RV-10 Electrical System
 

With the finishing kit on order and the cabin top ready to be put down it's time to start really thinking about the electrical layout of the project. I'm not a complete novice to electrical systems/wiring but this will be by far the most ambitious and complex project I've done. My plan is to do a much wiring as I feel comfortable with but will undoubtedly have a few of the wiring harnesses made professionally.

Working off some of the base designs in AeroElectric Connection I started working up a diagram in Visio. I found myself working in circles and decided to take a step back and determine component location and understanding what I'm putting in the plane before figuring out how it all connects and interconnects.... Understanding this will all change before the project flies.

I put together this very large picture to try and conceptualize where everything is going to be placed. If I'm forgetting, missing or something is completely off base I would like to know.



Once I understand the above I can start working out schematics. I plan on using both a VPX Pro for the electronic breakers and a Garmin GAD 27 for the discrete inputs into the EFIS. They share some duplication on trim and flaps control so not clear how I'll work through that yet. Would like to hear and possibly look at any drawings where someone has both of these installed. Actually I would also settle for a schematic where someone used a VPX Pro just to see how they did it. Anything would help,

Thanks!

Update 12/29/2017 -
It's been a year and a lot has changed. With the chance of someone pulling up this thread on a search I wanted to go ahead and post my near final drawing.

Hey Justin.

I see that you list a GPS antenna on the belly. You're going to want it on the top of the plane (probably just a typo). Also, I've got 3 different GPS antennas on my 10. Your setup is a little different, as I don't have a GPS20a or a G5, and I'm not sure the requirements of those.

On the top behind the cabin top, mounted side by side:
--XM/GPS antenna that feeds the G3X MFD (and XM tuner in the MFD)
--GTN 650 gps antenna

And on top of my glareshield in front of the center support pillar:
--GPS puck (Garmin GA26C) to feed my PFD.

The reason for all of these is that a possible failure mode of a GPS antenna can cause interference to nearby antennas. My hope is that if this happens to an antenna on the top, my glareshield antenna will be far enough away to still be functional.

And in considering the wiring of the antenna cables, I tried to keep them away from other power wires as much as possible.

Thanks for the feedback Ed. That wasn't a typo just wasn't sure where to put it. Will move to right behind the baggage bulkhead on top.

Going to have to read up a bit more on antennas. Seems like an easy concept but for whatever reason I can't quite wrap my head around which are shared, which need their own, ect.

since you are implementing a VPX, I highly recommend that you get this book.



http://www.steinair.com/product/airc...ral-softcover/

Bob's book is a great reference guide, but sometimes it overwhelms folks with too much information.

Marc's book is better written for somebody that doesn't have a strong electrical background. He also has a bit of insight into how the VPX should be implemented. :D

Justin, sent you a PM.

We are about the same place structurally but I am ahead in wiring and doing similar on my RV-10

E

Are you doing a GPS 20A and a GTN-650 for redundancy? Usually the GPS 20A is used as a source when a GTN or GNS is not available for ADSB out.

Thanks for the book reference. Will check that out.

Actually thought the GPS 20A allowed you to get ADSB info on an ipad and your G3X devices. One aspect I'll do once I start the schematic is really try to understand what each component does.

Justin,

Looks like you're a couple months ahead of me. I've been working on the cabin top but my doors don't arrive until next week.

I noticed that you don't have a transponder on your equipment list. Check out the Garmin GTX45R. I believe (but don't know for sure) that you could get ADSB position ForeFlight. The press release says that it has wireless connectivity that can interface with ForeFlight. Also, you can hook the GTN650 to the GTX45R and forego the GPS20A.

My head has been spinning trying to figure out my electrical architecture. My '10 is going to be electrically dependent. EFII + All electric cockpit. I'm planning 2 batteries + 2 alternators. Unfortunately, the panel doesn't have a lot of room left over for circuit breakers. Between the VPX, GAD27, EFII Bus controller, fuses, ckt breakers and panel space, I've been struggling with drawing a line in the sand... At this point, I'm leaning towards the Bus controller, GAD 27 and a mixture of fuses (not on the panel) and a handful of ckt breakers on the panel in open space... Good times :)

May I kindly suggest that this approach is backwards? e.g., I would suggest determining what you need, what you want, and then determining how (or if!) you hook them together. That will also give you a count on serial ports and formats needed, see if it all works.
The Garmin GPS 20A is strictly a non-TSO GPS that Garmin says meets the GPS requirements for use with ADSB-out. It has nothing to do with ADSB-in. If you are planning on a Garmin 400W/500W/ or GTN series GPS navigator then that box can serve as the required GPS for ADSB-out; the 20A is just extra cost, extra weight, extra drag (antenna). I'd leave it out unless there is a compelling reason not to.
BTW, some GPS antennas require a ground plane, some do not. If yours needs one, then mount it at least 6" behind the bulkhead, not 'just' behind it, so you have a metal ground plane in front of it as well as behind it.

Conventional nav (VOR, ILS, Glide Slope) radios can share a single antenna, with a splitter (I believe the GTN series has an internal splitter for nav/GS, so it already 'shares' the antenna). Otherwise, off the top of my head, I cannot think of any other antennas which are shared.