Westerboer electronic total energy vario

Hi Gang
The new Phoenix came without a working TE probe because they had
hoped to design their own but designing TE probes is 90% magic and 10%
science and they failed. So I needed to change the Tasman Vario with
an electronic vario that could operate from the static and pitot lines
and calculate a total energy response. There are systems such as the
Cambridge (CAI) system that have been around for years that provide
this function but I just wanted to change varios. The Westerboer 1020
has the same footprint as the Tasman and the change over was simple in
the instrument panel. So I purchased one from Wings and Wheels and
installed it.
But from the beginning the 1020 kept on going into a lockout
condition which required that power had to be removed and reapplied
after a few moments. To cut the story short every time I started the
motor the Westerboer went into never never land. The transient on the
12 volt power line when starting the engine messed the Westerboer up.
The fix was to put a switch on the power supply to the Westerboer and
cycle the power after starting the engine.
OK some comments. It is clear Westerboer never anticipated the use
of the 1020 in motorgliders otherwise they would have found this
gotcha. Secondly the LCD display of the 1020 must be viewed head on or
else it is unreadable. In the Phoenix with side by side seating the
EFIS is on the left side of the instrument panel and the the steam
gauges on the right side. So the Westerboer LCD is unreadable by the
pilot although the vario function is fine.
Does the 1020 perform the total energy function well? Yes it is
excellent and much better than the system on my Stemme for example.
There is no significent stick thermal effect!
Finally I would like to thank Tim Mara of Wings and Wheels for
spending the time with me in analyzing the problem with the 1020.
Dave

If it is (high frequency) transcients coming in on the +12VDC/Ground
lines from the engine that is causing your vario problem, then one
suggestion is to retrofit a torroid on the +12VDC/ground lines.

Like these. http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/185...a2005-0a2.html.

Might help. Couldn't hurt. Good luck.

- John

Dave,

I have similar comments on the 1020. The Total energy function works
very well without the TE probe. Could not ask for anything better
here. The display is on the other hand more problematic. Polarized
sunglasses are a no go.

Bastoune

Hi John
The power cable to the Westerboer Vario came with one ferrite snap
core. I added a couple of others but problem remains if I start the
engine with the avionics power on. Why would I want to do that? The
EFIS takes a couple of minutes to come up and displays important
engine info such as oil pressure so the EFIS has to be on when the
engine is started. As it is currently set up the vario comes on when
the avionics power is applied. That's being fixed. Thanks for your
reply.
Dave


On Sep 8, 12:15*pm, ContestID67 wrote:
If it is (high frequency) transcients coming in on the +12VDC/Ground
lines from the engine that is causing your vario problem, then one
suggestion is to retrofit a torroid on the +12VDC/ground lines.

Like these. *http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/185...lit-snap-core-....

Might help. *Couldn't hurt. *Good luck.

- John