stec 30 altitude hold problem

OK; with nobody in the business being bothered about helping somebody out let me have a go. If a functional one is on the airplane already, its real nice. Condition: Discontinued Warranty: Not Specified Add to List Compare Questions? I have the same autopilot and it is coupled to an STEC 30 altitude hold. Somewhere there is voltage leaking into an otherwise unused LED in heading mode causing it to offset its null. S-TEC 30 Autopilot Operation - YouTube Sent it off for overhaul. 2. Return to Piper Comanche 250 Tech Support, Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. It will be driven from a transistor or some such. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. A heading bug is normally a voltage, plus or minus x mV either side of straight ahead and this is easy to check. My STEC-30 has altitude hold but no VNAV. And my A&P did also spray Tri-Flow on the yoke shaft, which was binding a little. We are fortunate to be flying the test model of the trio. nels. Get the POH supplement and check it for an extensive pre-flight check. "Engage altitude hold mode. $4000 obo Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk wrighthenry, Jul 25, 2017 #1 Caramon13 Pattern Altitude Joined: May 18, 2015 Messages: 2,261 Location: Sarasota, FL Display name: Replace each of these LRUs in turn. Discussion in 'The Classifieds' started by wrighthenry, Jul 25, 2017. It started porpoising pretty badly while it hunted for altitude. Pasted as rich text. Thoughts? Pitch hold and altitude hold without porpoising, vertical speed, altitude pre-select, GS intercept and tracking to 200 AGL, go-around mode, and transition from climb/descent to altitude hold without offset (ends up staying at the altitude you were at when altitude hold was engaged instead of climbing or descending 50 feet or more). Works perfectly. Display as a link instead, Posted July 10, 2020 Went out for a scenic cruise with my brother last weekend and my always-trusty S-TEC 55x A/P altitude hold was on the fritz as soon as I activated it. I would replace that before I messed with replacing servos. Yet another reason Im installing a TruTrak when able. I will guide you to lear the functions and operations of the available. Aviation's Panel Mount Avionics Installation Leader. Comanche 250s represent a good deal, too. Thanks for all the really interesting and useful input from everyone. Post any technical issues here. Just fly the vertical axis by hand, it's keeping you centered laterally. Mike, the problem came back a few weeks ago so I spoke with Brian Kendrick about all the possibilities. After 7 seconds, TRIM UP lamp flashes and audible alert becomes periodic. The same thing happened to mine several years ago. Mooneyspace.com The wing leveller mode works perfectly; full deflection of the turn knob produces solid rate 1 turns in both directions. The heading error signal is a voltage that is proportional to the difference in degrees between the current heading and the heading bug. Its some sort of exercise routine. Pitch trim annunciator. The ST-901 is wired as an output to the autopilot heading error signal input. I had the same problem and doing this routine from the Stec manual beforeflight fixed it. Pasted as rich text. When I had the same problem (and same A/P)in my J-model we discovered the static lines were cracking with age and the leaks were causing this behavior, but it was much more gentle than what I experienced last weekend. Aug 18, 2017 Messages: 2,018 Display name: Hang 4 Mine works well IFR. I just had it painted and understand very well the balancing act of deciding what "needs" an upgrade. The STEC 30 sees the same analogue steer left / right commands from the GPSS converter that it would see from the heading bug, yet the heading mode causes the problems and GPSS mode does not. And then about 7 hours labor for removal, install, and bench check. It went up and down about 30' from its assigned altitude. Definitely follow through with Chris' @Marauderadvice on the Static line checks and the Alt hold sensor. Altitude hold got intermittent and would often oscillate. I would also clean the trim servo armature. You cannot paste images directly. They tightened it up and all was good. Glad my STEC-30 is NOT porposingyet, anyway. Your previous content has been restored. Make sure it springs out after you push it in. Mooneyspace.com The glow is still there, but not as bright. Ha - that static moisture and/or switch problem sounds like the kind of intermittent problem that might cause my issue. It does seem that the Autopilot is not at fault, as it only has one input for the left/right error signal, which clearly is working as advertised when the converter is in GPSS mode. Guessing it will cost just about the same for installation, I think you'd be better off to contact them to make sure my estimates are still goodand whether the deal for the 55X still stands. That and their refusal to certify the Mooney for the 3100 and I'm for one, not interested in doing business with them. The altitude hold oscillates wildly by 150 feet or more. It took about 3.5 volts to start, which is out of spec. 7 is ground. Good idea. Hey, probably me being inept.I was at 3000ft trimmed turned on the AP, the status light showed ready (and can confirm as I was able to hold heading). Is it a fault in the HSI, in the STEC, or (less likely) in the converter? Here is a link for the manual that I had to go over to properly use the auto pilot. I painted the contacts with Stabilant 22. TruTrak estimates an average install time of just 18 hours, so install costs should be reasonable, too. There is that one Bi*ch bolt on the roll servo in the pilot's wing. A nice one to have, but should work without. After 7 seconds, TRIM UP lamp flashes and audible alert becomes periodic. 284 21K views 5 years ago I bring you this instructional video on the S-TEC 30 Autopilot System installed on a Cirrus SR20. Genesys Aerosystems SYSTEM 30 ALT - Sarasota Avionics Adding an autopilot | Land and Hold Short It was in a Maule, but Im sure it wont mind slumming in a Cirrus for a short while. It started porpoising pretty badly while it hunted for altitude. System 30. Jeff, run the servo motor in each direction for about a minute to clean the armature. Avidyne is in the process of certifying their DFC90 autopilot (a very capable very modern microprocessor controlled system) on several aircraft with the ability to interface with existing Century III servos (and some others). (You must log in or sign up to reply here. But the servo required too much voltage to start. FEATURES. OK so removed the plugs visually inspected, sprayed them with contact cleaner and replaced. There is a HDG/GPSS Switch / Converter which disconnects the analogue heading mode, and converts the GNS 430 GPS signal to analogue to drive the autopilot in GPS mode. Two-axis autopilot combining Altitude Hold with the roll axis function of the System 20. 2. While shopping, I stumbled on usedS-Tec 30 and S-Tec 55X and started inquiring about the conversion to fit my airplane. Move A/C Control Wheel as far forward as possible. Paste as plain text instead, You will need a sub min. It can separate the wannabes from the real mechanics for sure. If this soundslike your problem I will give my mechanic a call and let you know what he sprayed on the shaft. There is an STEC 30 with altitude hold. Worth the cost vs the Brittain? ADDRESS : 120 Airport Avenue West Venice, FL 34285, Remote-mounted pitch computer and absolute pressure transducer, Control wheel mounted engage / disengage switch. Their time investment is on them while I fully expect an on-quote check to be written. Great autopilot system now that it is in and working, though. Genesys Aerosystems SYSTEM 30 Two-axis Autopilot - Sarasota Avionics With a rather curious intermittent fault. Display as a link instead, PDF S-Tec 55X Autopilot hold only from 182Q 28v system ready to install, ad your existing 300, etc works great Contact Joe Armbruster AIRCRAFT BY ARMBRUSTER LLC , - located Amherst, OH 44001 United States Telephone: 440-320-6726 Posted June 19, 2023 Show all Ads posted by this Advertis. Curious behaviour of the Heading Bug - STEC 30 - EuroGA I had tunnel vision, vertigo and auditory exclusion the more he talked. The views and opinions of originators and contributors expressed on this site are their own. Heres the curious behaviour and I wonder where (i.e. on this, I considered all this advice, took out the manual and (finallyI know, should have done it long ago) went through the full pre-flight routine on the ground. The III senses tension in the elevator wires (I believe) and the IIIc senses voltage to the elevator servo. Posted June 20, 2016. nels. Genesys just doesn't like their products on the used market and makes it difficult. He suggested much the same procedure, although just doing this by running the VS at +10 and -10 for the full travel in each direction. So if GPSS works, that eliminates the autopilot as being the issue. Features. It requires a separate system to include altitude hold like the STEC 60PSS or similar. But it seems the lack of work for the brushes are what cause the issues. Turning it off and then on seems to correct, but the benefit is often short lived. . ALT lamp is illuminated on. But the intermittent nature of the problem made me think it was just a loose contact somewhere. If anyone is still following, my question is, where is this leak likely to be happening? The LED is probably a redherring. Even without installation, $4K for the system would be a bargain. D connector that has 4 pins connected. STEC 30 Altitude hold issue Discussion in ' Avionics and Upgrades ' started by Pa28-140, May 22, 2018 . I don't know the breakdown on a fresh install for a Mooney, but three GFC500 servos installed is 40 hours of labor on a Piper. A simple, but in depth tutorial covering most aspects of the autopilot found in A2A's Piper Cherokee. Upgrade Autopilot Piper Forum I think they're talking about $12-15k installed. S-Tec 55X Porpoise in ALT hold mode - Comanche Instruments and Avionics Maybe there is no difference, I really need this explained. (2) Flight 2: The very next day, I cruise at 8000 in mostly smooth air, OAT ~-13. If however the GPSS mode switch is in GPSS mode it extinguishes, so the leakage is happening only when the converter is in HDG mode, so something is happening between the HSI and the STEC, when the Converter is switched out of the circuit. To recap the problem - my pitch servo would either work perfectly or oscillate wildly - no rhyme or reason as to when and where. That's $4k alone in labor plus the rest of the panel work on top of that. In a System 30 without the GPSS, the resistor selection for heading source is done in the turn coordinator. I made a "connector" pigtail I could plug into the servo and could put 12V and run the motor in each direction for a minute or 2. Clear editor. By Genesys Aerosystems SYSTEM 50 Two Axis Autopilot It happens to me prettyconsistently when flying right at nightfall, making me think it's some kind of condensation issue somewhere in the system as the air cools, or maybe when the air becomes smoother? STEC-30 Altitude Hold - General Mooney Talk - Mooneyspace.com I have a difficult time believing it takes 13 hours to install one servo. Hey there Russell. The STEC/Cobham System 30 ALT is the simple Altitude -Hold add on for your Piper Autocontrol IIB. Mine has been real nice so far. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro, Dev - its the blue gizmo in the photo. Pasted as rich text. As a last ditch effort I sprayed the pitch servo with electrical contact cleaner (sprayed the end with the brushes). Included. "Engage altitude hold mode. Stec 30A altitude hold for sale $2800 - Pilots of America then the System 30 ALT may be the economical solution to your problem. Quote; Link to comment Share on other sites. Your only hope then is to find a bad connection by accident; failing that, attach some wires to some signals, bringing them back to the cockpit where they can be probed, and go for a flight with somebody checking the voltages. Tug002 Senior Master Sergeant Posts: 2249 Joined: 25 Oct 2013 Location: Ontario, Canada. There are other autopilots that are much better in terms of advertised capability. You can post now and register later. Discussion in 'Hangar Talk' started by AggieMike88, Oct 29, 2012. Check to make sure there is no leaks there and more importantly no signs of water in the line leading to it. Paste as plain text instead, https://genesys-aerosystems.com/blog/the-ups-and-downs-of-autopiltot-troubleshooting. Simple stuff I looked at that failed to identify or fix the issue: - looking for moisture in the static lines, - checking cable tensions on the pitch servo, - checking electrical contacts to the pitch servo, So I figured that I was looking at an issue with the pressure switch, the control module, or the servo itself that was going to cost me serious $$$ to get sorted. If I was buying an airplane with an stec30A Id be fine with that. . Advises if up and down elevator trim required when altitude hold engaged. Clear editor. yes, the cost is significantly more on paper, but install is about the same and youll have to pay stec to get the stc for your airplane. Before now, I was mostly hand flying approaches and apparently never completed an approach on autopilot down to the minimums. The System Fifty is a two-axis autopilot which includes heading pre-select, turn command (which will give up to 90% standard rate turn), VOR / LOC tracking, back course tracking, a gain enhancement feature for tracking GPS Navigation analog left / right deviation signals, altitude hold, and pitch trim indicator lights. This thread is locked. Jacko, if your ST-901 was connected to NSD-1000 or equivalent, and an STEC-30 then it will have the correct resistors and jumpers set, and so if it turns out that it is not a connector issue then in that case I will take you up on your offer, with the option of purchasing it if the fix works. The stec is likely to cost more in the long run. The Stec 30 is driven by an NSD 360 HSI in heading mode and VOR/LOC Tracking Modes. I am now experiencing an issue where after leveling off at altitude and engaging the autopilot in NAV and ALT mode, the autopilot holds the proper heading but the altitude sometimes will climb or descend from the set point by +/- 100-200 feet per minute. SYSTEM 30 ALT Brochure / Manual. Lately it's also started oscillating altitude in smooth air only by about 50 feet - very annoying and possibly a separate problem - resetting or adjusting trim has no benefit for this issue. A2A Piper Cherokee 180 S-TEC 30 Autopilot Tutorial - YouTube When the HDG/GPSS mode is switched to HDG (bypassing the converter) the null on the HDG bug intermittently has a fault, where the aircraft will hold level with about an 80 degree left offset of the bug. There should be a null when the heading is the same as the heading bug. I've got a request in with our field maintenance shop to take a look, but I always like to give them specific ideas so they don't spend all my money doing their OWN hunting! Resetting it does nothing. After 3 seconds, TRIM UP lamp becomes illuminated on AP and audible alert sounds a steady tone. But when everything is accounted for, it is a $20k proposition installed, be it a basic Garmin installation or theused or refurbished S-Tecs. What was happening was, the baro pressure would go up or down as the plane drifted up or down from the assigned altitude. Do the same for aft control wheel. I cant remember the pinouts right off. Pitch trim: By It could also be the instrument so maybe swap that out for another. Your link has been automatically embedded. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. It is for a beech but the electrical installation should be the same. It will have a static line going to it. D connector, I believe pins 2,3,4,and 7 are used, but you can look at your existing wiring to find out. S-TEC 55x Altitude Hunting - Avionics/Panel Discussion - Mooneyspace Your link has been automatically embedded. Responsiveness is the primary advantage of a position-based system. This effect has been documented around here unfortunately I dont remember what AP it was Not that it would matter much the rubber hose should be pretty easy to find. This is all good feedback, and it gives me some things to discuss with maintenance. Email a friend SYSTEM 30 Brochure / Manual Info Features Included The System Thirty is a two-axis roll stabilization and altitude hold autopilot that requires zero additional panel space. Paul (user handles is something like kortespate)I think once described it. So I don't really know the cause, but it's working now and I have steps to diagnose if it comes back. In the case of your S-Tec30, thatwill easily get you above the $10K mark, and it is not yet installed! S-Tec 30 in the IFR world | Pilots of America But unfortunately I don't think it makes sense to install it after the fact. Might want to try the alternate air source while its misbehaving to see if that helps or changes the behavior. The pitch servo probably needs to be repaired or overhauled. At that time, I noticed when turning on the autopilot for a practice approach that started with a turn to the right to intercept the final approach course, that it did not engage properly or that it commenced a turn to the right more than necessary. ). Or some connecting pins bridging somewhere due to corrosion. ON/OFF Stabilizer Mode Switch - Momentary actuation engages roll system in stabilizer . Will have better pictures shortly. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. I wondered if Boeing had secretly upgraded thefirmware without telling me. Downfall is that it has to get back to STEC to get recertified for install to your aircraft legally under the STC. See last pages of the STEC-30 installation manual It's a real shame that STEC is so greedywith transferring the STC! once&futr_alaskaflyer wrote: STec is rate based and is independent of your vacuum system. I'd give a hard look at Mooneys. Mine was behaving exactly the same way, I had an S-Tec shop (TucsonAeroservice Center) diagnose it. A new or yellow taggedservo also has to be "approved" for your STC by Genesis (read: pay a vig) if I am not mistaken, at least that was the case when I *thought* I had a bad servo until I learned of the clean the armature trick. When I had this issue the cable was loose and slipping on the servo. It does tend to point to a duff instrument, but if you have a broken wire that could be picking up RF etc and if you drive an LED with AC it can glow with a varying brightness. (Obviously, be sure the autopilot is off and the airplane is trimmed up before takeoff.). smv Pattern Altitude Joined: Dec 30, 2019 Messages: (1) Flight 1: Cruise at 9000, OAT ~-10, sometimes smooth, some patches of significant turbulence encountered over 2 hours, and altitude hold works perfectly. Congratulations. This means you can't add a response. S-TEC Autopilots - Backcountry Pilot Century has most of the docs on their website for their products. And you've guessed by now, but the A/P performed flawlessly yesterday. Powered by Invision Community. Supporter; 848 Hope this helps you out. My avionics tech had a neat trick. Check to make sure there is no leaks there and more importantly no signs of water in the line leading to it. TruTrak, Pro Pilot, and I think Dynon is working on an STC as well. STEC-30 AP Altitude hold - The A2A Simulations Community So the issue is either in the NSD-360, or the wiring to the ST-901, or in the ST-901. This is a fix that was given to me by an STEC tech back in '05. Maybe more. S-Tec 30, worth the effort? - Mooneyspace.com Only those on Dave Ramsey's approved list. Century III Autopilots | Pilots of America Be interesting to see if the price of "transfer of STC" comes down from S-Tec as these new A/P's hit the market if they don't lower it, they're dead. It basically means you have to go over all connectors and wiring first and look for anything loose. In addition to applying elevator up/down forces continuously it must also sense average force to signalthe pilot to roll in manual elevator trim (as in the STEC 30) or to controlelectric pitch trim in other autopilot systems. I'm VERY glad my plane had an AP installed when I bought it. Its been working just fine since then. You have a sub min. VS is controlled by the pitch servo and doing that would give the brushes some movement. Altitude hold also works well. It was found to be the pitch servo. However, if youre starting with no autopilot, Id bite the bullet with the gfc500 and get newer, better technology and many more functions.

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