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alpinelakespilot2000

Well Known Member
Very basic wiring/resource question.

I've read everything I can find on the subject... Nuckoll's, Vans, Bingelis books and articles in EAA archives, and AC43.13b. No luck. I'm looking for something that describes in detail the different ways one can connect wires to each other. Most describe one or two methods for normal situations (e.g. one wire to one wire), but don't go into any depth on more complex connections. As a consequence, you don't learn which method is best or for what situations. Likewise, Nuckoll's is good on theory but very light on application. Are there any other sources I've not yet found?

The question that prompted this:

My Nav light circuit will eventually have 5 major wires (not including the grounds, of course):
1. Red wing light
2. Green wing light
3. White tail light
4. Map dimmer light (since they don't turn off completely, dimmers will only be on when Nav lights are also on)
5. Glareshield dimmer light

Downstream of the nav light switch (I'm using B&C with fast-ons), how do I get all 5 wires together? I've seen a couple options:

1. Use more than one wire in a fast-on terminal. Bingelis shows this in a Sport Aviation article, but doesn't say how many wires one can get away with or what size terminal must be used. What are the rules here? How many wires can go in one terminal and what size does the terminal have to be?
2. SteinAir provided me with a a few "piggyback" fast-on terminals. This would help me with one or two of the wires, but 5?
3. A terminal block with as many jumpers as necessary to connect all wires. Awkward to locate, and takes up a lot of space.


What makes the most sense--any of the above options or something completley different?

Also, where would be the most logical place at which the first three wires (red, green, white) break off from each other? Right at the switch or somewhere aft of the spar box?

Again, though, so I don't have to ask more of what seem to be dumb questions, anyone have a good source?
 
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the vans harness

has two wires in the one connector they use two connectors. the single one goes to a junction block and then feeds a dimmer pot that goes back to the junction block and splits for dimming requirements. depending on how many lights you have to dim you can daisy chain to other tabs on the j block. vans dimmer is only fior a light load so you may need more than one possibly.:confused: i have dynons and only need about four lights dimmed. as far as where to break vans sends seperate wires from the switch to the lights. they also send two wires for the strobes which i only have one power supply so i tossed the smaller wires and went with one larger wire because i only have one power supply.
ymmv
 
splices

Steve: You can easily put two wires in a terminal end, sometimes three. Use a butt splice connector downstream if you need to connect more wires. Just lace it all together to help relieve mechanical strain. This is commonly done on production airplanes. Hey, you really are pulling ahead of me! Steve
 
So how do you connect 5 or 6 wires all at one point? Obviously we don't want to use a wire-nut; surely there must be a common solution?
 
I just tested two 18AWG wires into one blue terminal. Both wouldn't fit into a red terminal, but fit relatively easy into a blue one. Apparently a 10# pull is all they need be tested to. I pulled as hard as I could and couldn't pull them out, so I guess I'm good. I suppose if I wanted to put three into one, I'd have to go one size bigger yet on the terminal. I do see that Van's uses a terminal block for this purpose in their drawings, but that seems kind of clunky and unnecessary.

Actually, Steve, I'm no farther along on you. Notice I've been asking about and talking about electricity for a long time now. Notice also how I've never indicated that I've actually wired anything! You're way ahead of me upstairs on this electrical thing! :D

Thanks for the help.
 
rvtach said:
Try this link to an article on Bob Nuckolls' website. Shows, I think, just what you're asking about: http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/multiplewires/multiplewires.html

Read all the way to the bottom of the page for a variation which might be helpful in fitting more wires into a joint.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jim-
That link pretty much hits that question on the head. I hadn't realized Bob had a bunch of articles. It would be nice if he included them in Aeroelectric connection.

For those who haven't seen the full list of articles, here it is:
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles.html
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
Thanks Jim-
That link pretty much hits that question on the head. I hadn't realized Bob had a bunch of articles. It would be nice if he included them in Aeroelectric connection.

For those who haven't seen the full list of articles, here it is:
http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles.html
Click to expand...

The "book" is a work-in-progress. That is why it is not bound, but in a binder where you can add to it as new stuff comes out.
 
Download the CD

On this page http://www.aeroelectric.com/Downloads.html you can download the Aeroelectric CD. It includes the articles, a lot of pictures and more stuff.
It's quite big, be ready for a long download even with highspeed internet.
Navigation is somewhat strange, I usually just explore all the folders.
 
Use a terminal block. Having a common point at which you can disconnect the various loads is a great aid when you have to troubleshoot. As I recall from my USAF days, there are terminal blocks with long studs where you can land multiple ring connectors, add a washer, lock washer and a nut and you're done. Stuffing multiple wires in a single connector looks poor and often results in poor or intermittant connections.
 
junction block

craigvince said:
So how do you connect 5 or 6 wires all at one point? Obviously we don't want to use a wire-nut; surely there must be a common solution?
Click to expand...

j block would work as a distribution center..and thats what you have when you have 5 on one. in the automotive world it would be a Solder joint. (Depicted as s115 or similar on schematics. the number is similar to stations on a/c) you could mount a delrin block with a stud on it and simply stack the ring terminals on that.
 
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