Author Archives: Michael

Time: 4 Hours

While I wont actually have the COM radios for some time I certainly can pre wire for them so that installation will be very simple with just connecting a harness to the back of the unit. To start I worked from the back of the aircraft forward as the Dynon COM unit has a single harness that comes out of it and terminates into two items, the actual COM control panel and the intercom panel as well as a power and ground wire. To start I figured the length of wire for each of the runs, the radio and intercom panel will be very close to each other so that run is the same, as well as the ground block and power. Two of the sets of wire are shielded and the rest are not. Once I had all the wires cut and labeled on each end I fished them through the flexible conduit to the back of the tail, this feat was not easy as that conduit is getting crowded.  

 Once I had them run through I pulled enough of it so that I could bring them back out of the fuselage to make it easier to work on.  

 On this end the shield of the two wires does not get terminated so all I had to deal with was the individual wires and putting the pins on them. When I was done with the wires I labeled the bundle and put the back shell on and secured the wires with zip ties.  

 It took 2 hours to get all those wires fished to the back and the harness and complete. I moved onto the left side of the aircraft which will be for COM #1. This side took just as long to get finished. I took a photo of the Dynon schematic for you to see what I use for the pin callouts.  

    
 I ran both the left and right sides up to behind the panel, but won’t finish them until I have the panel cut. I have been working with SteinAir in Minnesota to have my panel layout designed. Once we came up with the final version I sent my panel to them via UPS and they will cut on their C&C machine. I know I could’ve done these cuts but getting all of the panels lined up perfectly square and all the net plate holes drilled is very tough. Since this is an item I will be staring at nonstop I decided just spend the extra money and have them precision cut it. Here’s what the panel will look like when finished.  

  Once I get the panel back I will know exactly where I can run the wires to and finish up the wiring harnesses. Then when I do finally by the electronics I will just be able to screw them in and plug the harnesses in the back and be done.

Time: 4 Hours

I’m planning on using AeroLED’s Pulsar NSP & Suntail NAV/Strobe lights as well as their LED AeroSun Vx Landing/Taxi lights. Since I’m working on wiring and I already ran the wire for the Suntail I figured that I could finish up their wiring. Basically I will run wire to the fuselage area where the wings mount, like the autopilot servo wires and terminate them in a Molex connector. From inside the fuselage all three, left wing, right wing and tail need to run to the VP-X power supply. These wires will be a 3 conductor shielded wire. One wire from each side and tail will go to a strobe power, one wire from each will go to a NAV power and one wire from each (sync) will tie together so that when the strobe flashes all three flash at the same time. Now with any srobe you can have radio interference even with LED lights so the wires are shielded. This shield needs to be grounded on both ends unlike radio wires that only need one end grounded. So I came up with an idea to use a two place terminal block. One half will connect all the grounds and a lead to my firewall ground block. The other side will combine the three wires for sync.  

 To handle the termination of the shield I’m using solder sleeves. These cool little items are a clear heat shrink tube with a internal ring of glue at both ends and a low temp ring of solder in the center. I have some that are pre wired with a 6″ length of 22g and some that are not. The idea is to remove the shield except for a small sector then slip the sleeve over there wires and shield that remains. Then while holding everything in place you heat until the heat shrink wraps the wire, the glue and solder melts. This creates a sealed joint and a soldered connection between the wire and shield. Now you can use the other end of the wire to tie the shield to whatever you need.  

  I used these at both ends, once to tie to the terminal block and the other just outside of the fuselage to a Molex connector.  

    
 I tested the continuity with my ohms meter and all was good. After finishing up the right side and tail I completed the left wing. While on the left wing side I started the wiring of the Dynon pitot heat. The pitot tube is for airspeed and angle of attack measurement and will be heated to prevent I’ve accumulation. I need a 14g wire run from the VP-X and one to the ground block. I terminated those wires just outside the left side of the fuselage with a 12″ pigtail to allow connecting them while inserting the wings to be easier.   

Time: 4 Hours

I worked on the pilot and passenger grip wiring today. Not a whole lot to show as it was just figuring out the length of each wire, cutting then labeling each end so I knew what they were for. I had bought some wiring mesh sleeve from Aircraft Spruce and ran the wires inside. In one end I crimped all the Molex pins in place and snapped them in the shell.

 I used heat shrink tube to clean up the end as well. This would be the end that terminates at the base of the control stick. The other end had various lengths of wire. Some were grounds, some will terminate at the panel and another would go to the smoke system relay. I secured the stick end with zip ties and adhesive attach points.  

    
 I made the ground connections at the firewall but will wait for a while to get the others done until I have the place meant on the intercom and radios figured out.  

 That’s where I stopped actually working in the RV, I sat and planned other parts for a while, mainly how I’m going to run and tie in the AeroLED NAV and strobe lights. They require a bit of work as the wires need to be shielded so that they don’t cause interference with radios. I came up with a pretty good plan based on some research off of vansairforce.net

Time: 5 Hours
I finished up the power and ground run for the pitch servo to the areas where they will connect. I can’t do the ground yet since I ran out of the printable shrink tube. More will be here tomorrow so I will label it then and connect it to the ground block.   

   To start on the autopilot roll servo wiring I needed to drill a hole in the lower side of the fuselage and put a grommet in for the wires to pass through on their way from the servo in the right wing to the network.   

   
   I started with the section on the roll servo wiring that will be in the right wing going from the servo to the wing root. Back when I built the wings I added a 3/4″ pvc pipe the length of the wing for future wife runs. I drilled a hole in the pipe where the roll servo would be and put a grommet in. I also added several strings to help pull any wiring through the pipe. I secured on of the strings in the area of the servo to the end of the servo wiring harness and pulled it towards the wing root.    

     
 I finished off the end at the servo with d-sub pins and back shell.    

     
 I then finished off the other end with one half of a Molex connector to match up to one that will be at the side of the fuselage.  

I also cut and finished off the passenger grip wiring with a Molex connector.   
   The roll servo wiring from the wing connects to the wiring from the fuselage with the Molex connector. I made the pigtail outside of the fuselage long so that when we install the wings there will. E plenty of room to connect them before we slide the wing in al the way. Then I will pull the slack into the fuselage and zip tie it down. I did this after seeing just how tight the space is in between the weeding and fuselage on Glenn’s aircraft.       I also grabbed the rear baggage floor while I was thinking about it to cut the slot that corresponds with the snap bushing I put in for the passenger USB wiring.   I ran the runs, power and ground, from the passenger power outlet to the front of the aircraft and connected them.  

 The area below the longeron will be covered up with the baggage floor sides permanently so I left some slack to pull up should I need to remove the jack at any time. I coiled up the other ends by the ground and where the power will connect to the VP-X.  

 I also ran the power and ground wires for the fuel boost pump. I put in a termina block for the pump so that I can easily replace the pump. 

also ran the other ends to the ground block and the area where the power will connect. Man it’s starting to get busy behind the panel!