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A variation on the Dynon Network Hub

az_gila

Well Known Member
For my -6A I used a single Skyview and had less Dynon add-ons. The Dynon network cables make hook-up easy, but splitting power and putting splices in the servo cables bugged me. :)

So, for my -10 build I came up with a simple alternative idea to Dynon's network hub. I designed a 5 port hub, but added two custom connectors dedicated to servo hook-ups only, all on a single 2.5" x 3.8" ExpressPCB mini card. It's a much cleaner solution to the servo power wiring issue. I can now connect all of my planned network items easily behind the panel and only use one box as a daisy chain.

ouy.jpg


The power supply wires, and the AP disconnect line, are now brought out with a single 4 pin Molex MiniFit Jr. connector.

A simple schematic -

ou6.jpg


It's untested at the moment, but easy to check traces. If anyone wants to duplicate I can send them the ExpressPCB ".rrb" file. If you want a better schematic, I can email an easier to read PDF version.

Please, no PMs, just use my regular email.

PS... a more complicated hook-up card to connect the parallel connections of two Dynon Skyviews simply and cable to their associated items is in work.
 
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Do you want a PCB?

Looks like there is enough demand so far for a minimum order of 3.

Let me know by email if you want one, max. price is $28 (no profit..:)...) and will go down as the numbers ordered go up.

I'll wait a few days to get more response.

The Dsub connectors used are not critical, but they do need 4-40 threaded posts to retain the cable part of the connector. The part numbers given have these threaded standoffs and board locking pegs. DIY retainers with 4-40 hardware could be used but I found the specific hardware to be quite expensive and a single connector part to be more effective.
 
Gill, that is a great idea! If I weren't already flying, I would buy two in an instant; one to put by the bell crank in the tail and one for behind the panel.
 
Please post if you do the parallel hookup card for dual skyview screens. That will make it easier for me if I ever get to add my second screen.
 
Checking

Please post if you do the parallel hookup card for dual skyview screens. That will make it easier for me if I ever get to add my second screen.

Will do.

The card is laid out and the schematic made. What is now needed is a second pair of experienced EE eyes to check that the two match and also meet the Skyview documentation.
 
Gil - Wow, I am very impressed.

You should contact Dynon and ask if they are interested in working it into their product line. I would have loved to have used this, but unfortunately, that work is already done. Another item for my "if only" list.

Nice work!
 
Looks fabulous. I have two questions:

1) Where will you mount this board?

2) Will you enclose it in some sort of box?

Reason I ask the second is that I have a relay board that I'm going to install and I'm trying to figure out whether or not it should be enclosed in a plastic box and, if so, how to make the board accessible.

Thanks!
 
interesting innovation

Gil, just when we think that things can't be improved! Really cool - as someone that's in the process of doing the "behind the panel wiring" (with just my EIS4000 for the moment) I can see a lot of value in a solution like this for various brands of EFIS.
 
Nice work! I really like this kind of stuff.

If it helps, here are some of the configurations for the original SkyView wiring hubs. I released them as open source many years ago, but I love the improvements being discussed here.

I am transitioning to a way of sharing electronics design information by using design software from EasyEDA. Once a design is complete it can be published for sharing so anyone can buy (and modify) boards directly from them. Oh, and the PCBs are much cheaper than other prototyping services.

I hope VAF can continue to support this kind of innovation. Sometimes it involves organizing group buys to defer costs, which is perilously close to being a 'commercial' operation. I think the EasyEDA model may minimize this conflict.

At some point, I hope to release all of my legacy (Vx Aviation) designs in this fashion so that they can live on longer than I will.

AXIS-ALL-photo.jpg
 
Looks fabulous. I have two questions:

1) Where will you mount this board?

2) Will you enclose it in some sort of box?

Reason I ask the second is that I have a relay board that I'm going to install and I'm trying to figure out whether or not it should be enclosed in a plastic box and, if so, how to make the board accessible.

Thanks!

1. The board can mount anywhere, but in my case for the RV-10, right on the sub panel makes the most sense. This post shows my present plan - http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1242177&postcount=19 - which I think will be the final plan.

2. Just mounting it with short nylon spacers and #6 screws into nutplates should be fine.

It might make a nice project for someone with a 3-D printer to create a box similar to that Dynon uses for it's standard network hub. :)
 
Please contact

Nice work! I really like this kind of stuff.

If it helps, here are some of the configurations for the original SkyView wiring hubs. I released them as open source many years ago, but I love the improvements being discussed here.

I am transitioning to a way of sharing electronics design information by using design software from EasyEDA. Once a design is complete it can be published for sharing so anyone can buy (and modify) boards directly from them. Oh, and the PCBs are much cheaper than other prototyping services.

I hope VAF can continue to support this kind of innovation. Sometimes it involves organizing group buys to defer costs, which is perilously close to being a 'commercial' operation. I think the EasyEDA model may minimize this conflict.

At some point, I hope to release all of my legacy (Vx Aviation) designs in this fashion so that they can live on longer than I will.

.....<snip>....

Thanks Vern, your variations were an initial inspiration to design my own, along with an "I always wanted to" design my own PCB after making DIY boards with copper coated boards, plastic model oil paint, small brushes and ferric chloride etching for RC stuff in the 70's.

Could you please send my a regular email, I would like to get more details from you about your site.

I only intend doing a one shot group purchase at no profit to me to get some circuit cards. Since it does not compete with anything out there at this time I don't regard it as a "commercial" effort - actually given my time expended it can be calculated at quite a loss...:D
 
Thanks Vern, your variations were an initial inspiration to design my own, along with an "I always wanted to" design my own PCB after making DIY boards with copper coated boards, plastic model oil paint, small brushes and ferric chloride etching for RC stuff in the 70's.

Could you please send my a regular email, I would like to get more details from you about your site.

I only intend doing a one shot group purchase at no profit to me to get some circuit cards. Since it does not compete with anything out there at this time I don't regard it as a "commercial" effort - actually given my time expended it can be calculated at quite a loss...:D

email sent. Perhaps we can get together when I'm in Arizona.
Vern
 
....Just mounting it with short nylon spacers and #6 screws into nutplates should be fine.

It might make a nice project for someone with a 3-D printer to create a box similar to that Dynon uses for it's standard network hub. :)

I'd like to see some sort of perimeter or something to keep junk from finding its way onto the hidden side of the board. Also, if there's only going to be a perimeter, and especially if there's not, then I'll put some sort of coating on my board to help guard it against stuff. Perhaps exterior polyurethane.

Dave
 

I put in a suggestion in the 3D printing thread:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=147771&page=45

I've been looking for a box into which to place my Pat Hatch relay card. Nothing online seems to fit well. I have several requirements:

The two d-sub connectors have to be out in the open.

The box and the PC card have to be mountable to the airplane via screws that go through the PC card, then the box, then sheet metal into nutplates.

The top must come off independently from the card and box so you can get at the card it without having to dismount the box.

Steve is a busy guy though - Don't know if he's that interested.
 
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My Dual Screen Dynon Board version 1

Below is a beta board that I designed to hook up a simple dual screen SkyView system. It is only 5" square.

Along the top left is 5 SV connector hub, with the Autopilot connectors to the right. The data lines go to all connectors, with the right having the autopilot power and disconnect connected to just the right three.

The two 9 pin connectors on the left go to the Xponder, and ADSB Rx, and the two 9 pin connectors on the right is serial port 3 and 4. The big long ones are the screen connectors. The other two 9 pin connectors in the middle are the GPS connector and misc connector for sound out from the displays and contact input. You can also put the GPS data from something like a 430 into the GPS connector, and just install the required resistor on the board in the included holes.

The bottom is the power input for each of the screens, Xponder, ADSB in and there is a power connector to serial 3 and 4 connector just in case you need power for an external serial device like an APRS transmitter.

2a01bh5.jpg


This is a test of how you plug in most of the components.

2u56vdc.jpg


120l260.jpg


This board does work, but I need to do a little more tweeting of the board. I already moved a few of the connector already. I also need to work on how to mount it. I have done a 3D base plate to protect the bottom of the board and a way to mount it, but don't have a 3D printer to make one. Someday I will.

Anyway, this is another idea that is out there.

Brian
 
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Brian, my idea was similar to yours for the dual Skyview, but with the exception of splitting the network cables out on a separate board.

The main difference is that I thought there were too many Dsub connectors around already, and elected to use Molex MiniFit Jr. connectors for the non-Skyview panel connections. The Skyview panel connections use essentially a 1:1 37 pin Dsub cable.

This is what I came up with, but it's probably too specialized to offer as a bare board to others, but anyone can have a copy of the .rbb file after I've tested a version. :)

oud.jpg


Fits nicely on a ExpressPCB 2.5 x 3.8 inch panel.

Like you, I think it cleans up a lot of the harnesses behind the panel. The transponder, ADSB and GPS cables are complete with no breakouts and go straight to the respective units.

The MiniFit connectors are 4 pin (1 row and 2 row), 6 pin and 10 pin, with no damage to stuff if the same connector sizes are plugged into the wrong receptacle. :)
 
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Experimental

Gil,

As you have read on the many posts here, there is a thousand ways the hook all this stuff up. This was my first try at doing a simple single/dual screen setup. I really wish Dynon would sell their AFS connection box that you can only get by having them build your ready to install plug in panel outright, but they won't.

This was just a simple idea, but I never thought there was a market to make many as most people here want to do it their way, which is fine with me. I have also modified a Dynon's hub to do the same thing as you have done, but it still uses the attached DSub connectors. Easy, and still only cost the price of the hub. Just a different idea.

That is why they call it experimental. LOL

Brian
 
Gil,

As you have read on the many posts here, there is a thousand ways the hook all this stuff up. This was my first try at doing a simple single/dual screen setup. I really wish Dynon would sell their AFS connection box that you can only get by having them build your ready to install plug in panel outright, but they won't.

This was just a simple idea, but I never thought there was a market to make many as most people here want to do it their way, which is fine with me. I have also modified a Dynon's hub to do the same thing as you have done, but it still uses the attached DSub connectors. Easy, and still only cost the price of the hub. Just a different idea.

That is why they call it experimental. LOL

Brian

Yes, lots of similar ideas... I think what the comments and posts just show is that it's something that could be cleaned up by the panel vendors as you say.

I too thought of modifying a Dynon hub by cutting traces and adding wires - which is what a local Dynon alpha tester did - but I think there is a good chance of damage if you connect a non-servo network cable to a "servo-powered" male network socket. That's why I made the servo cable end a female receptacle. :)

ADDED

The local Dynon alpha tester mentioned above liked it and took my original prototype assembled unit. :)
 
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Gil, a note to your post.

Gil,

Maybe I will change the AP connectors to male instead of female, and that would prevent that from happening. Just another idea. That makes it one thousand and one. LOL

Brian
 
i bought two and only ended up using one if anyone wants it and they aren?t available from the OP. Works really well, and allowed me to consolidate cable runs in the aft section and just run a single long cable up to the panel.
 
Here's a nice little stand-off and protector that Steve Melton developed and Amanda sold me. This is a prototype. It's a 3D printed plastic part that goes between this hub and whatever you're mounting it to. It accepts the #6 screws that secure the hub.

ZPZYKmt.jpg


And here it's shown with the hub. I''m checking the fit with flat-top screws, which are all I have at present; flight will use universal headed screws.

PGbCgyp.jpg


Dave
 
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