Apparently the way you do alternator belt tension is by increasing belt tension until it takes 12 ft\/lbs of torque on the alternator nut to slip the belt. \u00a0 That’s it. \u00a0 That also gives you the 1\/4″ deflection (on a new belt) called out by the usual procedure. \u00a0 This is important, because a slipping belt can cause over\/under voltage problems. \u00a0I did that, and safety-wired the bracket tension bolts together, like so:<\/p>\n
![\"Alt](\"http:\/\/stjohn.openbar.com\/airplane\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_1672.jpg\")
<\/a>Alternator bracket Safety wiring<\/p><\/div>\n
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When I put the aft canopy in all those many moons ago, I left the protective plastic on it, because why not? \u00a0Why subject the vulnerable plexiglas to my fumbling ministrations while I’m climbing in and out of the tailcone to adjust one thing or another, swinging tools and wires about? \u00a0 Because once the canopy is attached, it’s difficult if not impossible to get all the plastic out from between the roll bar support and the canopy. \u00a0 I had to put a space heater in the cockpit and run it for a while, until it was a balmy 75 degrees and the plexi and surrounding aluminum were warm to the touch. \u00a0I took out all the fasteners and removed the aft canopy section, which I put on the bench, then removed the rest of the protective plastic and cleaned off all the tape residue I couldn’t get to before. \u00a0100% better.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Protective plastic and tape residue gone<\/p><\/div>\n
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The magneto switches on the panel were cryptically labeled “MAG 1” and “MAG 2.” \u00a0 I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea, and it broke with common practices in aircraft UI\/UX design. \u00a0 I relabeled them “L MAG” and “R MAG” because that made the most sense, and that’s how everyone else does it. \u00a0 While I was in a labeling mood, I made about a dozen or so “OFF” labels to describe the down position of most of my toggle switches. \u00a0 The double-throw switches like flaps up\/down already had good labels in both directions, but there wasn’t anything labeled “OFF” anywhere. \u00a0The switch pointing toward the function described seems obvious to me, but apparently it isn’t to whoever wrote that reg at the FAA, so now everything is labeled according to the AC’s.<\/p>\n