Autopilot Disconnect Button Loose

[rv12is]

I recently mounted the autopilot disconnect button in the center console. Even with the nut securely tightened, the button moves around. Upon closer inspection it looks like the hole is way oversized for the button that is used.



Is this a problem that anyone else has had?

[thiggins]

Looks like a question for Vans.
Can you remove the small plate underneath and make a new one with your own correctly sized hole?
Or, get a washer that fills the void?

[Tony Kirk]

The mounting plate with the larger hole is for the TO/GA - Take Off / Go Around switch in the Garmin Nav/Com (IFR) avionics package. There is a different mounting plate with a smaller hole for the Autopilot disconnect switch.

You need the "ES-60002B" plate. You can get one from Van's or make it yourself from some .032 2024-T3.
.

[rv12is]

Originally Posted by Tony Kirk

The mounting plate with the larger hole is for the TO/GA - Take Off / Go Around switch in the Garmin Nav/Com (IFR) avionics package. There is a different mounting plate with a smaller hole for the Autopilot disconnect switch.

You need the "ES-60002B" plate. You can get one from Van's or make it yourself from some .032 2024-T3.
.

Thank you very much. That's exactly the information I was looking for. I'm guessing SteinAir installed the wrong plate while building my harness. (Their customer support has been great, but their QA leaves a lot to be desired.)

I don't see "ES-60002B" listed in Van's store, so I'll probably just fabricate one. Unfortunately, replacing this plate will require me to remove and resolder the button. However given the quality of soldering in other places on the harness, this is probably a good thing.

--edit--
Heat shrink was removed for inspection prior to taking the above picture.

[bobg56]

Wow! they could have at least put some shrink tube over that mess to hide it!

[rv12is]

Originally Posted by bobg56

Wow! they could have at least put some shrink tube over that mess to hide it!

They did. This picture was taken after I had removed the heat shrink to inspect these connections. I've edited my previous post to avoid potential confusion.

[Piper J3]

Stein soldered that.....?

[rv12is]

Originally Posted by Piper J3

Stein soldered that.....?

Yes. Other than removing heat shrink to inspect, this is how it came.

There was no wetting of the solder to the wire at all. The only electrical connection came from the mechanical bending of the wire around the terminal and secured with heat shrink. Lights immediately flickered on power up. I have now idea how this made it through any sort of QA check.

[rileyspoon]

Most of my harness was well made and carefully labeled however I spent two weeks of wasted time thinking I had a bad fuel pump. I even sent them off to Lockwood only to figure out Stein had reversed the polarity on one of the power leads. I sent them an email describing the issue and never heard a peep.

[rv12is]

I sent an email to SteinAir about this. Not asking for anything, but just letting them know my harness was built with the wrong plate in case they wanted to check this on future builds. About 20 minutes later got a reply offering to send me a replacement plate. They also suggested it might be possible to notch the plate and just slide the wires through the notch, instead of needing to resolder the switch. I took them up on their replacement plate offer and thanked them for the notch suggestion. Also let them know that I would likely resolder as I wasn't happy with all of the solder joints. Now there's a mounting plate and a new button heading my direction.



Unfortunately this isn't my first problem with my harness. But I often say mistakes can happen, it's how a company responds to them that matters.
SteinAir support continues to be excellent and exceed my expectations.