F

fireandfly

Member
I'd like to get the engine gauges on my 6A rewired. I'm not happy with the way it was done and I'm having some difficulties with loose connections.
Does anyone know someone decent who would be willing to do some proper rewiring behind my panel in Northern or Central California? I have a slider, but there is a fairly large access panel in front of the windscreen.
Thanks, Jeff
LVK
 
EAA Rocks!

Do you belong to EAA? If not join. There are chapters near you and I am sure. You will find someone more than happy to help you. I took a stab, chapter 663 (LVK) might be close?

http://www.eaa663.org/

Good Luck, it is not that bad, just one wire, one circuit, one switch, one crimp at a time.

You could go to an avionics shop and ask around if someone wants to do some side work. However if they want to charge you by the hour, forget it. No offense to spark chasers (wiring avionics guys), but sometimes they want way too much to do simple wiring. It is not rocket surgery/ brain science. :rolleyes: ITS JUST WIRES AND CRIMPS.

A systematic approach helps. Draw it out, label the wires, work on one system at a time.

Do you have a Boiler Plate Schematic? There are so many pre-done that will fit 90% of your plane you can just copy. This will save time. It is a must before wiring your plane.

You can look at it as if you have five electrical systems or parts:

The Battery/Charging System: Battery, Master Relay, master switch, Alternator, positive distribution Buss, circuit protection (fuse or CB).

The start system: starter relay, starter, starter switch.

Basic airframe electrical: Buss >> Circuit protection >> wire >> switch >> wire >> load (light, flap motor, avionics, boost pump) It's the same thing over and over.

Avionics (COM, NAV, Intercom, EFIS, GPS, Autopilot): Audio signal, Digital signal (transponder to encoder), radio control (PTT), indicator........

Ground: This is one of the most important. The "standard" and best practice is to have a dedicated ground buss on the firewall or behind the panel to ground all avionics and aux circuits. However some times for long runs to wing tip or tail for lights, for example, it is OK to use the airframe for ground. There is some good threads on how to do this best. Many electrical gremlins are cause by poor grounds, so don't short change this.​

Breaking each down and working on each separately can simplify the chaos.

It is common to give the avionics its own Buss separate but off of the basic Buss. Again there are "canned" schematics to be copied. A GOOD SCHEMATIC is step ONE if you don't already have one.

You may want to pay a Pro to make a wire harness for your avionics/EFIS if you have one. It gets a little more tedious to make the little pin crimps or solders and follow all the circuits, BUT STILL it is well within a mere mortal armature builder to learn and do a good job. It just ONE connection at a time. It can cost a boat load for a custom avionics harness. I looked into it just for fun once and the price was outrageous.

However if you want an avionics Harness try SteinAir. He has some stock or custom harnesses for popular EFIS and avionics; he has a great rep and charges a fair price. http://www.steinair.com/

"One connection at a time"
 
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Shame on you

You could go to an avionics shop and ask around if someone wants to do some side work. However if they want to charge you by the hour, forget it. No offense to spark chasers (wiring avionics guys), but sometimes they want way too much to do simple wiring. It is not rocket surgery/ brain science. ITS JUST WIRES AND CRIMPS.

Shame on you! This IS offensive to some very talented people who earn every dime they make and at times work under some very difficult circumstances. I also have equal respect for Instructors who strive to do a good job. Larry
 
Just one wire

"You could go to an avionics shop and ask around if someone wants to do some side work. However if they want to charge you by the hour, forget it. No offense to spark chasers (wiring avionics guys), but sometimes they want way too much to do simple wiring. It is not rocket surgery/ brain science. ITS JUST WIRES AND CRIMPS"

Yeah right. Until the smoke starts. Then who ya gonna call? The words "simple" and "avionics" do not belong in the same sentence. Bad advice.
 
What is your problem

CraigC said:
"You could go to an avionics shop and ask around if someone wants to do some side work. However if they want to charge you by the hour, forget it. No offense to spark chasers (wiring avionics guys), but sometimes they want way too much to do simple wiring. It is not rocket surgery/ brain science. ITS JUST WIRES AND CRIMPS"

Yeah right. Until the smoke starts. Then who ya gonna call? The words "simple" and "avionics" do not belong in the same sentence. Bad advice.
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WHAT Part is bad advice? He was asking where to get help, EAA members or an avionics shop is what I say. You have better advice?

What is wrong with going to an avionics shop and asking for on site help and a flat rate for the job?
(I had a friend do this, got a "Pro" to do side work and it came out really pretty & nice for a fair price. Another friend asked another "Pro" avionics guy for help, in another city, and he wanted several thousands to wire a few items, like he was re-doing a Learjet or Gulfstream. Just advice dude, take it or leave it. Just suggest you get a fixed price before you start down the avionics shop road. When you get the estimate it might motivate you to do it your self.)​
As I said wiring is simple when broken down in its elements.
(I think so, if its too hard for you than may be building a plane is not for you?)​
"Smoke starts who are going to call?"
(It's called amateur built aircraft for a reason. We are talking about 12 volts DC circuits. If you can't do it, than don't. Have you wired any plane? I have it's not hard, but is intimidating the first time. With resources we now have with the Internet / RV community, it is even easier to get help and advice.)​

Don't get it. This advice is carefully and well thought out, based on what I have done and other builders I personally know or helped have done. You offer the comment "Bad Advice"? "Who are you going to call?" You sound like one of those people that wants guarantees on everything.

Sorry there are no guarantees in building your own plane, except your ability and willingness to learn, your skill, talent and determination. The Watch word is GET HELP. You can get other Amateur help or PRO help. The second KEY word is LEARNING. If you want guarantees than by all means $$pay$$ a few $$grand$$ and have a shop do all the work with warranties. I would BET most builder wire their planes and do it consistently well. It's not hard.

If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say it please. :eek: If you can build and fly a plane, you should be able to sting a wire from point A to B, geeeee. It is not hard. :cool:

If you are afraid to wire for fear of smoke or a few sparks than don't. Pay someone to do it for you. While you are at it just pay someone to build the whole plane or buy one flying already. Part of amateur building, if you don't know, is LEARNING! That is the FAA description and reason for the amateur built experimental aircraft category, education.

You can't learn without trying. I can tell someone with zero hours how to fly, but until they actually do it they will not learn. Either you are just a spoiler or you work for an avionics shop as a "spark chaser".
 
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He was asking for help. You referred him back to himself. Referring him to EAA was a good start. Everyone has a different skill level. Learning is a good thing but not if it hurts you in the process. I do not work for a avionics shop. Earnings do not come into play. Maybe he just needs ideas on where to go for help. But your really long reply to me was kind of needless.

Not a spoiler. Just some people don't like the idea of amateur wiring. Just 12V simple systems? I have seen a lot more than that in a lot of RV's. Watch Doug's video of Alex's RV-10. The guy just wanted to know where to get help. If he thinks he needs help, he does.
 
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Project

N395V said:
How is the project coming?

When you get it airborne it is gonna knock the snot out of your Cessna.
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Milt, Wings are close. Fuse is in the garage. Busy buying all the big little things. Currently I am trying to beg for a ride in a radial rocket!

Sorry for the thread creep.
 
Contact Danny Parker at LVK. He is an A&P and is very good at wiring panels. He has an RV-6 that will sell you on his work the second you see it. I haven't talked to him in a few months, but he does do jobs like this for hire to stay active and be around airplanes. You should be able to get a hold of him thru the EAA chapter there. Your lucky, he's right on your field.

Best,
 
Thanks (?)

Bryan - Thanks for the reply on Danny - He has helped me with a few things on my plane and had said he may be able to do the wiring, but his back has been bothering him and he hasn't brought it up again, so I went here.
Craig - thanks for the time you spent to help me out, but I am not comfortable with electricity at all, even 12 volt, sorry, I just don't like it. I'm not looking for guarantees, I do fly an experimental, I just want someone who is comfortable with it.
I need to join EAA, but a few things hold me back. I can't make half the meeting and events due to work AND I'm a buyer, not a builder. I'm pretty reluctant to do any RV event because of my "non-builder" status and I'm am so far out of the conversations, it's like when everyone's on drugs and you're the sober one.
Tomorrow evening I'm going to start a thread on what you all think of us. Hope to get some honest answers!!!
Thanks again, and I'm still looking for some names
Jeff
 
You are right again

CraigC said:
He was asking for help. You referred him back to himself. Referring him to EAA was a good start. Everyone has a different skill level. Learning is a good thing but not if it hurts you in the process. I do not work for a avionics shop. Earnings do not come into play. Maybe he just needs ideas on where to go for help. But your really long reply to me was kind of needless.

Not a spoiler. Just some people don't like the idea of amateur wiring. Just 12V simple systems? I have seen a lot more than that in a lot of RV's. Watch Doug's video of Alex's RV-10. The guy just wanted to know where to get help. If he thinks he needs help, he does.
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What? I'll take the high road, sorry if I offended you with my lousy attempt to help, which was not up to your standards, but there is plenty of help at the EAA (that is what they are for). Chances are some EAA member at LVK chapter makes a living in electronics and may do all of the work.

Avionics shops? As I suggested; To you and LARCO, again sorry, you are right he should just go to any avionics shop and pay what ever they want. Typical $75/hr, Good idea, don't bother to negotiate, pay by the hour. Charge to go in the field, to his shop to work? Priceless. You are smart and right again.

Last, again how stupid of me to think he might be able to do some work himself, with help and encouragement; and it may not be as hard as he thinks. What was I thinking. :rolleyes: Yea just farm it out and pay, that is the way to go, of course, you are right again. I just can't read minds as well as you can.

From now on I'll wait to see what you say first on these threads, since you had such useful input to this thread and his question? Wait you only criticized me, my post and implied avionics are hard to wire........hmmmm. Oh well you're great any way. Keep up the good work or criticizing.

Have a nice day,

PS: Next time, email me direct with your criticism of my posts and save me the embarrassment and wasting every ones time. No one really cares about critiques of posts. LARCO, you to, drop me an email if you like, than I can tell you what I think. :D
 
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Look at what he said

Craig - thanks for the time you spent to help me out, but I am not comfortable with electricity at all, even 12 volt
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GMC, I think that sums it up. You should not be so thin skinned. Have a great weekend.
 
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