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First Pin

B

BigD

Well Known Member
I'm at the point in the fuselage kite where there's not much more aluminum work to do - which means I can't keep putting off the panel and harnesses. No more excuses left, so here's the first pin and a start on the first D-sub for screen one of the G3X. Still need to put labels on, and I need to finalize the layout of the sub-panel so I have an idea how long the wires should be. Also, first botched solder sleeve, followed by two that checked OK with the ohm meter. I can see where this is going to take several weeks, but hope to speed up as the education turns into recreation, or something...

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==dave==
 
Careful when you get to the Configuration Module wiring. The female pins have smaller diameter openings for the tiny wires and the wires are are very fragile. Caused me fits tracing down my problems I initially had. I ended up putting a drop of hot melt glue after inserting the pin into the connector to add some strain relief to the wire. Its a good learning experience though doing your own wiring.
 
Dave,

Have fun!

There are LOTS OF PINS!

I am closing in on my last set of ten or so now!

You are doing great so far!

Keep it up!

:) CJ
 
Wire spools

After posting but before your replies I got to the config module, and those wires are small, but they seemed to be 'in there' after crimping. Congrats on the first flight, belatedly.

I wanted to find a way to reduce the fumbling around with coils of wire, and came up with this cheap way to make spools. It's not a thing of beauty for ever and ever, but should do the trick. Went from this:

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to this:

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==dave==
 
cool idea

That is a really neat idea w/the bowls. Hopefully they are new as I doubt leftover baked beans or potato salad or what have you... should be a part of your wiring harness :)
 
Used would be fine for me. The wire is on the outside of the bowl, after all. Great idea. I get my wire on spools, but for smaller projects, this would work great.
 
First pin?

Hey Dave,

First pin? That looks like a socket to me; didn't your dad have that little chat with you? ;-)

In all seriousness, being an EE, the electrical stuff is the easiest part for me. Good to see you are using a high quality, machined crimp pin Dsub connector and a nice Daniels crimper (you got the big AND the small one; great! -- and a good stripper, BTW). I've given many a lecture to my cohorts about the two things that always fail and that you can't ever cut corners on: 1) power supplies, and 2) cables. The box never fails.

I'm just starting the planning on my electrical system .. keep up the good work!

(if, only, I could get a good shop head, or a nice bead of pro-seal, I'd be a god!)
 
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Excellent catch! I guess I could have gotten away with just saying terminated I my first wire, but that sounds bad. I already had the bigger AF8 crimper, only to learn that it won't do high density pins, or at least there's not a positioner for them. So the big one is for normal density and the smaller ones do high density. I also ended up getting the molex crimper for the VPX pins (sockets actually) so I started working on power leads. I set a piece of PVC across the cabin where the sub-panel will be, and put in the lower panel piece to set up a sort of wire loom. We'll see how it works out.

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==dave==
 
A Few More Pins terminated

Making progress. Two more Garmin avionics connectors to go, the engine monitor sensors (later) and the two big D-subs on the VPX. Also found out I hadn't planned for intercom wires...and I haven't started in with switches either.

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If all goes well I'll be trying to light up some screens next weekend. Oh, wait...I need to mount forest of tabs, fuse block, magnetometer, starter contactor and feed-through...maybe in two weekends.

==dave==
 
One week later:

Well, 8 days actually. Haven't received the connectors for the GPS or the Dynon, otherwise they're all done. Started in with the switches with some cheesy mock panels.

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Forest of tabs and battery feed-through done as well, although the tabs may have to move...wasn't thinking about the rib that's not there yet.

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==dave==
 
That is made by Blue Sea Systems, the 400 amp rated one - they also make one that's 200 amp and a little less expensive. Purchased here:

http://www.downwindmarine.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Terminal-Feed-Thru-Connectors-p-90891520.html

I made a doubler plate for it on the cabin side, mounted with 10-32 hardware. Had to drill a 1 3/8 inch hole, used a large (Klein tools) step drill bit. I didn't want to run the 2AWG wire through a snap bushing only to have to bring a 6 AWG back through for the main bus (VPX).

==dave==
 
Cool!

What would you need to run a #2 through the firewall for? Am I guessing the battery in a 10 is inside the cabin?

If so, I never knew that!

:confused: CJ
 
Captain_John said:
Cool!

What would you need to run a #2 through the firewall for? Am I guessing the battery in a 10 is inside the cabin?

If so, I never knew that!

:confused: CJ
Click to expand...

The plans location for the battery is aft of the baggage bulkhead. I also have two Odyssey PC680's with separate master solenoids. Two #1 wires run up and through the FW on my installation,,,one for Ground and one for Positive. My engine is a little different from the per plan's D4A5. Mine is a V4A5 with a horizontal forward facing servo. I am a little heavier than I would have liked weighing in at 1703 lbs empty with full interior, paint and fairings, but I lucked out in the CG department and could not be any happier.
 
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