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Electronic ignition - huge benefits claimed

My experience is that most alternator or generator problems are due to old wiring and nine times out of ten replacing the electrical cables forward of the firewall will solve the problems.

I have also had good experiences with Zeftronics regulators , the most dramatic improvement was with a Piper super Cub generator that has worked faultlessly.

SDS electronic ignition

Something that looks like a well thought out product from Canadian company http://sdsefi.com/aircraft.html

Installation discussion and real life fuel economy figures on http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=132220

Has anyone here experience of the SDS electronic ignition and/or fuel injection kits?

On a non-certified airplane with a fixed-pitch “climb” or “STOL” prop, we’re cruising at high RPM and low MAP even at modest altitude. So variable ignition advance should usefully extend range, even if it takes a while to pay for itself directly by reducing fuel consumption.

Glenswinton, SW Scotland, United Kingdom

Slick Magneto Price, delivery times and Surefly as an alternative?

I’ve just been quoted 1883 pounds plus VAT for a replacement Slick 4301 magneto and that comes with a two week delivery time. The current mag could be overhauled for a couple of hundred quid less but there is a unknown delivery time on the parts and my maintenance organisation has suggested to fit new.

A surefly solid state magento which is good for 2400 hours can be had in the states for $1595.00 plus delivery and import charges.However I don’t think Surefly have any sort of EASA approval.

Lycoming do a re-badged surefly called “EIS” which ships with a new and rebuilt Lycoming engines and can therefore be fitted to an G reg aircaft and is cheaper at £1632.49 plus VAT.

Unfortunately I have a continental engine and my maintenance organisation won’t fit it.

Does anyone have any experience with fitting a Surefly/EIS magneto to a G or EASA registered aircraft?

Last Edited by Bathman at 02 Mar 12:27

Have a similar problem again with a Slick mag. Does anyone have any Surefly Magneto experience?

Did you check other manufacturers?

http://www.electroair.net/pdfs/EASA_AML.pdf

Looks like someone did the FAA to EASA single serial number STC validation using a surefly ignition system.

always learning
LO__, Austria

Fitted a Surefly to my Grumman Tiger (0-360) last October and now have a few hrs on it, have to say I’m impressed!
Cost similar to new mag, but no 500 hr insp. Replaced LH (impulse) mag with vac advance set, have fine wire plugs(which also helped)
Starting is easy…but always was. Fuel burn in the cruise reduced from 32l to 30l or less.
Whereas peak egt(in cruise 65%) was 1490 (single probe) and running rough so ran ROP, peak egt is 1420 and can continue to lean to falling egt (1410)with no roughness, 27l.
Climb seems to be improved above 6000’ but not quantified yet. No significant change in CHT noted:-))

EGNS, Other

That is interesting, thanks for posting. Will have to find out if they are STCˆd for my airplane too.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

Starting is easy…but always was. Fuel burn in the cruise reduced from 32l to 30l or less. Whereas peak egt (in cruise 65%) was 1490 (single probe) and running rough so ran ROP, peak egt is 1420 and can continue to lean to falling egt (1410) with no roughness, 27l.

At what altitude is this occurring? The benefit of ‘vacuum advance’ on efficiency at 65% power will increase with altitude, as manifold pressure drops.

At low altitude the benefit of vacuum advance is more with a fixed pitch prop than with a CS prop as you’re often running at higher rpm and lower MP for a given percentage power. This helps offset the efficiency disadvantage of a FP prop.

Basically vacuum advance helps efficiency in operating regimes where you operate with partially closed throttle and/or low manifold pressure, when rpm is high. It’d be interesting to know how much advance (i.e. how much more than standard) the ignition runs at say 65% at 5000 ft, installed on a Tiger or similar simple plane.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 17 Feb 01:18

Last Edited by PeteD at 17 Feb 08:17
EGNS, Other

“The benefit of ‘vacuum advance’ on efficiency at 65% power will increase with altitude, as manifold pressure drops.”
If the manifold pressure drops at 65% power then it won’t be 65%?

EGNS, Other
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