Van's ELT/Whelen mount question

[fabricflyer]

I see Van's has a mount kit for an ELT or Whelen power supply. Where exactly are they placing this mount? Does anyone have a set of instructions for this mount?
Allen

[grayforge]

The mount gets riveted to side stringers. Vans has a plans page for it and it's on the Plans DVD.

I've heard that ELTs mounted there don't stay put in crashes, so I mounted mine to the center fuse rib that the elevator autopilot servo gets mounted to.

[bret]

This brings up another question about the ELT, looking at the bracket, I don't think it will stay anyway in an impact, is it advisable to add service-crash travel loops in the antenna wire? thinking if it is bouncing around, in a crash there will be enough antenna wire to stay connected to the unit? or does it even mater?

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

For the ELT, I didn't bother with the Van's mount (though I used it for the Whelen power supply). I just made a gusset out of .063, riveting it to the top of a bottom rib and bulkhead on the pilot side just aft of the baggage wall and mounted an Artex 406 to that, which also provided a path for the antenna run up the center vertical post of the baggage wall to the antenna on the top (I kinda dig the look of external antenna, which most people don't).

[grayforge]

Originally Posted by bret

This brings up another question about the ELT, looking at the bracket, I don't think it will stay anyway in an impact, is it advisable to add service-crash travel loops in the antenna wire? thinking if it is bouncing around, in a crash there will be enough antenna wire to stay connected to the unit? or does it even mater?

I wouldn't be surprised if the mounting bracket holds in a typical (whatever that is) impact. While the tray is aluminum, the straps that attach the ELT to the tray/mounting point are stainless steel.

[Charles in SC]

I installed the Van's bracket for strobe and ELT but I do not think I am going to use the ELT bracket because I want to mount it where I can get to it in the event of a crash without needing any tools. Maybe some others have thoughts on this. I am planning to put it in the baggage area.

[fabricflyer]

Thanks for the info
Allen

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by grayforge

I've heard that ELTs mounted there don't stay put in crashes,

Please provide details regarding what you have heard.....

The reason that question is important is that the ELT/PWR MOUNT from Vans was designed using standard engineering principles. It was designed to take the load of the ELT ( <4 lbs) in a crash of 20+ G's.
(Yes, 20. VAF is full of posts of people doing their own engineering and saying "I am sure it can take 9 G's. I wont go into it here.... google it....a survivable crash is way above 9 G's) That means the mount has to take 80 lbs.
There are hundreds of RV's flying with ELT's mounted to this bracket, so if you know of problems, please share them so it can be researched.

I am guessing that the comment was more likely based on comments from peoples WAG of what a properly designed ELT mount should look like (.125 thick angles and .063 plates with 100's of rivets )

Please confirm.

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by grayforge

The mount gets riveted to side stringers. Vans has a plans page for it and it's on the Plans DVD.

I've heard that ELTs mounted there don't stay put in crashes, so I mounted mine to the center fuse rib that the elevator autopilot servo gets mounted to.

Is that stiff enough that in turbulence the ELT won't bang into the skin and dent it?

[grayforge]

Certainly. I have an .062 doubler on the other side: