Piper PA32 wiring diagram

[winglit]

Hi folks,

Is there anyone that can help me with this 1973 Cherokee Six? It has landed at my local airport with an electrical fire and I have been asked to lend a hand in fixing it.

I'm an overseas station engineer, B1 & B2, working on big jets. I have very little GA experience, but this Piper is N reg and I also have an A&P.

The owner has a maintenance CD, but it doesn't have any wiring diagrams on it. I need to find out why the 60A alternator CB keeps tripping. With the battery master switch to off, there is a dead short from the CB to earth, but with it switched on it has 12V!

That has really confused me and without a wiring diagram I'm just stabbing in the dark. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[NutLoose]

What model number and serial and I will see what I can do.

Section X in the maint cd should have them at start

[Akitomo]

Hi winglit.

You may be able to get the one at

Bomar Flying Service: Downloads / Piper SE Service / Maintenance Manuals (http://www.bomar.biz/download.php?list.65)

Hope it would work! :)

FYI: It's free!!

[stevef]

Those split Bat/Alt switches aren't very reliable; I'd look at that to start off with. I've stripped u/s ones down and the amount of contact arcing is an eye-opener. Much the same as an in-flight fire, I guess. :eek:
I'd look at the ammeter connections as well in case something's touching them.
Like you say, a circuit diagram would help; I can't remember the Cherokee 6 electrical system but it's probably not much different from most light aircraft layouts.

[aquamon]

I agree, check ammeter. But then, Cherokees are known alternator eaters. The only time I have had to fix fire (smoke) in a piper was a pressurized PA31 and that was because some goon placed the alt. output wire on the turbocharged exhaust!

[winglit]

Thanks for the help guys. That Bomar flying service link was a godsend.

The dead short to earth was a red herring brought on by my crap multimeter. These new digital ones really do give false readings as they have hardly no internal resistance. I wish I could have an old AVO like we used to use in the airforce!

After replacing the the CB, alternator and fixing some bad wiring he was good to go.

Cheers

[kevkevkel]

Hi Akitmo,

back a few years ago you put up the following linkin response to anwiring problem: http://www.bomar.biz/download.php?list.65

I have been trying n successfully to download it. Can you assist please.

In a nutshell I am building a Long Ez and have got a Rochester instrument cluster comprising fuel pressures, oil pressure & temperature and ammeter.

My question is how to wire in the ammeter and whether it needs to have a shunt included in the circuit. If so, will a generic shunt from Aircraft Spruce fit the bill?


Thanks in anticipation


Kevin Kelly
Kevkevkel (at) yahoo (dot) com

[NutLoose]

Do you know what the cluster is out of?

Might help

http://download.mdhelicopters.com/ETM/pdf/500storage/service_bulletins/hn177.pdf

[kevkevkel]

Thanks. Problem solved. No shunt required.

Best wishes

KK