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Instrument panel options

Rv8bill

Member
Lots to consider when building the panel for my RV8. Every time a look at an interior I'm reminded of an item that could be overlooked. It occurs to me a good first step will be to put together an equipment list for every item to be mounted not only on the instrument panel but the side panels and elsewhere. Can anyone steer me toward a resource that will help me to choose not only obvious instruments, but ancillary items such as switches, circuit breakers, lighting, monitors, etc. Thanks for the help.
 
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Bill,

You are thinking along the right lines.

PM me your email address and I’ll go over how I do this, while maintains the design goal of the panel being easily removed as an assembly in just a few minutes.

The rule: Never on your back with your head under the panel.

Carl
 
Probably all the major equipment vendors have installation manuals that you can download. Those will tell you the external switches, power and ground requirements for that component. Then "Aeroelectric Connection" by Bob Nuckolls is a good guide to the general electrical distribution system and the various components that comprise it. It's available here. But even at that, there are vendors that offer a sort of "black box" version of the distribution system so there are more alternatives.

Here on VAF, there are frequently schematics offered for comment, and you can learn a lot from those. A search will find several, and there is an entire Electrical section here too, that's worth browsing. If you need specialized equipment such as oxygen, there are some vendors for that stuff too. I've had really excellent support from Mountain High Oxygen, for example, but just about every equipment vendor has good to excellent service. If you find otherwise, then that's another consideration.

Besides Aircraft Spruce, there are at least a couple of good to excellent general-purpose aircraft electrical parts vendors. Browse further through VAF and you'll find recommendations. Some of them might offer to build entire instrument panels and wire them up. I've seen one for an RV-10 and the fabrication quality and overall documentation and packaging was superb. Bear in mind that approach is not the most economical, although the quality is usually top notch.

Good luck!

Dave
RV-3B still workin' at it
 
I spent a lot of armchair time, thinking through the instrument panel decisions.

I ended up approaching it as if I were going the "normal procedures" checklist items. I also tried to take normal "flow" into account.

I decided to go with a VP-X systems with their PPS. And, I also wanted to have all the switches in front of me, rather than on the side, as others have done. Almost all the switches are on the lower instrument panel. The only things not shown is a dimmer switch for cockpit lighting, and a charger port for the iPad

The below pic is what I came up with. Some folks have already told me they don't like it. Some others have told me they do. But, I can't see any reason its not gonna work for me.

51565688746_62f45cb9fb_c.jpg
 
Thanks for the post. If it works for you then it's right. Quite frankly I haven't seen any I downright dislike. Lot's of choices. My concern is including only items appropriate for my type of flying (Long CC day/night VFR) without the expense of unnecessary features or items that will not be used.
 
Ken W your panel looks very similar to mine.
 

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