Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
I'm getting to the point where I have to mount the two magnetometers (for the D10A and D180) in Louise's -6, and was wondering if anyone has found a problem putting them right next to each other (problem as in interference). I'd like to put them on a common shelf in the aft fuselage, as I have heard of problems with water intrusion when they are mounted on the empennage deck, but if they need to be separated by some distance, I'll have to make two shelves. Just interested in real-world experience!

Paul
 
Paul,
I plan on the exact setup an FD180 with a 10A in my 7. I have the 180, but will wait to put the 10A in until after the phase I flyoff. I talked to Dynon about the remote compass issues. They told me you could even stack the units one on top of the other, so side by side is fine. I actually mounted the FD180 on the aft upperside of the baggage bulkhead. Safeair1 has a nice mount they supply (would work well in the wingtip) but I just built my own to fit in the space between the two longerons on that side. I haven't decided on the 10A location, or if I will even use a remote compass. My understanding is that it has an internal compass and a remote is not required.
 
Duel

I am also going duel and was curious if centerline is better or does it matter?
 
Although I had two BMAs in my RV8, I did mount the magnetometers right next to each other and they worked fine. I did get fussy about one EFIS being a degree or two different from the other on occasion, so I wired both EFIS to one magnetometer, in a Y wiring arrangement, and they matched perfectly after that.
It wasn't Dynon, but probably the same technology.
 
Excellent!

Thanks guys - I'm going to collocate them - I will just use a copy of the shelf I made for the magnetometer in the Val - a little sheet metal work is good for the soul....

Paul
 
Magnetometers

Thanks for this. I have the D-10A and AFS 3400 and was unsure about mounting. Now I'll mount them together on same shelf. Much appreciated. Bill
 
As a general rule, Magnetometers (even of different brands) don't interfere with one another. Feel free to stack them or put them next to one another.

With the Dynon magnetometers, centerline doesn't matter or help. Anywhere in the plane that is far away from interference is fine. The only thing that matters is that they are in the same plane (tilt, not aircraft) as the EFIS.
 
Why?

dynonsupport said:
As a general rule, Magnetometers (even of different brands) don't interfere with one another. Feel free to stack them or put them next to one another.

With the Dynon magnetometers, centerline doesn't matter or help. Anywhere in the plane that is far away from interference is fine. The only thing that matters is that they are in the same plane (tilt, not aircraft) as the EFIS.
Click to expand...

What is the reason that the magnetometers have to be mounted in the same plane as the EFIS? In my RV, the panel is tilted 7 degrees. So my magnetometer is tilted 7 degrees down also to match it. This means in level flight the magnetometer is always tilted down instead of being level. I mounted mine per the instructions but am interested in why we have to do it this way? A friend mounted his level in his RV-6 and says it's within 1 degree for him.
 
Hey Paul,

If both the D10A and D180 are running V4.0 firmware and they are connected via DSAB, then you only need 1 EDC-D10A. One advantage to the latest release of firmware is the ability to share compass data to multiple units from a single source.

Just FYI..
 
I think it's GREAT that the units can share magnetometer data....just too bad I didn't know that a week ago before I fabricated a shelf for both of them...;)

Don't worry, it was only a half hour's work - I won't charge you back for a full hour's labor!

Paul
 
Of course, the advantage of two is that if one fails (or the EFIS driving the one fails) you have a backup.

As for why they need to be tilted with the EFIS:

The magnetometer is a 3D device. We know what way to "look" for the magnetic field because we have the EFIS, and the EFIS knows what way is up. Effectivley, this is the same as the floating dial in your whiskey compass, but a lot more accurate, and with no stops. Since the EFIS and the magnetometer are not in the same physical box, we need you to mount the EFIS and magnetometer at the same angle to one another so we can assume the magnetometer angle. Yes, this means it's at 7 degrees all the time in most RV's, but the important thing is that the EFIS knows it's at 7 degrees, so it can look "down" from the mag by 7 degrees to find the level horizon plane.
 
D100 & D180

I have a D100 and a D180 and have a "whopping" three hours on my 9A. The two magnetometers set next to one another in the aft end and work fine.
 
We did a calibration this afternoon on both the D10 and D180, and they came out exactly the same - stacking them works great!

Paul
 
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