WIRING!

This seems pretty intimidating. Just take one thing at a time and hook stuff up? Or, is there a better strategy? I really don't want a spaghetti bowl behind my panel.

PM sent.

Carl

There’s an old saying that “every wire has just two ends”. While it is not true in ALL situations, it is true in most. For a custom airplane, a one-off, I just pull every wire as required, making sure to do it neatly and parallel to others going in the same direction, and eventually bundle and clamp them when everything is in place.

One wire at a time.....you’ll get there!

Paul

Might also help to look at it by system or wire use. Like power wires, signal wires and antenna wires. Antenna wires need larger holes and larger bend radii when planning routing, they also have big, bulky, expensive connectors.

Other ways to think about "systems" are lighting wires, comm/nav power/signal, audio wires (headset plug bundles to intercom, etc.).

My biggest challenge was determining the number and size of breakers that I needed, and which, if any, could share a breaker.

Good suggestions above. My downfall in wiring is that I start stringing wires, then (later) have to figure out how to secure the big bundles. So, what I'd suggest is to determine where your big bundles are likely to go and go ahead and install Adel clamps (or whatever you use) in those areas so you don't wire yourself into a figurative corner.

Being an electrical engineer, I suggest you start by developing your wiring diagram on paper. Figure out what you are going to need to wire (avionics LRUs, lights, AP servos, switches, alternator(s), master relay, starter relay, battery, sensors, etc, and then put each on your diagram. Then start adding the interconnecting wires to the diagram, and label each wire with a unique wire number and wire size. Once you have your wiring diagram complete, you can then figure out what your wiring harnesses need to look like, how many wires go to each part of your aircraft, etc.

Some people have used a wiring schedule/table that has the same info on it, building it in a large spreadsheet. This can also work, but I personally find it harder to read/understand than a wiring diagram.

If you just start running wires without a well thought out plan (in the form of a wiring diagram), you will likely end up with your dreaded spaghetti bowl.

Regards,