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Why only one "Garmin Can Terminator"

Pilot135pd

Well Known Member
I was adding a pin 4 to each of my G5s today to finally connect them both to the AERA660 and I noticed that the top G5 (picture labeled G5 #1) has a "Garmin Can Terminator". The bottom G5 (picture with no label) doesn't have one of those and both harnesses have the same 9 pin connector.

I did some googling and I think it's a Garmin Can Termination Kit, 9 PIN P/N 011-02887-00 but couldn't find out why the top G5 has it and the bottom one doesn't.

Could someone give me an idea why one and not the other?


On another note, could that have anything to do with why the bottom G5, after 3 versions of new batteries, is still discharging the battery even with the circuit breaker pulled? Garmin doesn't seem to know why some still do it, could this be part of the problem? I was tempted to remove it and install it on the bottom G5 but then remembered how much these things cost and decided to better ask here.
 

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CAN devices are chained together one after the other, and the bus needs to be terminated on both ends. Some devices (such as the GSA 28 autopilot servo) have pins on their connectors that you wire together to terminate at that device. For devices without dedicated termination pins, you need to use that Garmin thinggy inline with the connector to terminate at that end.

It's helpful to map out your CANbus, noting which devices are connect to each other in what order, so you can understand which one is "first" and which one is "last". That way you know which two devices need termination.
 
Since you mention the pins that are wired together, I read something about that and at first thought maybe since you have to ground pin 3 to let it know to revert from HSI to AI but then that would be on the 2nd G5 not the top one I think.

Anyway, just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something because when I bought this plane I ended up having to spend over $13k total just to get it legal and safe so I thought maybe they cut some corners here too.

Thank you.
 
Sounds like you will want to review section 2.2 of the G5 installation manual (currently on revision 10) which will tell you all about this.

Maybe that's why I didn't find anything. I searched high and low on the certified installation manuals Revision 9 and Revision R21:

Garmin G5 Electronic Flight Instrument Part 23 AML STC Installation Manual

Since this is on a Cardinal and it has to be installed by a dealer, maybe that's why they don't mention it. There's nothing about the Garmin Can Terminator in those manuals.

As soon as I opened the experimental installation manual you showed me, there it was. Thanks !
 
CAN Termination and Battery Discharge

I was adding a pin 4 to each of my G5s today to finally connect them both to the AERA660 and I noticed that the top G5 (picture labeled G5 #1) has a "Garmin Can Terminator". The bottom G5 (picture with no label) doesn't have one of those and both harnesses have the same 9 pin connector.

I did some googling and I think it's a Garmin Can Termination Kit, 9 PIN P/N 011-02887-00 but couldn't find out why the top G5 has it and the bottom one doesn't.

Could someone give me an idea why one and not the other?


On another note, could that have anything to do with why the bottom G5, after 3 versions of new batteries, is still discharging the battery even with the circuit breaker pulled? Garmin doesn't seem to know why some still do it, could this be part of the problem? I was tempted to remove it and install it on the bottom G5 but then remembered how much these things cost and decided to better ask here.

If you only have 2 CAN LRU's in your system (2 G5's), you should have a CAN terminator on both G5's. If there are more than 2, it is possible the 2nd terminator is on another LRU. In general, the CAN LRU's are daisy chained from one to the next, and the terminating resistors are placed at the terminal ends of the chain. Some LRU's require the external connector you saw on your G5, some have a resistor built into the unit, which you can make us of by jumping two pins on the main connector together, so it may not be as obvious.

It sounds like your G5 may be affected by this service bulletin, shoot us an email and we can process your unit for you. We understand the issues surrounding the battery discharging have been frustrating but our team worked hard to get everything sorted out, and after exchanging your unit with us, everything should be operating as expected.

Thanks,

Justin
 
If you only have 2 CAN LRU's in your system (2 G5's), you should have a CAN terminator on both G5's. If there are more than 2, it is possible the 2nd terminator is on another LRU. In general, the CAN LRU's are daisy chained from one to the next, and the terminating resistors are placed at the terminal ends of the chain. Some LRU's require the external connector you saw on your G5, some have a resistor built into the unit, which you can make us of by jumping two pins on the main connector together, so it may not be as obvious.

It sounds like your G5 may be affected by this service bulletin, shoot us an email and we can process your unit for you. We understand the issues surrounding the battery discharging have been frustrating but our team worked hard to get everything sorted out, and after exchanging your unit with us, everything should be operating as expected.

Thanks,

Justin

Thank you for your reply regarding the can thing, I like to learn new things. Regarding the G5 battery draining issue, I'll wait until you can say "...WILL operate as expected..." instead of "...SHOULD be operating as expected.". I've been hearing from Garmin for over a year that "this will fix it", then a few months later "this will definitely fix it", and then now this "should" fix it.

If I could just send it to Garmin and get it back it wouldn't be so bad but since it's a "certified" unit I have to send it to Aircraft Spruce who takes weeks to send it to you, then you send it to Aircraft Spruce who again takes weeks to send it to me. I went through this for the last 2 versions of batteries that were supposed to finally fix it. Every time I also have to wait until an A&P or a Garmin dealer has time to install a battery that takes less than 10 minutes to remove the G5 with an allen wrench, unplug the battery and replug the new one, and reinstall the G5, and pay them to do it.

So I'll wait until others start posting their experiences and confirm the fix you have now is the real fix.
 
G5 Service

Thank you for your reply regarding the can thing, I like to learn new things. Regarding the G5 battery draining issue, I'll wait until you can say "...WILL operate as expected..." instead of "...SHOULD be operating as expected.". I've been hearing from Garmin for over a year that "this will fix it", then a few months later "this will definitely fix it", and then now this "should" fix it.

If I could just send it to Garmin and get it back it wouldn't be so bad but since it's a "certified" unit I have to send it to Aircraft Spruce who takes weeks to send it to you, then you send it to Aircraft Spruce who again takes weeks to send it to me. I went through this for the last 2 versions of batteries that were supposed to finally fix it. Every time I also have to wait until an A&P or a Garmin dealer has time to install a battery that takes less than 10 minutes to remove the G5 with an allen wrench, unplug the battery and replug the new one, and reinstall the G5, and pay them to do it.

So I'll wait until others start posting their experiences and confirm the fix you have now is the real fix.

We identified a problem with the hardware, that was causing the battery to discharge, and we have a fix available for it.

It is definitely more of a hassle to deal with in a certified aircraft, relative to experimental, but you will not be paying the dealer to do so, as outlined in the document referenced above.

Thanks,

Justin
 
We identified a problem with the hardware, that was causing the battery to discharge, and we have a fix available for it.

It is definitely more of a hassle to deal with in a certified aircraft, relative to experimental, but you will not be paying the dealer to do so, as outlined in the document referenced above.

Thanks,

Justin

Dealers will get paid to do it, that's great news. My next plane (under contract already, YAY ! ) is experimental again so I won't have to wait until there's an opening in a dealer's schedule or fly an hour to where they can do something that we can do in 10 minutes quickly and easily.
 
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