Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Encountered a little problem today. Does anyone know what alternator this is? The only tag gives a name and phone number but nothing else.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Call the phone number ! A good place to start .

RB

They are closed, have to wait until tomorrow...MG Auto Electric in the Chicago area. Local auto parts store has never seen one like it. After studying on the failure for a while, I am now thinking Plane Power conversion. Been running two of their 28 volt models trouble free for a couple of years on aircraft with histories of alternator problems. Additionally, I have been wanting to rewire the T-18 charging system because it's been giving me intermittent trouble and I don't like the idea of not having a separate switch or circuit breaker for the field circuit. Now would be as good of time as any.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Plane Power on my 0-360...no problems .

RB

After 30 years of Nippon Densu sporadic service, I switched to the Plane Power. So far I like it. In all fairness, the Nippon only cost $65.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

It looks like the pulley was installed with only one of the 2 provided set screws. The other set screw has a broken off easy out on top of it. I don't know if Plane Power uses it or not but I would prefer a keyed shaft to hold the pulley. The pulley is turned in the same direction it takes to remove the nut so if anything works loose this is the automatic outcome.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

I think I had that same brand/type alternator on mine. When it pooped a few years ago, I found a sympathetic eye at Checker plane parts that did not shy away from a challenge - he had me leave it with him and an hour later he called me and told me he found one that worked. The new one is 3 years auld, and is from a 1982 Honda Prelude - 45.99 Plus tax and a lifetime warrantee and when I remember to connect the field wire to the correct terminal in the VR, it works great. As an aside, my $75 wheelchair battery recommended by Colonel Highley is now 4 years old, and got me from Visalia, CA to the house in SLC last fall on one charge (fried VR) running the radios/X-ponder full time and the GPS about 20% of the trip - 3.5 hours

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Planning to switch to Plane Power as well. Just have to finish installing the Smittybilt parts on the Jeep before working with the plane.

I have Nippon Denso 35 amp alternator with inbuilt regulator on my Thorp . The current draw was 7 amp. This type of alternator last up to 5000 hours in the field on varies machinery . Than it runs out of brushes. with a new set of brushes and bearings it can be put back into serbice again .The sleep ring is steel
don't wear just need a rub clean . On cars it runs the other way . Not that it matter for this alternator . Cooling fan is available for both rotation . I used
blast tube for cooling and 4 inch pulley . J.P.

People I have talked to that installed the Nippon Denso units via field approval on "certified" aircraft have been happy with them. Apparently mine wasn't internally regulated because I had a regulator on the firewall. The Plane Power kit I installed was the best option for me since I didn't have a lot of spare time to figure out what I had and how best to fix. I just pushd a few buttons on the computer and had everything I needed within 3 days. It took me over a week to find time to finish a half day installation but everything fit perfectly.

I was thinking jug line anchor this winter but maybe I should make the same offer on my old alternator that I made with the oil filter kit. I don't know if the threads being stripped off the shaft would disqualify it as a core though. I did throw some of the wiring away but I think the brackets, hardware, regulator and alternator are all in the Plane Power box.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

I have had this alternator on N30WW for 23 years, problems. Now That I have said that it probably broken while setting in the hanger.

35 amp Nippon Denso 76/79 Honda Civic CVCC
Autozone or Advance Auto part number 14184
Beck Arnley 186-0100
the external regulator is a 1975 Ford

If you need more amps by one for a Honda that has a requirement for power AC, radio etc.

I have a 55 amp Bosch auto alternator. Only two wires, one to battery and one for field control. Regulator is built in complete with brushes. When brushes wear or reg croaks, undo two screws and toss over your shoulder and put on new one for $70. Been running for 26 years with no failure. Pitty that "certified" units cannot match that.
Tony Schischka
T18C
ZK-VMS

Out of curiosity, how many hours of operation over all of those years? One of the 24v Plane Power alternators I have experience with has only been installed 3 or 4 years but has over 900 hours on it. The other one has been around longer but it started out on a different engine making it hard for me to estimate the hours.

I don't think brand has nearly as much to do with it as proper installation.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

Tony . The RV-6 i,m custodian now has the same Bosch alternator. the only big problem with the bosch is the slip ring it wears . It wears grooves into the metal.
Which means you have to dismantle an surface on the lathe .Than of bourse you change the bearings as well J.P.

To answer Jeffs questions I have only 750hr on it. James slip rings OK so far. At least axial slip rings wear evenly unlike the radial types.
Cheers
Tony
ZK-VMS