C

ChuckC

Active Member
Problems
1. Autopilot (AP) Disconnect Switch. The AP Disconnect Switch does not operate when I push it during the servo calibration process (SkyView System Installation Guide Page 10-14), and, I can not continue with the calibration.
2. Cockpit Light. The Cockpit Light does not come on when I put on the navigation lights.

Background
I did the SkyView conversion harnesses.

Solutions ? the following are solutions I have tried on the AP Disconnect Switch:
1. Did the latest update to Dynon with the avionics and autopilot switches in the ?on? position.
2. Sent screenshots to Dynon tech support. They think everything is correct, and, that the problem lies in the AP Disconnect Switch not being grounded. When I get to the Servo Calibration screen, the two servos are seen. The screen says to push the AP Disconnect to continue. When I push the AP Disconnect, nothing happens.
huin45.jpg

3. Checked wiring on Roll Servo (aft of bulkhead) and it appears good. There is no separate ground wire at this location. Reference P44A-03.
4. Checked wiring on the Pitch Servo (under pilot seat) and it appears good. Reference P44A-04.
5. The wiring to/from the AP Disconnect looks like:
2ptxb36.jpg

When we put the voltmeter on the wiring going into the molex connector, we found 3 volts on the yellow-green wire and 12 volts on the purple-yellow wire.
6. The AP Disconnect button does light up when I turn on the navigation lights.
7. Replaced the AP Disconnect Switch with a new one from Van's Aircraft - no change in operation.
8. Van's tech support thinks there is a wiring problem, but no suggestions on where to look.
9. Went to the screen Servo Calibration - Servo Status - Disconnect Switch, and, pressed the AP Disconnect Switch. Nothing happened on the screen.
2hwd8gh.jpg


Solutions ? the following are solutions I have tried on the Cockpit Light:
1. Did a continuity test on the light itself, and, it appears good.
2. Did a continuity test on the AP Disconnect black wire to WH B180 to Cockpit black wire, and, it appears to be good.
3. Did a continuity test on the AP Disconnect white wire to WH B179 to Cockpit red wire, and, it appears to be good.

Any suggestions?
 
The ylw/grn - and ylw/purple + go to the cockpit lighting.
Black - for A/P switch white is A/P A and A/P data


Do a continuity check from molex plug to autopilot DB connector using following
Autopilot 37 pin DB connector at AV 5000

ylw/grn pin 33
ylw/purp pin 32
blk pin 37
wht pin 15/9

I eliminated the conversion wiring harnesses by repining the DB connectors and the best I can tell from my schematic this is how I have it wired. All appears to work OK though I am not in the air yet.
 
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I agree with Larry V. His pinout is correct according to the schematic.
Going by the data that you provided, it seems that the white wire and the yellow/green wire have been inadvertently swapped in the conversion harness or at the AV50000A.
The white wire should have 3 volts on it, (not the yellow/green wire).
The white and black wires are for the switch, not the light.
The Yel/Grn and Yel/Purple wires are for the light.
12 volts on the Yellow/Purple wire is correct.
Joe Gores
 
Mich48041 said:
I agree with Larry V. His pinout is correct according to the schematic.
Going by the data that you provided, it seems that the white wire and the yellow/green wire have been inadvertently swapped in the conversion harness or at the AV50000A.
The white wire should have 3 volts on it, (not the yellow/green wire).
The white and black wires are for the switch, not the light.
The Yel/Grn and Yel/Purple wires are for the light.
12 volts on the Yellow/Purple wire is correct.
Joe Gores
Click to expand...

I'm in the process of trying to connect a control stick switch to parallel the panel auto pilot disconnect. Which wires (I assume black/white) or is just one of them, the other side of the switch to ground?? Joe.....a little help please.
 
Ric,
Yes, the black and white wires go to the switch. The black wire is grounded.
I suggest that you tap into the white wire and run it to the control stick
switch. Ground the other terminal of the control stick switch.
From the SkyView manual:
The Disengage/CWS Button may be used
to engage the autopilot if it is configured to do so in the Autopilot Setup
Menu. If HOLD TO ENGAGE is set to YES, pressing and holding the
Disengage/CWS Button for more than 2 seconds engages both autopilot axes.
Click to expand...
Joe Gores
 
Autopilot Disconnect

Chuck,

There is a yellow wire that comes out of the Dynon servo. This is the autopilot disconnect wire directly into the servo. If you can connect a wire to both of the servo's yellow wire, through a switch to ground, you will have an autopilot disconnect.

What I would do, is go to each of the servos, and about 8 to 10 inches from it, there should be some kind of splice/connector that connects the servo to the wiring harness. As I don't have what you have, I am guessing on what is there. What you might do is somehow attach/splice another wire into the yellow servo wire, then connect both the servo wires together, and connect to a switch, and the other side of the switch to ground. This would just bypass what you have already and allow you to calibrate your system. If it works, use this point to ohm out the disconnect wires to find the bad spot. It sounds like something is not right in your harness.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I will try to help.

Brian
 
Swapped the yellow-green and white wires. The AP Disconnect Switch still does not work, and, it now does not illuminate when I turn on the Navigation lights. Here's a picture of the swapped wires:
3ezup.jpg


Not sure what to try next, but am thinking I'll get into the wiring behind the panel and check WH-00026. Do some continuity checks between the wiring harness and the AP Disconnect Switch. I went through a detailed gyration on the AP Disconnect Switch wiring with Van's tech support when I initially installed the conversion harnesses - obviously something is not right. For now, the AP system is ballast. All other systems seem to be working fine.
 
It is not recommended to swap wires without first verifying that doing so is correct. The wires were likely correct to start with if the light worked before and now it doesn't.
Brian offers good advice in post #6 above. The AP disconnect switch needs to be connected between ground and the yellow wires from the servos. First verify that the black wire on the AP Disconnect switch is grounded. If that is OK, then check the continuity of the white wire of the AP Disconnect switch to the yellow wire on each servo. This wire is the likely problem because it has so many splices and junctions. From the switch it goes through the conversion harness to Pin 9 of the autopilot 37-pin D-Sub on the AV50000A Control Module. It comes out of the AV50000A Control Module on Pin 2 of the Options 37-pin D-Sub. From there it goes to the yellow wires on the servos. If desired, the white wire on the AP Disconnect Switch can be connected directly to the yellow wires on servos, bypassing many junctions and theAV50000A Control Module. There is an optional 5K resistor in the AV50000A Control Module which is used for detecting a broken wire or connection in the AP disconnect circuit. That resistor is optional according to Dynon's installation manual on page 10-9 or 10-10. In my opinion, that resistor does little good and there is no need for the white wire from the AP Disconnect switch to go through the AV50000A Control Module. The resistor will not detect a bad switch or a broken wire between the AV50000A and the switch.
Anyway, check the continuity from the white wire on the switch to the yellow wire on each servo and at AP pin 9 and Option pin 2.
Joe Gores
 
I would go to the servos and double check all the wiring for each servo both sides of the connectors, the grounds, etc.

I noted there was a lot of potential for mistakes to be made there fwiw.
 
Not sure how to verify the black wire on the AP Disconnect switch is grounded. I understand how to use a multimeter for voltage and continuity; beyond that I am pretty naive.

Did a continuity check between the AP Disconnect Switch white wire and the the pitch servo yellow wire - no continuity.

Did a continuity check between the AP Disconnect Switch white wire and pin 9 on the conversion harness (autopilot) where it connects to the AV50000A - no continuity.

Did a continuity check between the AP Disconnect Switch (all the wires) and pins 9 and 12 on the conversion harness (autopilot) where it connects to the AV50000A - no continuity on any of the wires.

And, yes, I did visually check to make sure there were actual pins in positions 9 and 12 on the conversion harness.

Where should I look next?
 
To check if a wire is grounded, switch your multimeter to resistance measurement. Connect the tips of the measurement leads and see what resistance it shows - it should be something below 1 Ohm. That is the resistance you want to see if a wire is grounded. To check for the ground connection, press one tip onto a known ground, i.e. bare metal on the fuselage, the exhaust, etc., while connecting the tip of the other lead to the wire in question. It should show an almost zero resistance. Some multimeters have an audible beep option when a short is detected. That's what this could be used fore, so you don't have to watch the display.
 
Did a continuity check between the AP Disconnect Switch white wire and pin 9 on the conversion harness (autopilot) where it connects to the AV50000A - no continuity.
Click to expand...
OK, this is a problem. There could be more than one problem, but for now, let's just fix this one. You could run a new white wire from the AP disconnect switch to Pin 9 of the Autopilot D-Sub on the AV50000A. Or you can troubleshoot the existing wire and repair the bad connection. Connect one ohmmeter lead to the white wire terminal on the AP Disconnect switch. Use the other ohmmeter lead to check for continuity along the white wire. Start by checking on each side of any connectors or splices in the white wire. According to Van's schematic, there is at least one connector and one butt splice in the white wire. A trick that I have used in the past is to put an exacto knife blade in the jaws of the meter alligator clip and then shove the knife blade through the wire insulation until it contacts the copper wire. Hopefully this results in minimal damage to the wire or insulation. When done, wrap the hole in the insulation with a layer of tape. It is highly unlikely that a wire is broken somewhere in the middle. Most open circuits are due to bad connections at the ends of wires at splices or terminals.
Joe Gores
 
Appreciate the info on how to check if a wire is grounded.

Checked the black wire on the AP Disconnect Switch to verify it is grounded. It is not. Put one probe of the multimeter on the black wire and touched the other probe to various pieces of bare metal - instrument panel, fuselage panels and the pilot seat. Nothing changed on the multimeter LED.

One thought I had after getting back from the hangar is that maybe I should have pushed the AP Disconnect Switch button while I was testing to see if the black wire was grounded. Not sure whether or not that would make any difference.

Watched Bob Ashey make his maiden flight in his RV-10 this morning. High fives all around and champagne poured over the prop. Bob had the RV grin.
 
The Auto Pilot works!

Thanks to all of you for the ideas/recommendations. It was most helpful to get me to look at the Plans and the Wiring Diagram.

I had left a note to myself on P31-07 to finish that page after I received the Skyview and conversion harnesses. Well, I didn't. After studying the Plans and the wiring diagram, I spliced a couple of wires and added two wires. Presto, it all worked.

'Learned' a lot with this snafu.

Thank You!
 
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