Install of GMU 44 Magnetometer and AeroLeds Suntail Nav/Strobe

[macrafic]

Section 4.4.1, item 1 and 2 of the G3X install manual:

"The ... lights should not have a power ground referenced to the chassis of the light assembly that would be referenced back to the airframe ground via the light assembly mounting.

A dedicated power ground should be used and returned as a twisted pair with the power source back into the fuselage ..."

. I am installing my GMU 44 on the rear deck near the tail section of my RV-7A, as suggested by the manual. I also have an AeroLeds Suntail nav/strobe light, which is supposed to have its mount grounded nearby to the aircraft chassis (along with its cable shield and ground wire). This is in direct contrast to the referenced section of the install manual above. Is this going to cause me issues? What is my alternative? Have you seen issues with this? What have you done who have gone before me?

[Dean_aeroleds]

Originally Posted by macrafic

Section 4.4.1, item 1 and 2 of the G3X install manual:

"The ... lights should not have a power ground referenced to the chassis of the light assembly that would be referenced back to the airframe ground via the light assembly mounting.

A dedicated power ground should be used and returned as a twisted pair with the power source back into the fuselage ..."

. I am installing my GMU 44 on the rear deck near the tail section of my RV-7A, as suggested by the manual. I also have an AeroLeds Suntail nav/strobe light, which is supposed to have its mount grounded nearby to the aircraft chassis (along with its cable shield and ground wire). This is in direct contrast to the referenced section of the install manual above. Is this going to cause me issues? What is my alternative? Have you seen issues with this? What have you done who have gone before me?

You can run both grounds through the shield of the shielded wire run, that will keep all of the ground current flowing tightly around the power wires, which will null out the magnetic field. Since the tail mount is fiberglass, you won't have to worry about accidentally connecting to airframe ground at the tail...

The most recent Suntail units have an internal ground connection to the body of the light, and you can check for it by measuring the resistance between the black ground wire and one of the two screws on the rear of the unit that holds the cone to the main body of the light. If you have one with the internal connection, you won't need to ground the body of the light externally.

Dean Wilkinson
CTO, AeroLEDs LLC