Electric Variometer reading backwards

I have an issue with the electric variometer in my Libelle. I believe it is a Winter -- I will look up the exact model when I get a chance to visit the gliderport again, but for now, I was wondering if anyone has some idea what might be going wrong.

The following description has been confirmed by referencing my altimeter over time during climbs/descents and my mechanical variometer that is working correctly.

When I am climbing, I get "climbing" tones that have a higher pitch the faster I climb, but the variometer needle is pointing down. When I am descending, I get the slow, low-pitch "descending" tones, but the needle is pointing up. The proportions seem correct, but the needle is pointing in the opposite direction.

My thoughts are that the computer is pushing out correct data, considering that the tones are correct, but it is somehow reversed going to the needle. I wonder if the two wires could have been reversed during maintenance by a previous owner, but if that's not what happened, I'm afraid that if I swap them, it might break the computer or variometer.

Again, sorry for the lack of specifics -- I will try to post them later. But for now, has anybody heard of this error before, or do you have any suggestions?

Is it possible that the variometer is in cruise mode when you expect it
to be in climb mode or vice versa?Â* Is there a Climb/Cruise switch on
the stick or panel?Â* How about such a switch on the flap system that may
have come loose or lost a wire?

On 12/19/2019 9:19 AM, JoeManji wrote:
I have an issue with the electric variometer in my Libelle. I believe it is a Winter -- I will look up the exact model when I get a chance to visit the gliderport again, but for now, I was wondering if anyone has some idea what might be going wrong.

The following description has been confirmed by referencing my altimeter over time during climbs/descents and my mechanical variometer that is working correctly.

When I am climbing, I get "climbing" tones that have a higher pitch the faster I climb, but the variometer needle is pointing down. When I am descending, I get the slow, low-pitch "descending" tones, but the needle is pointing up. The proportions seem correct, but the needle is pointing in the opposite direction.

My thoughts are that the computer is pushing out correct data, considering that the tones are correct, but it is somehow reversed going to the needle. I wonder if the two wires could have been reversed during maintenance by a previous owner, but if that's not what happened, I'm afraid that if I swap them, it might break the computer or variometer.

Again, sorry for the lack of specifics -- I will try to post them later. But for now, has anybody heard of this error before, or do you have any suggestions?

--
Dan, 5J

I don't believe it's a cruise/climb thing. It's definitely possible since the manual for the computer is all in german lol. But I tried flipping every switch and spinning every dial while in flight, and none corrected the direction of the needle. Some settings seemed to change a multipluer, making it seem to read a stronger/weaker climb, but none changed the direction.

When i first got the Cherokee it had an old Crossfell electric vario that ran on 3 or 4 D Cell batteries. It exhibited the same behavior which i attributed to crossed wires. I actually got pretty good at climbing when the needle was pointing down.

Turn the meter over.

:-)

Steve Leonard

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 9:19:16 AM UTC-7, JoeManji wrote:
I have an issue with the electric variometer in my Libelle. I believe it is a Winter -- I will look up the exact model when I get a chance to visit the gliderport again, but for now, I was wondering if anyone has some idea what might be going wrong.

The following description has been confirmed by referencing my altimeter over time during climbs/descents and my mechanical variometer that is working correctly.

When I am climbing, I get "climbing" tones that have a higher pitch the faster I climb, but the variometer needle is pointing down. When I am descending, I get the slow, low-pitch "descending" tones, but the needle is pointing up. The proportions seem correct, but the needle is pointing in the opposite direction.

My thoughts are that the computer is pushing out correct data, considering that the tones are correct, but it is somehow reversed going to the needle. I wonder if the two wires could have been reversed during maintenance by a previous owner, but if that's not what happened, I'm afraid that if I swap them, it might break the computer or variometer.

Again, sorry for the lack of specifics -- I will try to post them later. But for now, has anybody heard of this error before, or do you have any suggestions?

Joe
Give Up and buy a LXNav S3 You'll be so glad you did- and not very expensive.
Ask Santa for One I think he keeps them in stock -You need a TE Probe thou, do you have one to connect to it?
Merry Christmas

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 10:06:25 AM UTC-8, Nick Kennedy wrote:
On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 9:19:16 AM UTC-7, JoeManji wrote:
I have an issue with the electric variometer in my Libelle. I believe it is a Winter -- I will look up the exact model when I get a chance to visit the gliderport again, but for now, I was wondering if anyone has some idea what might be going wrong.

The following description has been confirmed by referencing my altimeter over time during climbs/descents and my mechanical variometer that is working correctly.

When I am climbing, I get "climbing" tones that have a higher pitch the faster I climb, but the variometer needle is pointing down. When I am descending, I get the slow, low-pitch "descending" tones, but the needle is pointing up. The proportions seem correct, but the needle is pointing in the opposite direction.

My thoughts are that the computer is pushing out correct data, considering that the tones are correct, but it is somehow reversed going to the needle. I wonder if the two wires could have been reversed during maintenance by a previous owner, but if that's not what happened, I'm afraid that if I swap them, it might break the computer or variometer.

Again, sorry for the lack of specifics -- I will try to post them later.. But for now, has anybody heard of this error before, or do you have any suggestions?

Joe
Give Up and buy a LXNav S3 You'll be so glad you did- and not very expensive.
Ask Santa for One I think he keeps them in stock -You need a TE Probe thou, do you have one to connect to it?
Merry Christmas

I have the S3 as my 3rd vario, it is a great vario. But do consider getting the UPS battery pack sold as an accessary, provides 8 hours of operation with audio if you loss ship's batteries .

Jonathan St. Cloud wrote on 12/19/2019 12:37 PM:
I have the S3 as my 3rd vario, it is a great vario. But do consider getting the UPS battery pack sold as an accessary, provides 8 hours of operation with audio if you loss ship's batteries .

How do you use 3 varios? Are the audio's going on all of them? Which one do you
believe?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 11:19:16 AM UTC-5, JoeManji wrote:
I have an issue with the electric variometer in my Libelle. I believe it is a Winter -- I will look up the exact model when I get a chance to visit the gliderport again, but for now, I was wondering if anyone has some idea what might be going wrong.

The following description has been confirmed by referencing my altimeter over time during climbs/descents and my mechanical variometer that is working correctly.

When I am climbing, I get "climbing" tones that have a higher pitch the faster I climb, but the variometer needle is pointing down. When I am descending, I get the slow, low-pitch "descending" tones, but the needle is pointing up. The proportions seem correct, but the needle is pointing in the opposite direction.

My thoughts are that the computer is pushing out correct data, considering that the tones are correct, but it is somehow reversed going to the needle. I wonder if the two wires could have been reversed during maintenance by a previous owner, but if that's not what happened, I'm afraid that if I swap them, it might break the computer or variometer.

Again, sorry for the lack of specifics -- I will try to post them later. But for now, has anybody heard of this error before, or do you have any suggestions?

You must have more than one variometer in the glider. As far as I'm aware, Winter variometers are all mechanical instruments. If your Winter vario operates in reverse it would be due to plumbing in the back being connected in reverse. This is easily checked by confirming that the tubes are correctly connected. To do this squeeze the tube coming from the capacity flask and watch the needle. If it goes up when you squeeze it is correct.
Does your other variometer read correctly?
UH

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 4:22:26 PM UTC-5, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Jonathan St. Cloud wrote on 12/19/2019 12:37 PM:
I have the S3 as my 3rd vario, it is a great vario. But do consider getting the UPS battery pack sold as an accessary, provides 8 hours of operation with audio if you loss ship's batteries .

How do you use 3 varios? Are the audio's going on all of them? Which one do you
believe?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

3 varios is better than 2, since you can decide by majority vote, no ties :-)