Vertical Power - VPX - Pro

Fly Past · #1 08-07-2011, 05:59 AM

Ok The RV-7 kit is ordered and the deposit is paid. Long ocean voyage to South Africa and then the odyssey starts. Has anyone any knowledge (other than the manufacturers website) or experience of/with the Vertical Power VPX-Pro system? Comments on quality, operation, support and reliability needed please.

rleffler · #2 08-07-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Past

Ok The RV-7 kit is ordered and the deposit is paid. Long ocean voyage to South Africa and then the odyssey starts. Has anyone any knowledge (other than the manufacturers website) or experience of/with the Vertical Power VPX-Pro system? Comments on quality, operation, support and reliability needed please.

Marc, Jake, and the entire VP team are nothing but top notch in their support. I've been dealing with them since they announced the VP-200 many years ago. I met them at a fellow builder's pre-OSH cookout and never heard of them before. Like most folks, I was very skeptical of this new company. Over the years I've had many opportunities to talk with Marc and Jake.

My preference was to install a VP-200, but I reverted to a VPX-Pro due to my budget constraints. Either product is outstanding and performs as advertised. While I understand the tolls for you to call the US may be costly (Skype is your friend), Marc is always willing to spend time on the phone to support his customers. The new VPX planner also helps making the installation go a little smoother too.

I'm not aware of anyone that has had a negative dealing with VP. Well, there is a minor one. The VPX-Pro is so popular, they can't build them fast enough. That's a good problem for a growing company. Lead time for my VPX appears to be about six weeks.

The VPX-Pro is a great solution if you value your time and don't want to waste your money and panel space for all those breakers.

bob

rwhittier · #3 08-07-2011, 08:43 AM

I was going to use standard circuit breakers until a friend talked me into spending time with Marc at Copperstate. Knowledgable and pleasant, it was not long until I was convinced to go with the VPx Pro. It is installed now (but the AC is not flying yet) and starting to put power to it. Works great. It solves so many little problems, like flap and trim contols to easily wiring grip functions. I am not an electrical kind of guy by any stretch of the imagination (good at building wiring harnesses though). The tools the give you to wire and the design reviews they offer make the job much easier.

When I have asked for help I always got them on the phone and even a quick email question was turned around in hours. I highly recommend VP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Past

Comments on quality, operation, support and reliability needed please.

RV7Guy · #4 08-07-2011, 10:23 AM

I purchased a VPX for the new 7 I'm building. Marc has been very helpful. My neighbor installed a VP-X in a 7 he is finishing for another neighbor. He wired the entire system in 4 hours with a pretty complex panel.

Also, on the new plane, I'm again using the Approach Systems Hub to further simplify the overall wiring. Approach is going to terminate the appropriate wires with the VPX pins!!!

flyvans.com · #5 08-07-2011, 05:47 PM

we have got the vp200 installed, very early adopters (serial #23).
100hrs of actual (vfr only) field experience with a normal system load of about 17A.

performs nicely and very reliably so far :-) especially the core electrics functionality is rock solid. bonus software functions like the display of checklists etc... still have potential for evolution.

also great praise for marc and the team.
during their first osh, we figured very quickly that this wasn't vapourware, and by all indications (vpx support by practically all efis's) the market proves them right.
simplified wiring/install is another benefit.

rgds bernie

bird · #6 08-07-2011, 05:59 PM

I have and electrical background and use electronics very similar to this at work. I am building a rv8 and working of fuse now. I am planning on installing a vp. I have a lot of confidence in them after studying the way they are designed. Not sure which vp is for me yet, probably the single bus one will work best for me, being my 8 is going to be a vfr aircraft.

bird

SMO · #7 08-07-2011, 09:05 PM

......for VP but the airplane is not flying yet. VP has its own forum which I monitor and Marc is very responsive to all queries.

I have the VP hooked up in my panel and it works great on the ground, modes do what they are supposed to, looking forward to the day I can use it in the air.

Fly Past · #8 08-08-2011, 12:37 AM

Thanks for all the feedback thus far. I guess this is the way to go.

ccrawford · #9 08-08-2011, 08:26 PM

You might wait until you start your canopy to order anything - who knows, they may come out with a VP-Z by then!

rleffler · #10 08-09-2011, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccrawford

You might wait until you start your canopy to order anything - who knows, they may come out with a VP-Z by then!

There is nothing wrong with planning everything now. Work on the data and power schematics on those days you don't want to work on the plane. ( i.e. raining, too cold, etc)

I would agree to not purchase anything for the panel until it's needed. I ended up chaning about 95% from what I originally planned to install. Some of the items I changed due to budget reductions (Vp-200 vs VP-X, 327 vs 330, SL40 vs SL40), other items were due to unforeseen opportunities (I got a good deal on another vendors used product), and lastly technology updates (i.e 430 vs 650).

Do find out what the lead times are, some vendors don't stock products and build to order.

Btw, there is a new VP product in the works, but you probably won't want it in a RV-7. All I was told by Marc was that it would be a high end product that wasn't replacing the VP-200. It's hard to imagine more bells and whistles than the VP-200.