So UL Power has been informed that I want to run 45 amps on my 50 amp alternator which is 90% continuous load. They CONFIRM that it is ok and there is no problem doing it. I have the email. I then decide to fly my wife to Austin for dinner and 15 minutes after I've got 45 amps humming along, the Alternator shuts down and I'm showing 0 amps. Now my battery is running my engine and I'm running out of time. By this time I'm west of Austin and 7 min. from arrival so I decide to keep going and make the airport. Right before I land, the system starts charging again. What? I land and it goes back off. We grab the courtesy car and head out to dinner and come back hoping the system will charge. We jump in the plane and everything is running again but on a slightly discharged battery showing 11.8 volts. I decide to do an airport "Hopscotch" flight plan to ensure I've got time to make an emergency landing on something other than a freeway. By the time I land back in San Antonio my radio is warning me of low voltage and I'm not happy. What is going on? Today I had my battery tested and it's great. UL Power is "shocked" and doesn't know what to say. Tomorrow I plan on thoroughly cleaning the alternator stator and directing cold air to the regulator before another test flight. I want to see if either is overheating. If it continues then I'll run test wires to the alternator and measure the voltage to see if it's the alternator or regulator. My gut tells me that I fried the windings in the alternator and UL power will do nothing to help. This means $300 to install a new one and pulling the engine to do it. At this point, I with I would have bought a glider.... oh wait, I now have one!
