Forbidden Outlet

[Slick Goodlin]

Let me preface this by saying I’m not going to even try, but…

The Airbus has an outlet in the flight deck that looks like any household equivalent but supplies 115VAC at 400 Hz. No idea what does plug into that but certainly not my oscillating fan, toaster, or Hitachi magic wand though that last one could probably get you to see through time at 400 Hz if it doesn’t let the smoke out first.

What about my phone charger? Near as I can tell it’s a step-down transformer that should still proportionally drop voltage down to whatever my phone needs, followed by a rectifier which I’d think makes the AC frequency moot. I’m not going to plug my phone into the thing… but I could, right?

[digits]

How many amps is it rated for?

What does the manual state as its intended purpose? Is it powered on during normal ops or is it a ground plug only to facilitate plugging in ground cleaning equipment?

[Nark]

As far as I know there are 3 plugs. 115v ish.

I plug in a dual charger that connects iPad (EFB) and iPhone. (Anker off Amazon)

There are some weird anomalies … some planes will only charge if BOTH pilot receptacles are plugged in. (This is wrong and is a Mx fault).

But occasionally happens.

[Nark]

Rumor has it, it can power a hot plate.

I say it has to be at least 15amps.

[Slick Goodlin]

How many amps is it rated for?

Your guess is as good as mine.

What does the manual state as its intended purpose?

“Special equipment.” There’s a memo out saying “Don’t plug your crap in here” that I believe also mentions it being for a vacuum. Not sure where one buys a 400 Hz vacuum but whatever.

As far as I know there are 3 plugs.

We’ve got a weird plug that gets a USB-C adapter that plugs in with three curved blades arranged in a circle (and a twist-lock action), and the 115VAC 400 Hz outlet right beside it. I’m pretty sure there’s another couple outlets in the forward galley but that’s not my department.

[David MacRay]

Rumor has it, it can power a hot plate.

I say it has to be at least 15amps.

That rumour would be even better if a flight attendant showed up to the flight deck with coffee, to allegedly see someone cooking bacon and eggs.

[Slick Goodlin]

Rumor has it, it can power a hot plate.

I say it has to be at least 15amps.

That rumour would be even better if a flight attendant showed up to the flight deck with coffee, to allegedly see someone cooking bacon and eggs.

I always wanted to cook sky bacon at a previous company but the medical equipment inverter in the back couldn’t deliver enough amps to run even the smallest George Foreman grill.

[Colonel]

The 400Hz thing is freaking me out. For a purely resistive load (eg Nark's hotplate) it probably doesn't
make a difference but ... wouldn't some power supplies have a cow? For noise frequencies, if nothing
else?!

America is 60Hz, Europe is 50Hz if memory serves.

Got a funny story about switching power supplies. Ended up buying an aircraft radio I didn't need. Ha ha.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched- ... wer_supply

switching transients and ripple introduced onto the output waveforms can be filtered with a small LC filter.

Wouldn't that imply that you might end up with ripples on the output (not nipples, ripples) because your LC values were wrong for 400Hz?!

[Eric Janson]

We use it to charge up the WIFI printer we use to print out the loadsheet.

We are starting to e-mail this so the Printer is increasingly an emergency backup.

We also use the outlet to charge up the onboard company mobile phone.

We have separate USB plugs to charge the iPads.

[Colonel]

I would be fascinated to put a scope on your DC outputs. I am amazed it works as well as it does.

PS You will have to pardon me, I was dropped on my head as a small child. Repeatedly. I suspect
my sister. When my father brought me home to the PMQ from the hospital for the first time, he placed
me in that thing you carry babies in, on the dining room table. My sister looked at me, looked at my
father and said, "I wanted a cat". It went downhill from there.

These days she campaigns vociferously on behalf of cemetaries in Toronto, and as a result she is
certain the mafia is trying to kill her. I wish I was making this up.

Remember, you can pick your friends, hell you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your family.
Fuck, the King's wife is my 5th cousin.