Click Here to Return to

First, thanks to The Finer Points for making the podcasts available!
( I just discovered them, and I've go a lot to learn, plus this is my first post. )

I was listening to Honorable Discharge (about * 8 minutes in, with about 2 minutes left )

I thought I heard:

"The third and final check comes in the run-up area, when you bring the engine to run-up power.

It's here where you want to place the largest expected electrical load on your alternator or generator and confirm that you don't see any of the failure indications that you know are working because you confirmed them in your preflight. An ammeter would show zero - neither a charge or a discharge, and the load would show some load, not a zero indication."

Here's my question:

I am confused about the ammeter display at run-up as described:
If the engine was running, wouldn't there be some charge going into the battery, so the ammeter should indicate charging? ( or swing to the right )

Yes. If there was an electrical drain during start (which there obviously must be even if just for the starter motor itself) then the ammeter should show a positive charge until the battery has regained a fully charged state at which point the ammeter settles back to the neutral indication.

Often there by the time the aircraft reaches the runup area the battery has been recharged and the ammeter is indicating zero but for the purposes of the 'honorable discharge' discussion ... it really doesn't matter. As long as the ammeter doesn't fall below zero during a max electrical load at runup power ... you're good. If it's charging it should continue charging and if it's neutral it should remain neutral.

_________________
"To Live is To Fly" - Townes VanZandt
www.thefinerpoints.net
jason@thefinerpoints.net