Occasionally an ultralight or advanced ultralight pilot may be
confronted with unexpected smoke in the cockpit. If the smoke has
an acrid smell and other characteristics of an electrical fire,
the problem may be the rectifier/voltage regulator
self-destructing.
This component is found in most ultralight or
advanced ultralight aircraft equipped with Rotax engines. It does
not have a service life so may be just getting old when it fails
or it could be a faulty unit.
The pilot in this instance reported considerable acrid smoke
but found no need for panic. He correctly assessed the problem,
returned to the airport and landed the aircraft safely after the
unit burned itself out, as shown in the photos.
This can also be caused by the wires going into the red outlet
connector shorting across
Bottom side of burned out
rectifier (left) with the type of rectifier identified in a
top view (right).
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