Question about G1000

[Jafar]

So I took a DA40 with the G1000 up today. On my second flight of the day I get a "warning" on the PFD alert indicator. It says, "PFD cooling fan failure." I continued along my way and this warning popped up about every 5 minutes. As time went on the PFD began to dim. I was unable to brighten it with the controls. I switched the MFD to PFD backup and headed back. By the time I landed the PFD was pretty dim. I wasn't all that concerned about it because I had the MFD backup and the conventional instruments. I took it back and wrote it up.

Anyone ever see this failure in a G1000? Can it cause other systems to fail? I've looked through the G1000 book I've got and was unable to find any mention of this fan.

 

[F9 Buff]

Did you have something blocking the cooling fan on the dash or the one in the aft compartment? They don't breathe and your system shuts down probably.

 

[Jafar]

Not that I'm aware of. The cockpit seemed fairly cool, I didn't use the cabin heat at all. What does a PFD need with a fan, anyways? I mean it's just a screen, right? A laptop screen doesn't require special cooling, nor does an LCD panel. From what I thought that's all the PFD is, a 1024x768 LCD. It defiantly got dimmer and dimmer.

 

[troy]

It's not the screen that needs cooling, but the computers behind it. If the screen is removed, there are LRU's (line replacable units?) behind it. I believe that is what the fan is for.

 

[agpilot34]

No, but the avionics that RUN the PFD need the fan for cooling. My laptop has a cooling fan, it has nothing to do with the display. The avionics are what is overheating when the fan fails... not the display screen.

 

[Some guy]

Not that I'm aware of. The cockpit seemed fairly cool, I didn't use the cabin heat at all. What does a PFD need with a fan, anyways? I mean it's just a screen, right? A laptop screen doesn't require special cooling, nor does an LCD panel. From what I thought that's all the PFD is, a 1024x768 LCD. It defiantly got dimmer and dimmer.

PFD's (or MFD's) need to be cooled with a fan because they are essentially a LCD enclosed in a box that needs to be ventilated. Your laptop screen isn't enclosed like your PFD. When you start having problems with color or brightness on a PFD, check the inlet screen covering the fan on the back of the unit. They sometimes get clogged with carpet lint or whatever. When that happens the unit warms up. To protect itself, the warmer it gets the more color and / or brightness you will lose. I would be willing to bet that if you come back the next day, all will be fine unti it has been left on for awhile.

SG

 

[BushwickBill]

There are 4 cooling fans for the G-1000 system. 2 of the fans must be checked during preflight and are no fly items. The aft fan in the baggage compartment and the forward fan in the panel. The 2 fans behind the screens PFD MFD are not no fly items (really there is no way to check and make sure these panel fans are operating). You should tell whoever owns this plane about the fan failure. A hot electronic item wont last long.

 

[Jafar]

PFD's (or MFD's) need to be cooled with a fan because they are essentially a LCD enclosed in a box that needs to be ventilated.

Now that makes sense. I didn't think about it like that. The PFD and MFD need cooling because only the viewable part of the screen is exposed. The back is completely enclosed in the instrument panel.

I knew it wasn't referring to the actual computer's cooling because it would say "AHRS failure" or "ADC cooling fan failure" or something. It's now clear why the display itself needs cooling. Hopefully they'll clean it out and it will be good as new.

Thanks.

 

[Jafar]

There are 4 cooling fans for the G-1000 system. 2 of the fans must be checked during preflight and are no fly items. The aft fan in the baggage compartment and the forward fan in the panel. The 2 fans behind the screens PFD MFD are not no fly items (really there is no way to check and make sure these panel fans are operating). You should tell whoever owns this plane about the fan failure. A hot electronic item wont last long.

I see. So this failure was in reference to the fan directly behind the PFD. I did write it up and I'm sure they'll get on it. This plane is nearly brand new. Thanks.