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If your batteries go completely dead your alternators will not function. The
P210, like most Cessnas, uses a field generator alternator. They require
some current from the battery in order to excite the field. A backup
alternator will not work if the main alternator fails and the battery is
allowed to completely drain.

This is a favorite question that a certain DE I know likes to ask of private
pilot candidates.

"Phil Kellman" <res005c7@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:3D8DEE53.BDCECEE@verizon.net...
|
| I would much appreciate advice from folks who understand aircraft
| electrical systems better than I do.
|
| Today on approaching my home field in my 1980 Cessna P210N, I selected
| gear down and saw the entire instrument panel go black. No alternator,
| no battery, no nothing. The alternator circuit breaker had not popped.
| I activated my standby alternator (the BAE air-driven turbo), and it had
| no effect. I recycled the master switch; this had no effect.
|
| I lowered the gear by hand, confirmed wheels down in the mirrors (thank
| you, Chuck McGill, who got those mirrors for me!), and set transponder
| to 7600 (not sure why -- there was no electricity of any kind). Looked
| for light signals and landed at Santa Monica uneventfully. Rolled out
| and left the runway. I was sitting just off the runway trying to call
| the tower on my handheld transceiver (batteries too weak) when
| EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON! Normal 28.4 volts on the voltmeter --
| everything worked normally. Taxied to parking, shut down, and tried a
| restart -- battery normal, everything normal.
|
| Does anyone know what can cause the whole electrical system (alternator,
| battery, and standby alternator) to fail at once? What might lowering
| the gear have to do with this? (Bonus question: What will my thoughts
| be next time I am in IMC when I am about to lower the gear at the final
| approach fix?)
|
| Thanks in advance for any advice. This was no fun -- no danger today
| really, but thinking about this happening in IMC is not pleasant. Even
| at Flight Safety, when the alternator goes, you usually get a few
| minutes on the battery!
|
| --Phil
|
|

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