ALTIMETER exchange or overhual?

Murph

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Dec 7, 2022
Messages
154
Display Name

Display name:
Murph
Got a 5934A-A69, over hauled two years ago...went toes up about 10 months after that...they fixed it on warrantee.... crawled in the plane yesterday and its off 300 ft..doooahhh!

So..Im thinking its another shops turn...or do I need to just do an exchange? Shops/supplier recommended?

Share your wisdom please

Murph:(
 

Like Bob said, preferable to get new. If overhauled then only from the factory as second choice. There is a small uplift for internally lighted unit I usually find worth it.

There were outside shops who could overhaul, but the old guys with the talent are disappearing. Parts availability for the older units are about gone, and are gone for many.

Your own personal experience is the common experience, fix-break-fix-break...

United series 5934 is a good option https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/1002690.php

10-04550.jpg


Next few posts will be guys who had theirs overhauled and no problems. These are temperamental and very sensitive units.
 
Last edited:
Yes, when mine started getting too bad to certify, this is the exact model my avionics guy doing the certification recommended.


Rather than buying new,I found a guy who took the above path and picked up his 5934.
 
The new ones just come with a one year limited warrantee
 
The new ones just come with a one year limited warrantee

your experience with the overhauled units isn't particularly good.

How many new units fail within 12 months?
 
Bob

My local Avionics guy said he was kinda surprised with my luck at it...

Im not sure how many new ones fail in 12 months..... or in 13....L
 
Got a 5934A-A69, over hauled two years ago...went toes up about 10 months after that...they fixed it on warrantee.... crawled in the plane yesterday and its off 300 ft..doooahhh!

So..Im thinking its another shops turn...or do I need to just do an exchange? Shops/supplier recommended?

Share your wisdom please

Murph:(

Just out of curiosity, what was your procedure for determining it was off 300 feet?
 
Just out of curiosity, what was your procedure for determining it was off 300 feet?

Ed

Parked in front of my hanger, where I have set my altimeter for the last 10 years, it was 300 ft off.....thinking I misheard the baro setting..I went through the AWOs report again...nope

Crawled out of the plane and asked my Neighbour if he would set the altimeter and tell me what he got...he did...300 ft off. Then Bill French, of the French Connection , the only portable Avionics Repair station I am aware of ( who was working on a plane on the back side of the hangers) looked at it and said...yep shes 300 ft off..
 
Did you check one in another airplane? Maybe the AWOS was the problem.
 
Did you check one in another airplane? Maybe the AWOS was the problem.

Mooney 252/Encore
...2 others..and Bill had just done an IFR cert on the plane he was working on..


Capt....it crossed my mind.:). the airport is built over under ground coal mines..
 
Get it overhauled or exchange with an overhauled United altimeter. Rudy's and Century Instruments do this at a fixed rate.
 
Get it overhauled or exchange with an overhauled United altimeter. Rudy's and Century Instruments do this at a fixed rate.

Believe it is a United unit, it went to Rudys for an evaluation..I will go with their recommendation. Sent the history of it as well
 
@Murph I'm getting a new panel in 2 weeks and will be looking for a good home for my 200 hour since new United altimeter with internal lighting. It's an option if the overhaul or repair isn't a good option.
 
Mid..

I hear ya, My planes old school IFR, i'm not IFR rated. I keep the IFR certificate up on the plane, just cause.. I'm a fair weather flyer, do about 4 -400 mile XCs a year..have a 496 and of course an Ipad (2 of em) for back up. I've priced doing a serious panel upgrade, do away with the vacuum system, all that stuff but right now its not a pressing issue for me.
 
Last edited:
If you are having your altimeter replaced, may I suggest that you also replace all your vacuum hoses? Most of our vacuum hoses have never been replaced and they start dissentigrating on the inside and those particles start flowing through your instruments making the need to rebuild them more often.
 
Last edited:
I got my G meter overhauled at Century instruments and they did a fantastic job for a reasonable price. They quoted a good price for my altimeter too.

If you replace your static and pitot tubing, replace the instrument fittings with push-to-connect. Then use PU or PE tubing for the lines. Super easy and clean.
 
Back
Top