VPX thoughts

hrhodes2@comcast.net · #1 03-03-2015, 04:18 PM

Ladies, Gentlemen:

I am finishing specs on my current build Glasair III RG. I built and flew an F1 Rocket that had Blue Mountain EFIS 1 then Dynon 10" Skyview with Truetrak EFIS SG as a backup to replace the Blue Mountain.

I gave my history to launch into my question. I am considering Vertical Power Pro unit for breakers. It will support 2 screen 10" G3X with all the usual suspects in the background. I don't want to repeat my Blue Mountain orphan story if VPX is not a long term keeper. Will the new parent company keep the product and support it? Are they experimental savvy?

What are folks experience with the VPX pro in terms of reliability and support? Thanks guys I turned to this forum due to its size vs the Glasair board.

Regards
Howard Rhodes

Brantel · #2 03-03-2015, 04:32 PM

Astronics seems to be committed to keeping Vertical Power up and running. They even hired Chad Jensen away from the EAA to be their experimental support person. Chad built his own RV7 and seems to have really come up to speed on supporting the VP-X product line.

As for reliability, my VP-X Pro has been rock solid. It does everything they say it will and just works flight after flight. It is so well integrated with the G3X that it is sometimes easy to forget that it is a separate system. As for support, I really have not had any reason to need any serious support but I know that Chad is there to cover me if I do.

rleffler · #3 03-03-2015, 05:26 PM

My experiences are very similiar to Brian's. I've also known Chad long before he worked Astronics and EAA. I have the VPX in my RV-10 and like it very much.

bruceh · #4 03-03-2015, 07:18 PM

I had some teething pain with my VP-X unit, but they fixed it twice and then when it went out the third time replaced it under warranty. The new unit has been rock solid.

I really like the unit and it makes wiring really simple. The integration with my Skyview system is great. No complaints except having to be grounded when it is out. It is a rather vital part of your electrical system.

Bottom line is I would install it again.

Toddsanderson · #5 03-03-2015, 07:48 PM

I would probably not install this system. Yes, it has some neat features, but I would not want a single point electrical control system. I just did a Glasair III dual G3X touch panel with standard circuit breakers and it took no more effort than what this system would take to install IMO. While I cannot configure it to wig/wag lights or anything like that, I have a very stable and simple system with an automatic battery backup.

If this company ever does go under and no longer supports the product you are then faced with redoing your whole panel. If it goes out on the road you are stuck until it can be fixed. Just does not make sense to me.

AJ85WA · #6 03-03-2015, 08:01 PM

I have the VPX in my RV6.

Very simple installation with excellent install manual!

I have not had one single problem with it in my 52hrs using it. The customization is unbelievable with flap speed, wig wag, current monitoring faults, total power usage etc that I would not build without it!

In regards to single point of failure.

I can disconnect the VPX entirely and still fly to my destination safely with backup instruments, independent magnetos, backup battery for efis...

You will not regret getting one!

SMO · #7 03-03-2015, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toddsanderson

If it goes out on the road you are stuck until it can be fixed.

In my case there are backup switches for the EFIS, GNS430, and the boost pump. My ADI has a battery backup and the 696 GPS will operate on its own battery as well (I have a VP-200 but the technology is similar).

The point is to design out the single point of failures for this technology as we do for any other.

The one disappointment I have had is the VP-200 was discontinued before all the promised features were implemented. However that was prior to Astronics acquisition of the product line. I understand that support is still available, however I have not needed to make any use of that in the 55 hours I have flown with the VP-200 - it just works. Someone should buy the IP and start making these specific boxes again.

Bill.Peyton · #8 03-03-2015, 08:32 PM

I have the VPX installed with about 400 hours on the system. It is one of the greatest innovations to come along in a long time. The VPX has dual independent busses. In addition I have two redundant independent busses, the secondary bus utilizes a fuse block. I have been more than pleased with the reliability, performance and integration with my G3X system
Having said that, I always worry that someday this will be an unsupported product. I've even considered buying a spare just in case!

bwestfall · #9 03-03-2015, 08:33 PM

Although I am not yet flying I have had the pleasure of dealing with their support (post sale) purely out of my stupidity. This was well after the warranty was up on my unit... free of charge. I had purchased it in 2009/2010 and never even unboxed it till 2014.

I'm embarrassed to say that I used male pins in place of what should have been the female pins when wiring up a test harness to configure the unit. It wouldn't power up (pin's didn't make contact) so I thought it was DOA. I shipped it back to them and they bench tested the unit and found no issues. It took me about 10 minutes once it came back to discover why it still wouldn't work after their blessing it.

Moral of the story it helps to understand male vs female

when mating!

If my unit crapped out on a trip and it could not be repaired/replaced I'd be able to fly on my backups as well. The hardest part would be the loss of trim and flaps. Flaps would be pretty easy to re-route the wiring but trim would be a bit more involved.

Toddsanderson · #10 03-03-2015, 08:36 PM

Sounds like there are satisfied customers for sure.

How do you handle a trim runaway failure?