Tooling up for electrical

[tonyjohnson]

In preparation for the electrical phase of my project, I am ready to tool up. I would appreciate insight about what tools and materials I need and where to find them at the best price.

If anyone out there has completed their project and would like to sell their electrical tools, please let me know.

If anyone has a library of symbols for the ExpressSch cad program, I would appreciate it if you would share them.

I notice that Stein has a Master wiring kit. Has anyone used it? If so, did you find it helpful? Worth the $495?

Thanks

[Davepar]

I purchased the SteinAir master kit. It looks pretty good, but I haven't gotten far on the wiring yet. I will say this: it's just like the Avery or Cleaveland tool kit in that it's just the beginning. You'll be buying more tools and parts along the way.

I started working on some symbols for ExpressSch. So far I made a fuse. It's a small start. It appears to be very easy to export/import symbols. For example, here's my fuse symbol:
http://www.dualrudder.com/fuse.s

Download that file and copy it to your C:\Program Files\ExpressPCB\SchComponents_Custom directory. It should appear in the "Component & Symbol Manager" as a custom component.

[Bob Axsom]

A small soldering iron, cored Sn63 solder, a red/blue/yellow terminal crimper, a stripper for 22 through 12 gauge wire, are the kinds of things you need to buy right now if you ready to wire. One thing you should not buy until you know exactly what you need are special crimpers - they are extremely expensive and this is one area you do not want to cut corners on.

Bob Axsom

[vlittle]

Tony:
Steinair is a good source of supplies and tools.

I have a complete *proven* electrical system design (electrics and avionics) for a typical experimental aircraft. You can download this design for free from:

www.vx-aviation.com

Follow the links starting at the top right.

I also have a library of parts available that I will post later and send you the link. I have to move my RV-9A to the airport today, so it will be later. In the meantime, the schematic referenced above has lots of symbols imbedded that you can use.

Of course, you can edit everything (the beauty of ExpressSch). Once you are done, it would be nice if you can share it with the world as well.

Any questions, please contact me.

Vern Little
Vx Aviation
www.vx-aviation.com

[szicree]

Tony,

If you send me your email address I can send you a copy of my wiring diagram. It's got a lot of the switches, contactors, etc. already drawn. I'm pretty sure you can just save them into your version of Express.

Steve Zicree

[Davepar]

Vern's diagrams contain all the symbols we need, contactors, fuses, switches, etc. Very nice.

[RV7ator]

Ye, gods. That thread steal deserves some sort of award for immediacy; morphed from tools to schematics in five replies.

Back to tools. Tony, B&C Specialties is a supplier hand-in-glove with Nuckoll's Aeroelectric Connection. Their prices are higher than Allied Electronics, put you do get the convenience of them sifting the constellation of choices for you.

Make a list of all the different types of teminations you're going to have in your aircraft. You'll need crimping and soldering capabilities to suit. Here's some idea of the scope taken from my -7: Faston crimp (also does for Amp-style butt connections, Cannon D (solder cup and crimp), Molex (two different sizes), solder lugs, BNC, insertion/extraction tools for various contacts and connectors. Then there's wire manufacture: stripers, heat gun (for shrink sleeving). Most of this stuff is NOT available at Radio Trash or Joe's Auto.

I wound up buying most everything from B&C, and over several different invoices because I thought I might kluge my way around another specialty tool (particularly for crimping). You'll probably wind up needing most of what they offer, but you can buy it piece by piece rather than a package that by posts above seems rather pricey and still may not yield all that you need. Read over B&C's and Aeroelectric's web sites for information and compare to other offerings.

John Siebold

[szicree]

B and C is terrific. They've sent me all I need very quickly. Regarding crimpers, be prepared to pay. Each connector requires a different tool. I learned a bit late that it's best to buy a good ratcheting crimper and then buy all the dies to fit it. I'm now using a paladin 1300 and I love it. Here's one on Ebay (Item number 7557508999) that could be a real steal if the price stays put.


Steve Zicree

[vlittle]

I've posted the ExpressSch symbol library at

http://vx-aviation.com/page_3.html

It contains most of the symbols used in my electrical system schematic.

It's a starting point. Custom symbols are very easy to make.

Good luck,
Vern
www.vx-aviation.com

[tonyjohnson]

Thanks for all the good information guys. Vern, I appreciate your posting the custom symbols on your website.