Replacement Curtains - B737 OEM Throttle Dust Curtains

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OEM dust covers for the Boeing throttle. there are slight colour variation depending upon manufactuer

Interesting items can arrive in the post.  Earlier today I opened a small parcel to find a collection of grey coloured pieces of material.  To anyone else they would appear exactly as they do – pieces of material stamped with numbers.

The throttle quadrant I use is original equipment manufacture (OEM) and once plied the skies above Europe.  As such it is a used item with the usual wear and tear you expect from a well-used aircraft part. 

One item that continually caught my attention was the dust curtains or skirts that sit behind the two thrust levers.  In my throttle, the curtains had been abused at some point and were torn and the edges looked rather ragged in appearance.  Although a replacement curtain could have been made by using vinyl or another similar material it would not be the same. 

The numbered pieces of material now have a home – they are OEM dust curtains that will replace the damaged curtains on the throttle.

Installing the Dust Curtains

The B737 throttle quadrant has three dust curtains.  Two on the outer side of the thrust levers and one double-sided curtain that resides between the thrust levers.  Each curtain comprises three parts sandwiched together and held by three screws. 

The parts are:

(i)     The thin aluminium arc which is the outer face plate;

(ii)    The actual curtain; and,

(iii)   The plastic arc retainer. 

Dust curtains have been removed and the plastic retainer and aluminium arc can be seen along with one of the three attachment screws

The plastic arc retainer is curve-shaped and sits flush against the bare metal of the quadrant.  The dust curtain then lies above the retainer and beneath the outer face plate.

Replacing the curtains is straightforward. Remove the three screws that hold the metal arc in place to the throttle, then gentle pry loose the aluminium strip beneath which are the dust curtain and plastic arc retainer.  It’s wise to ensure that you place the parts anatomically on the workbench as each of the items must be reassembled the same way it was removed.

One aspect of Boeing philosophy which makes building a flight simulator much easier is their reuse of parts from earlier airframes.  Boeing do not always redesign a part from scratch, but add to or change existing parts.  This philosophy can save the company millions of dollars.

For those who study this type of thing, you will know that dust curtains can come in differing colour shades.  In general, the older classic style throttle used a paler grey/cream coloured skirt whilst the Next Generation airframes use a standard light grey colour.  But, I would not get too concerned if the colour does not exactly match.

Why are the Dust Curtains Important

The main purpose of the dust curtains is to minimise the chance of foreign bodies falling into the throttle mechanism.  Think pens, rubbers, straws, paper clips and coke can pull tabs (or anything else pilots play with in the flight deck).  The dust curtains are made from a fire retardant material (not asbestos) which minimises the chance of any fire/sparks from licking up the sides of the thrust levers in the unlikely event that a fire devlops inside the throttle quadrant.

For those keen to find replacement OEM dust curtains the stock numbers are: 69-33918-8 REF, 69-33918-9 REF-F and 69-33918-10 REF-F.

Glossary

  • Anatomically – Meaning items removed are placed on a table in the same position as they were when they were in place.

  • Curtain Arc – the semi circular arc that the dust curtains are attached to.

  • OEM – Original Equipment Manufacture (aka real aircraft part).

  • Plastic Arc Retainer – A piece of heavy duty plastic shaped as a curve (arc).

Protection for Interface Cards - USB Isolator

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Phidget 3060 USB Isolator mounted on acrylic base

In the first of two previous posts we discussed surge protectors and the need for a protector to secure your simulator system from unwanted power surges.  The second post addressed circuit breakers in more detail and examined the different types of breakers that can be used.  In this final post I will discuss the use of an isolator to protect both your computer and any USB connected interface cards.

Multiple Phidget Card Failure

Recently I had to replace several Phidget interface cards.  The cards failed following failure of the internal power supply on my server computer.  The reason for the power supply failure is unknown, however for whatever reason a surge traveled through the USB port to the SMART module irreparably damaging two Phidget 0/16/16 cards and two Phidget 1066 motor controllers.

I contacted Phidgets in Canada who were very helpful in diagnosing the reason for the card failure.  Apparently it is not unheard of for powered Phidget cards to cease working following the failure of a computer power supply that Phidget cards are attached.

Potential Problem

The discussion with the technician highlighted a potential problem that Phidget cards are susceptible to.

When the internal computer power supply (CPS) fails the circuits are no longer fully operational which may cause unregulated power to briefly travel the shortest route to leave the system.  PCI cards and USB ports are for the most part totally unprotected and act as a first port of call for any unwanted transient power.  The power then travels through the connected USB cable to whatever is attached.  Although the surge (I will call it a surge) may only be a millisecond, it is enough to fatally damage or shorten the life of an attached interface card.  

Bear in mind that not every instance of a power supply failure will result in a surge; it depends on how the power supply failed.  In my case, when the power supply failed 5 volts continued to be distributed.  However, I believe the 5 volts was not clean power meaning that the voltage fluctuated.

The technician commented that it is relatively uncommon for the event described above to occur.  He suggested that a far more common issue is that, following the failure of a powered Phidget card, the unregulated power travels to the computer via the connected USB cable (the opposite direction to what happened in my situation).  In these circumstances, the USB port, PCI card, internal computer power supply, or worse still – the computer’s motherboard can be destroyed.

For a more detailed explanation with examples, I refer you to the Phidget website.

Phidget 3060 isolator – the size of a credit card, the isolator can provide protection for both the computer and the interface cards that are connected to it.  This isolator is installed into the SMART module and provides protection for the two 0/16/16 cards and two 1066 motor controllers

The Solution

Fortunately there is an easy solution to this potential problem: Phidgets 3060 USB isolator.  

The isolator is connected between the USB port and the interface cards.  In this way the cards are protected from the computer and the computer is protected from the cards, wiring and external power supplies used to power the cards.

The 3060 isolator installed into the Throttle Interface Module (TIM).  The isolator has been installed into an acrylic casing.  Although the casing is by no means necessary, it ensures that the isolator card does not become contaminated by dust.  The blue-coloured plastic band is temporary only

The 3060 isolator is a tad smaller than the standard-sized credit card and does not require a power supply.  The isolator has two USB connections, one side has a mini and the other side a standard connection.  This enables in-line connection of the isolator between the computer’s USB port and interface card/power hub.

In addition to the protection already mentioned, the isolator also protects against possible basic wiring errors and different ground voltages.  In some circumstances the isolator can also assist to stabilise a system form untimely USB disconnects.  The isolator achieves this by maintaining the correct voltage.

The interface cards used in the simulator have been mounted in standalone interface modules that in turn connect via USB to the server computer.  To protect the contents of each module, a 3060 isolator has been installed into each interface module.

Computer Power Supplies (CPS)

Although this problem was easily solved by purchasing replacement interface cards and installing isolators, it should not have occurred in the first place and it brings into question the reliability and quality of computer power supplies.

The choice of a CPS is often by chance, being the unit supplied with the computer (probably a inexpensive Chinese model).  However, CPS’s are not identical and you get what you pay for.  

Many manufactures claim a specific output/voltage/wattage from their power supplies, however only a few manufactures check and guarantee these outputs.  The last thing you want is a power supply that has fluctuating voltage or a unit that is rated a particular output but does not meet this requirement.  

The CPS installed in the server computer was not a quality item (it came with the computer and was not upgraded despite the remainder of the computer being re-built to flight simulator specifications).  For a few months I had noted that the CPS appeared to be running quite warm.  In hindsight, I should have realized the tell-tail symptoms of an impending problem.  

The failed CPS has been replaced with a Corsair RM750x Power Supply.  This particular model is used when tight voltage control is needed.  

Other benefits of using a Corsair CPS is that the capacitors are Japanese made and provide consistent and reliable output.  Furthermore, Corsair bench check every unit to ensure that they meet the outputs published.

Final Call

It is your call whether the expenditure and use of a USB isolator is warranted.  Certainly replacing Phidget cards can be expensive, not too mention the time required to install and rewire.  The isolator should be viewed as a type of insurance policy  - a 'just in case' option.

Further Information

The isolator is designed by Phidgets primarily to operate with powered Phidget cards.   The interface modules I use have Phidget, PoKeys and Leo Bodnar cards installed and connecting an isolator did not cause any issues with the operation of these cards.

I do not know if the isolator will cause problems with other USB standalone modules.

This post is but a primer.  For additional information, refer to the Phidgets website.  Note I am not affiliated with Phidgets in anyway.

Glossary

  • CPS – Computer Power Supply.

  • PCI Card – Computer bus for connecting various hardware devices.

 

UPDATE 2016-01-19 08:25 by FLAPS 2 APPROACH: I have been contacted by another flight simulator builder who has stated that he used a Phidgets isolator and had problems with Open Cockpit modules disconnecting.  He decided that then isolator caused more problems that what it was worth (USB disconnects). 

Although I cannot comment on his situation, the isolator is primarily designed to be used with Phidget cards that are powered, not non Phidget cards or un-powered cards.

Circuit Breakers For Self Preservation

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Selection of Eaton Memshield MCB circuit breakers

Following on in the same theme as my earlier post Are You Protected - Power Surges, we discuss in more detail the various circuit breakers that can be used in a simulator setting.  Additionally, it is stressed that electricity can kill and a qualified electrician should be contacted prior to implementing anything suggested below.

My thanks to Dave Egkkman (flight simulator enthusiast based in the United Kingdom) who has written this article.  I think the content adds considerably to my earlier post and I am grateful to Dave for writing and allowing it to be posted here.

Circuit Breakers and Fuses 

It is a common misconception that fuses and circuit breakers are there for personnel protection. It is very important to understand that this is not the case.

It can take as little as 0.03A to kill a human being, that’s 30mA! So, if you have a circuit protected by a 30A fuse/circuit breaker, it will allow 1000 times more current to flow than it takes to kill, before it breaks the circuit and stops the current flow.

Fuses and circuit breakers (protective devices) are there to protect the cabling in an electrical circuit from damage by overload. This is achieved by installing a suitably rated circuit breaker at the beginning of a circuit. The rating of the protective device will be calculated to protect the lowest rated cable in the circuit, by stopping the flow of current in an overload situation before the current flow exceeds the current rating of the cable.

A common scenario in the UK is the use of 13A fuses in plugs. In domestic plugs in UK, the plug can take a variety of fuses rated from 1A to 13A. Often loose plugs are supplied fitted with a 13A fuse or, if a fuse ‘blows’ the user will commonly fit a 13A fuse as a replacement. However, if the appliance is a lamp standard, the cable from the plug to the electrical appliance could be rated at 6A or less.

So, in the event of a fault developing that allows 10A to flow, the fuse will not break the circuit, but the cable could well overheat and catch fire, and still the fuse may not break the circuit.

Fuses

A fuse is simply a piece of small wire designed to melt and break the circuit if more current flows than the fuse wire is designed to allow to flow.

In some cases, faults can occur in which the current may not be large enough to melt the fuse but enough to seriously harm the user of the electrical appliance. Circuit breakers generally offer better protection

Circuit Breakers

For domestic installations there are three main types of circuit-breakers:

  1. Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB);

  2. Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) or Residual Current Device (RCD); and,

  3. Residual Circuit Breaker with overload (RCBO).

Protec 63A 363-2C-6kA Triple Pole MCB circuit breaker

Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)

The MCB is a protective device typically used where a fuse would have been. MCBs are quicker to respond than fuses, are more reliable, more sensitive and can be reset once the fault has been cleared, the problem identified and fixed.

There are many different configurations of MCBs, which we won’t go into here. We should however consider the three different ‘Types’ that are available. All 3 MCB types use a magnetic fault protection, which trips the MCB within one tenth of a second when the overload reaches a set level.

How a MCB Works

Basically, the live input cable is wound around an iron core. As current flows a magnetic Field is generated. If the magnetic field reaches a pre-set level, an iron latch is pulled towards the iron core (magnet) and breaks the circuit.

In normal domestic use a Type B MCB will be used. A Type B breaker will trip between 3 and 5 times full load current.

For electrical loads that have a high inrush current when they are switched on, a Type B breaker is likely to trip as it ‘sees’ the inrush current as an overload.

A Type C breaker trips between 5 and 10 times full load current. This allows the MCB to withstand the initial inrush current, whilst still providing overload protection in normal use.

A Type D breaker trips between 10 and 20 times full load current, typically used where high inductive loads are present such as motors and transformers.

For those with problems of an MCB (or a fuse) tripping when turning on equipment, a Type C breaker may be the answer. Selecting the correct Type and rating of breaker is not an arbitrary decision. An electrically qualified person should make this decision.

Whichever MCB type is used, it is extremely dangerous to cut corners by using inferior quality devices, therefore they should only be bought from a reputable supplier. Copy and cheap MCBs have been found to have no copper/nickel/silver contacts within them, just steel. Upon introducing a fault, the contacts simply weld together, the consequences are obvious. Don’t go cheap.

ETI 25A 30mA RCD 2 throw circuit breaker

Residual Current Device

A residual current device IS designed to offer personnel protection. RCDs are used in combination with fuses and MCBs.

Residual current circuit breakers work by comparing the current entering the appliance via the live input with the current leaving the appliance through the neutral.

How a RCD Works

The live wire and neutral wire within the device, are wound around iron cores in opposite directions. When the appliance is working correctly ALL the electrical current entering the appliance via the live wire, exits the appliance through the neutral wire. The magnetic fields generated around the iron cores cancel out.

In the event of a fault some of the electric current will flow through the earth wire, casing of the appliance or in the absence of proper earthing through the body of the user. This results in an imbalance between the current entering the appliance through the live wire and the current exiting through the neutral wire.

This difference in electrical current is called the residual current and it is what causes the device to break the circuit.

Residual Current Circuit Breakers have the advantage of being highly sensitive with a very quick response time.

There are various ratings of RCDs. Typically, in domestic use a 30mA RCD will be used, but 10mA is also common. Selecting the correct Type and rating of RCD is not an arbitrary decision. A qualified person should make this decision.

It is not unusual for people to complain that RCDs suffer from nuisance tripping. If an RCD is tripping there is a problem, the problem should be identified and corrected. If an upstream RCD is tripping, rather than the local RCD, for example the RCD in the house trips and the one in the out building does not, then the configuration of the circuit is incorrect. These issues should be addressed by, yes you guessed it, a suitably electrically qualified person. Issues of disconnection times, voltage drop, resistance of the earth path all need to be considered.

Residual Circuit Breaker with overload

A residual circuit breaker with overload (RCBO) protection is a device that combines overload and personnel protection.

They are often used where there is not enough space for an MCB and RCD in one consumer unit / fuse board.

Disclaimer

This information is provided to offer guidance only and hopefully to suggest when an electrically qualified person should be approached for guidance. It is not comprehensive and only scrapes the surface of the subject of electrical protection.

I don’t want to come across as ‘holier than thou’ but, I really don't wish to be drawn into offering guidance to people about which and what protective devices should be used for their particular installation. I don't even agree with DIY companies selling fuse boards, MCBs etc. I'm hoping my words will encourage folks to seek professional advice from a local engineer/electrician who can assess their own situation. It's not the same as deciding which interface card to use for TQ servo activation!

All electrical work must be carried out by a qualified engineer/electrician and this post is not suggesting otherwise.

Glossary

A - Amp

mA - Milliamp