jones
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Joined: December 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by jones on Dec 19, 2017 0:33:14 GMT -5
Hello to all. I've just gained another project and could use some thoughts/advice on it. I'm now the proud(?) owner of a start cart, sometimes called a 'huffer' cart. It's got an AiResearch GTC 85-72 for a power plant. It's sitting on it's own dedicated four wheel cart. Tow bar also acts to steer the lead axle. Hard rubber tires. Mechanical four wheel parking brake. Start counter shows 902. I'm at the point where I'm deciding how to proceed. I've done some research on the internet and have found a couple of layout and wiring drwgs but I have nothing in the way of manuals.
Pros: Cart looks very complete. Clean thanks to inside storage although it is pretty dusty. Oil and fuel tanks have fluids and are clean, no signs of rust or sludge. Previous owner said it spins over with the starter but doesn't start. It was cheap enough to either play with it and try to get it running, or part it out depending on it's value. As I understand it, the output is hot, compressed air and enough electricity to keep it's own starting batteries charged so... once I play with it, get it running and thoroughly annoy the neighbors, it may end up as the world's noisiest lawn ornament.
Cons: What I take to be the ECU has broken loose from it's anti-vibration mounts and is dangling by it's cables Anti-vibration mounts need to be repaired or replaced. Single disconnected wire that might have gone to the tach (also missing). Disconnected two wire plug w/ two socket female connecter in the vicinity of the air valve and assorted plumbing. One wire goes to plug then back out and ends as a single wire with tinned end, no terminal. Second wire goes past two pin connector and ends as a single wire with tinned end but no terminal.
I realize this is like trying to hold it up to the phone so you can see what I'm talking about but until I can post some pictures, this'll have to do.
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jones
New Member
Joined: December 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by jones on Dec 21, 2017 11:09:58 GMT -5
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Post by pitciblackscotland on Dec 21, 2017 14:15:06 GMT -5
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jones
New Member
Joined: December 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by jones on Dec 22, 2017 1:32:36 GMT -5
Thanks for the link, Mark. Picked up some good additional information from it. This is my first air compressor cart although I've had several GPUs and some swing out units from the M1 Abrams. Since each is slightly different I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I start and find out the hard way that I don't. Biggest question right now is where the loose wires and connector by the air valve go and what they're supposed to do. These things are so interconnected that it might be something that's telling the turbine not to fire up because the gas cap isn't screwed on tight.
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Post by pitciblackscotland on Dec 22, 2017 2:13:38 GMT -5
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jones
New Member
Joined: December 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by jones on Dec 31, 2017 14:02:20 GMT -5
Guess it's just you and me, Mark. All my emails and questions have gone unanswered... sigh.
I'm supposed to meet up with a gas turbine mechanic who's been around long enough to have worked on these when they were in service. Sounds like he may have some of the original manuals too. Based on his knowledge and what he sees, he may be able to tell me whether I've got a runner or a collection of spare parts. Sounds like these engines are popular enough to be worth something either way. I've ferreted out all loose, unidentified wires (although not necessarily where they connect) and have repaired the anti-vibration mounts and reinstalled the ECU. Don't want to buy a battery until I know the investment will further the get-it-running phase of my project.
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Post by pitciblackscotland on Dec 31, 2017 20:29:52 GMT -5
Be patient mate, Bruce at avonaero should get back to you soon, i have talk to him a while back and he is very helpful. You will find that most of the wring is for montering the engine running conditions ect,ect That's what i found on the GTP 70 engine i had, remember it's not in a aircraft anymore and you just want to get the thing up and running. I have a couple of rare CTC20 turbines that i purchased from Bruce, there is no info or manuals on it. So a friend of mind who is a electrical engineer came over and we work out a electrical wiring diagram for it. jetandturbineowners.proboards.com/thread/236/gtc20-1-turbine?page=3Cheers, Mark.
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jones
New Member
Joined: December 2017
Posts: 5
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Post by jones on Jan 5, 2018 0:12:09 GMT -5
Hello Mark,
Met with the gas turbine mechanic today and I think I may have hit a gold mine. Very knowledgeable and happy to share. Sounds like he has just about every TM, TO, TB, and LO for anything he worked on during his career. As I would explain a wire and its location; before I could even finish, he'd say 'Oh yeah, those are the leads from the tach drive', 'Yep, your right, that one goes to the voltage regulator'. And that's without even seeing it. He's going to come over this weekend and go through it to see what it needs to get it to run. Says he may have a list of parts suppliers and that GPU stuff is a lot more reasonable than anything for APUs because it doesn't need to be certified as airworthy... just like you were saying.
Re: Your CTC20s. Sounds like some of the man-portable units Garrett was playing with for a while. Suitcase-sized microturbine gensets... now that's something to drool about. The one I saw was very clean and compact and the only downside, if you could call it that, was that it put out 400 cycle current.
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Post by pitciblackscotland on Jan 6, 2018 17:56:43 GMT -5
That's good news,you should have that engine up and running in no time. Ask him if you will need a small fuel boost pump as my GTP 70 required 10 psi fuel inlet pressure.
Cheers, Mark.
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