Wires through the fwd baggage compartment

I'm trying like heck to NOT have exposed wires running through my forward baggage compartment, but I know it would really make my wiring experience less painful. Has anyone used the far left side of the baggage compt. to run wires? I'm thinking of the 2 big bundles of wires for my EMS and my EGT/CHT wires…punching a fire sleeve just above & slightly inboard the top/left engine mount hole. Maybe enclose both bundles in the inner fire sleeve hose and run the hose aft to the bulkhead. Hopefully, with this setup, I would only need to worry about baggage interferring with these wires on the rare occasion that I completely stuff the compartment full…like once a year to OSH.
BTW...my battery is in the back, and I'm using a 10" Dynon Skyview with a Vertical Power system.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I'm aware of the black conduits…have them in the floors already, but they seem too thin to be supportive.

Hi Bruce

Firstly, to avoid running exposed wires, you can run conduits through. Vans sell 1 size only I think (as used for cooling blast tubes), but is available elsewhere in other sizes.

What we did was run 2 (or maybe 3?) such conduits along the top of the baggage compartment. They are then "hidden from view", and not in the way of baggage, since they are behind the mounting assembly for the baggage door. This also saves a bit on the length of the average wire run from engine / sensor to EFIS/EMS.

Here's What I Did

Here's what I did:



and here's the exit on the firewall side:

Trying for the high road

Thanks for the quick replies.
My concerns are that the lower route is the longest route from my already mounted EMS module ( high & right, behind the panel) and the engine, and that the bundle could be susceptible to getting snagged/josselled by my size 13 feet. Also, since my fuselage is a QB, I've already got a few holes in the firewall for the throttle control cables, and the big fire sleeve I see in the picture above looks awfully close to where those holes are in my plane; so I'd have to move my penetration lower, which would make the total run even longer.
Of course, I have NO experience mounting engines, so maybe my concern about how difficult it is to route wires from one corner of the engine compartment to the other is misplaced. (?)
I've read on other posts that punching thru the firewall near the engine mounts makes it easy to attach/support the bundle on the mount.
Comments?

We also ran all our firewall forward lines on the left side with nothing going through the baggage area at all. Some of the runs are longer- particularly EGT & CHT. Look here: http://rv8.blancks.com/wordpress/2012/08/new-firewall-control-pass-through-bundled-firewall-cables/ and other pages at http://rv8.blancks.com

Mark Dickens said:

Here's what I did:

Click to expand...

Hi Mark, how did you handle chafe/strain relief at the left side of the picture where the wires go verticle around the bulkhead?

Firewall grommets

Can anyone who has used the Dynon EMS system tell me how many, and big the holes in my firewall need to be?
I like the look of the Blue-nut grommets for my 3 engine control cables?they should fit in the pre-drilled holes.
Will probably punch 2 (?) holes in upper, left baggage area for most other wires.
Will two 1" holes be enough?
Pictures would be much appreciated.

AAflyer said:

Can anyone who has used the Dynon EMS system tell me how many, and big the holes in my firewall need to be?
I like the look of the Blue-nut grommets for my 3 engine control cables…they should fit in the pre-drilled holes.
Will probably punch 2 (?) holes in upper, left baggage area for most other wires.
Will two 1" holes be enough?
Pictures would be much appreciated.

Click to expand...

I ran all my leads though a 3/4" dia hole as I recall. Located just (aircraft) left of the baggage door hinge, as high as possible. Didn't use conduit in upper routing. All other conductors routed though an aluminum conduit in the bottom of the baggage well. Sorry, not pics available. No issues with baggage, smoke tank, etc.

Logic used with my installation, fuel and brakes fluids penetrate left side. Electrical, lower right and top center.

akarmy said:

Hi Mark, how did you handle chafe/strain relief at the left side of the picture where the wires go verticle around the bulkhead?

Click to expand...

Hi Andy, I used grommet edging on all edges (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/grommetedging.php?clickkey=215638). I'll probably add some more protection before it's all said and done. Perhaps some silicone self-fusing tape or cable wrap