[thomaswimmer]

Hi

I'm currently preparing the rivetting of the VS. Van's talks about preparing conduit for later wiring.

Where and how did you install a conduit?
Van's seems to suggest aft of the forward spar.
That would mean the conduit opens at the tip below the rudder horn (possible interference with wires coming out of the conduit, rain going into the conduit?).
Forward of the front spar?

Thomas

 

[terrye]

You should have a good idea whether you are going to mount any electrical equipment on the top of the vertical stabilizer. I have nothing up there so didn't drill for any conduit. Usually the nav light/strobe light in the rudder bottom fiberglass cap is the only electrical equipment at the rear of the aircraft. If you plan a beacon or antenna on top of the vertical stabilizer then you should plan for conduit, but I think there are better places to mount these items.

 

[bruceh]

I put some 5/8" conduit forward of the spar. It got glued in place with some proseal. I did it just for kicks. Probably won't put anything up there, since the VS cap is pretty skinny - not much room. If anything maybe a small video camera...

 

[flion]

At the top, it needs to come out under the tip fairing. I seem to recall that the tip fairing extends aft of the forward spar a bit, but I could be wrong. Running up aft of the spar gives you an extra rib to support the conduit/wiring run. Nothing wrong with running up the front of the spar but you will want to support the run about halfway. You can fabricate a bracket similar to the ones supplied in the RV-10 for rudder cable runs:

 

[mculver]

I put conduit in to both the vertical and horizontal stabs, in order to "plan" ahead for cameras, antennas, and whatever else pops into my mind later.

Found a local source of lightweight conduit... Go to Home Depot Aviation Supply and look in the Water Heater aisle. You'll find very thin-wall PVC tubing designed to be the overflow tube for water heaters. Cut the metal fitting off the end, then insert as per the photo in the post two above mine, after cutting holes in the ribs with a step bit. I held in place with Ultra Black Gasket Maker from NAPA.

See May, 2010 in my blog at http://www.mculver.com/ for a few photos.

 

[BSwayze]

Probably won't put anything up there, since the VS cap is pretty skinny - not much room. If anything maybe a small video camera...

That's what I've been thinking about lately, Bruce. Does anyone have a suggestion about what kind of hardware/plate/nutplate or whatever one should install, to allow a video camera to be attached some day to the top of the VS? It would be nice to install now, before the fiberglass tip is permanently installed.

 

[ksouthar]

Use screws to mount the tip. Leaves future options open. I have a glideslope antenna mounted there. You don't really need conduit. Install bushings top and bottom and a pull string. Saves weight and works fine.