I personally know of one of the worst power supply designers I've ever met who just went to work designing aircraft power supplies!!! Maybe I'll be the pilot on a dead aircraft plummeting to the ground at warp speed and I'll open the cockpit door just before impact and say "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your pilot, I know the guy who built the failed power supplies leading to our deaths, have a nice flight". I won't be able to use the P.A. because it won't have power!!!

author: S. Petrukhin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 02:46:24 pm
content: CaptDon, don't be dramatic.It is quite possible that this is just a task for the student.As a pilot to a pilot photo: I'm in the the latest Su-30SMT literally just arrived from the factory.But I'm not a real pilot, just allowed to sit in the cockpit.Guys, sorry for the offtopic, I won't do it again.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 03:28:54 pm
content: Cheers mate!!! I love the smell of Jet exhaust, even if it is just from the APU or Start Cart!! I was on a small RJ aircraft and the pilot kept getting an APU overheat shutdown during a hot summer afternoon. He never shut down the HVAC system and for some reason it didn't automatically shut down during engine start. At the end of the flight I asked the Captain/Pilot in Command "Why didn't you turn off the air conditioning system during engine start"? He said "This model can start with the air conditioning turned on", I said "apparently not since you had to bring out the start cart". I used to watch the pilots on the C-130's get Hot Start red indications on all 4 of the Allisons. I said "Are you kidding me you got a hot start indication on every engine" He said "They are Allisons, they can take it"!!! Wow!!! If you get a hot start on a Bell Jet Ranger and don't clear it quickly you just bought a new hot section to the tune of about $75,000!!!

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 03:37:01 pm
content: QuoteDid they build the starfighter?

author: msat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2021, 01:42:43 am
content: @S. PetrukhinNice! I can't help but to love how formidable, menacing and tough many Russian/Soviet aircraft look. The Su-30 with canards is a particularly damn good looking plane. If there's any good that came from the Cold War, it's some amazing military aircraft.@CaptDonI suspect, or at least hope this is merely for seeing the status of ground power carts, or at most a troubleshooting tool (even then, that's potentially a *little* sketchy). Legally, nothing like that can be installed without an STC and everything that goes along with obtaining necessary approval, so I don't think you need to worry much.