Electrical System
The electrical system is responsible for supplying energy to the airplane, that energy is used in several systems, like the ignition system, airplane lights, as well as instruments in the case of the turn coordinator and the avionics of the airplane as well. This system is important because it also affects the avionics of the systems which in most cases is the result of the communication panel, transponder, GPS and additional navigation equipment essential for the pilots
The electrical system in most airplanes is the result of a battery, a generator/alternator, electrical wire, switches, circuit breakers/Fuses, and electrical buses. The result of all those components makes the system reliable but, the possibility of having electrical issues in the future could still be present.
There are a few possible causes that could take you to have an electrical failure or even an electrical fire.
Battery Problems: In winter due to temperatures below freezing points, batteries normally lose
between 30% to even 50% of the energy, for that reason in winter, the main priority is to start up the engine first before powering up anything else in the airplane that way you save enough energy to start up the engine. Another factor that might create a problem in the battery low charging current as well as high charging current. With a log charging current, the electrical system will be only receiving energy from the battery, this could discharge the battery completely and take you to an electrical failure. To mitigate this problem, try to check always the ammeter and if you have low charging current, turn off all nonessential systems to safe power and try to land as soon as possible. With high charging current, the battery would be receiving more power than need it this condition can lead to an overheated battery with a high possibility of explosion. To mitigate this situation check the ammeter indicator and if the high charging current is detected, turn off the alternator for a moment to cool off the battery and restart the alternator, if the problem persisted, turn it off and try to land as soon as possible.
Alternator/Generator Failure: This is one of the common situations that could take you to have an electrical failure. But to get there the pilot would have ignored all the warning as well as the low charging or no charging indication from the ammeter indicator. Mitigate the risk of electrical failure, check the ammeter indication as well as the annunciator panel, remember to test the light of the annunciator panel to see that all the lights are working. In case of an alternator/generator failure, turn off all the nonessential equipment to save battery power and try to land as soon as possible.
Fuses: Some airplanes used fuses as well as circuit breakers, in those cases, when replacing a fuse, never replaced them with a higher rating fuse than the actual, this could lead to an electrical fire this is because this high rating fuse will burn out the wire before the circuit breaker or the fuse can do its job.
Many of those can be prevented if you perform the right maintenance to the airplane, as well as a right pre-flight inspection to identify anything out of place.
Reference:
Aircraft Electrical Systems, Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.experimentalaircraft.info/articles/aircraft-electrical-systems-4.php
Electrical Malfunctions. (2016, April 2). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/flighttestprep/skills/electrical-malfunctions
Your Alternator Just Failed. Now What? (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aircraft-systems/what-happens-when-your-alternator-fails-during-flight/
Aircraft Electrical Systems, Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.experimentalaircraft.info/articles/aircraft-electrical-systems-4.php
Electrical Malfunctions. (2016, April 2). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/flighttestprep/skills/electrical-malfunctions
Your Alternator Just Failed. Now What? (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aircraft-systems/what-happens-when-your-alternator-fails-during-flight/
1. Aircraft Electrical Systems, Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.experimentalaircraft.info/articles/aircraft-electrical-systems-4.php2. Electrical Malfunctions. (2016, April 2). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/flighttestprep/skills/electrical-malfunctions
3.Your Alternator Just Failed. Now What? (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2020, from https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aircraft-systems/what-happens-when-your-alternator-fails-during-flight/
