R

RV7ator

Well Known Member
Would someone kindly post pix of the backside of a 695/6, or words, so I can get an idea of panel mount adaptability? I know they are supplied with a yoke mount; that gets tossed. It's the yoke interface that I'd likely pick up with some sort of clamp that extends beyond the necessary panel cutout yet remains within the perimeter of the (swollen) case.

John Siebold
 
696 mount

Air Gizmos is developing a Gizmo to hold the 696. It will be approx 6.25 wide and 8.8 inches high. They have a list on their site so you can receive updates on availability.
see www.airgizmos.com
 
I won't be using a Gizmo's mount, thanks anyway. They're too clunky. The various GPS' I've panel mounted don't eat up any more area than the GPS plan area, all you see is the GPS, and they're easily removable.

So if there's a pix out there, I'd really appreciate it.

John Siebold
 
Hey John - go to the Garmin web site and download the manual - there is a picture of the unit on page 1 that shows the back - it is flat, and has four interface screws in a square pattern. They include a RAM mount that attaches in various positions to the back of the case using those screws, and then you can interface that to your favorite RAM stalk and mount anywhere in your cockpit. That's how I do it - the Air Gizmo route has never quite fit my panel designs either.

Paul
 
John,

One suggestion, which may or may not apply to you. When you make your 696 bracket, I assume you are going to make the 696 removable. If that is the case and you have instruments such as a Dynon which requires a DB9 connector for updates, make a bracket that fits behind the Garmin to hold these connectors. That will make future software upgrades easier to perform.
 
I plan to deal with this tomorrow (Friday) ..............after FedEX drops it off. :)

My 195, 296, and 496 were mounted using the supplied (quick remove) mounting brakets that were removed from the yoke mount and screwed to a solid fixed mount that was thumb screwed to the left corner of the cockpit.

I too, am waiting to see what type of adapters I can make, since I want it easily removeable. If you don't get some pics, and the Garmin site doesn't have enough info; I'll get some pics when it get's here.

L.Adamson -- RV6A
 
Paul and L.Adamson,

After looking at the isometric drawings in the manual, I still have a few questions that would affect an install, and therefore affect viability as I'm otherwise ready to cut the panel. (If you're wondering why I just don't buy one, I'm not entirely convinced it's really worth the money: I'll never pay Garmin big bucks to update the EFB - the few TERPS I need are free on the web, AirNav serves me better than AOPA, and I think color adds clutter and reduces legibility. Never mind that I still own a slide rule. :D)

1. The frame appears to be tapered from the widest dimension on the case parting line towards the face (and rear). If so, by how much?

2. What's the dimension from the parting line to the face of the unit, excluding buttons and joystick?

3. Does the supplied power/data plug, memory card, or any other required plug-in exceed the perimeter of the case?

Thanks.

John Siebold
 
RV7ator said:
and I think color adds clutter and reduces legibility. Never mind that I still own a slide rule. :D)
Click to expand...

After experiencing numerous "color" GPS's including Garmin and Lowrance............

It's the resolution of the units that make a real difference in legibility. The higher end Garmin units use higher resolutions than the cheaper competition.

When detail is sharp and clear, it's far from clutter. I'd much rather have color to indicate borders such as restricted and Class B areas. I had to do a lot of threading between these restricted airspaces and mountains last weekend (trying to get to Jackpot, Nevada). I was making jokes to a few other aircraft in our group about triangulating "fixes" by hand, instead of using the good old GPS, as we were getting bounced around pretty good by the weather. In the end, it was a diversion to Wendover, Utah which included the restricted military areas and mountains that I've mentioned. The 496 did well, but I want a bigger screen. I've been jealous of the Garmin 1000's for several years now... :D

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
No need to get very complex....mounting these things is dirt simple! Take a look at the attached picture and see how simple it is to mount them. You simply make a small plate that screws onto the back of the 696 into the pre-supplied nutserts in the 696. Then you take some simple standoffs (the picture below ha 1.25" standoffs on it). Drill two holes on each side of the 606. One one side file the holes into a slot - the slot will be filed to the main big cutout for the 696. Then, if you want to remove it, simply loosen two screws (the two that are in the "slotted holes", remove the other two and slide the thing out. It's simple enough to quickly and easily remove the 696, but makes it appears to a thief that it's permanently mounted. The beauty of this is that you can still access the power button on the top, change the depth it is mounted at (with 1.25" standoffs if leaves about the exact same amount exposed as the rest of the radio stack). Keeps the thing from falling into the panel too.

I think this is really an elegant way to mount them so they look like they were meant there. No need for complex bent brackets - just a simple flat sheet with 4 standoffs. Just to give credit where credit is due; I didn't invent this - it was first done at TruTrak by Jim Younkin, who always comes up with easy solutions to everything! The Air Gizmo guys will have a solution shortly, but in some panels I already know we physically won't have room for them.

In the end, this is how we are mounting these in panels. I thought of making some "kits", but then I realized that anyone who's built an RV should be able to whip one of these up in about 15 minutes!

Cheers,
Stein

696Ctsw.jpg
 
SteinAir said:
In the end, this is how we are mounting these in panels. I thought of making some "kits", but then I realized that anyone who's built an RV should be able to whip one of these up in about 15 minutes!

Cheers,
Stein

696Ctsw.jpg
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it took me 2 days, and about the same amount of thinking, to mount mine, since I had a 6.25" slot cut for the Gizmo, and the 696 is only 5.75 wide.
The problem was filling in the gap so it looked neat and part of the panel.
If starting from scratch, as you mentioned Stein, it's easy.
Jack
 
Thanks, Stein.

That's essentially how I mounted the last Lowrance 1000. It, though, has a lip around the case that rests on the panel, so a U-bracket picking up the yoke mount threads in the case clamps it to the panel; no screws at all through the panel. The screws into the case, BTW, are knobs with 10-32 shafts, available at Lowe's Depot aviation dept.

L.Adamson: we coulda' run into each other! We were returning from Sedona, stopping at SLC#2, thence onto Caldwell (west of Boise) last Saturday. The old AirMap 1000 clearly showed the wretched airspace mess south of SLC for threading the needle from the south and out to the west, restricted, MOAs, et all. Sorry you didn't make Jackpot. We passed ~10 north in the early afternoon.

John Siebold
 
RV7ator said:
Thanks, Stein.


L.Adamson: we coulda' run into each other! We were returning from Sedona, stopping at SLC#2, thence onto Caldwell (west of Boise) last Saturday. The old AirMap 1000 clearly showed the wretched airspace mess south of SLC for threading the needle from the south and out to the west, restricted, MOAs, et all. Sorry you didn't make Jackpot. We passed ~10 north in the early afternoon.
Click to expand...

It was last Sunday for us. If we had made it, I would have went on to Gooding, Idaho for fuel, after brunch as Whiskey Petes. Then I always take a Twin Falls tour, since that's where I'm from in the first place. :)

As to SLC#2, that's where my hangar is; and I live just around the corner. I was there last Sat. putting the plane back together after an encoder adjustment. The hangar is even in view of the gas pumps. Wonder if I saw you?

L.Adamson
 
Tru Trak EIS?

Stein, the right side EFIS appears to have engine info on it. I dont see that on the Tru Trak web site - is this a new available feature or something customized for a specific customer?
 
It's not on the TT website, and indeed it is engine info (also the page shown is configured in the CTsw to show flight data on the same screen)....I forgot to crop it out of the picture! Stay tuned for future details...

Cheers,
Stein
 
Cool Stein! I may just be slow, but I am not I understand how you did this - I understand the simple plate, and mounting stand-offs, but I picture the plate being wider than the hole in the panel, so how does it come out? I must be misunderstanding. I'll buy a kit!!
 
emflys said:
Cool Stein! I may just be slow, but I am not I understand how you did this - I understand the simple plate, and mounting stand-offs, but I picture the plate being wider than the hole in the panel, so how does it come out? I must be misunderstanding. I'll buy a kit!!
Click to expand...

You're right...the plate is about 3/8" wider than the hole. But, you simply tilt the 696 a bit when you put it in and out, and no problem at all. That plate could be 16" wide and as long as it wasn't higher than the hole, you can turn it and get it out quite easily. If you're an old farm boy, you'll know it's the same secret as getting a 36' swather or combine through a 20' gate (now showing my extensive and expensive education)!

Cheers,
Stein
 
Stein, would you mind giving us the panel cut out dimension that you used for mounting the 696? I'm thinking of a hole 0.1" larger in length and width than the 696 (.05" clearance all around the 696) but would like to hear what you did. Thanks

Jim Shannon
RV-8 N52VV
Charlottesville, VA
 
I cut mine a bit tighter than that, although your measurements would work fine. I've been using about 7.7195" x 5.7195". That'll give you around .010 around the opening initially by measurement, then I grow another .007" for loss of the laser I end up with close to .020 around the whole thing. I wouldn't have a problem with .050" at all, but if you get much more than that it'll be noticeable...

Cheers,
Stein
 
How I mounted the 696 in a panel

Today I used all these tips and made a panel mount for a 696 in an RV-10 panel section. It is still a work in progress and in the rough stages. I wanted to share my learnings and pix ASAP.

A little in about the 696.

The exact dimensions are listed on the Garmin website. Using those dimensions, I cut out an outline on a manilla file folder to use as a pattern for cutting a hole in the panel. I test fit it on the actual GPS and it was very close to size.

The 696 on/off switch is on the midline top right. The connectors are on the left side. There are (4) 6-32 screw holes recessed on the back.

The 696 has a midline seam between the front and rear. I mounted the unit so that seam is flush with the panel. This allows the on/off switch to be easily accessible.

Using (2) 3/4" angles in a 'z' pattern flush riveted together on the top and bottom of the panel and using a 2" wide piece of .063 aluminum drilled to match the (4) screws on the 696 back as a bridge between the z's makes a solid mount. I tapped 6-63 holes into the panel side of the 'Z's' so removing the screws from the pilot side allows the entire 696 to be removed.
P1020360.jpg

P1020364.jpg

P1020366.jpg

P1020367.jpg

P1020368.jpg

P1020369.jpg

P1020370.jpg
 
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Any more mounting ideas?

I'm trying to help a friend mount a 696 in his kit Super Cub.

Are there any more mounting ideas out there?
 
696 Mounting tray

Here is a mounting tray that sells for 125.00 it also comes black anodize
p1010027af5.jpg
 
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That thing looks really nice, small edge margin, very professional looking. Was about to give up on my el cheapo home made mount and order one, then I clicked on the link and the black anodized one is $281. Yikes!!!
 
It is indeed a beautifully made product, but I fail to see any real benefit to it. It makes your 696 a permanent mount for the most part, and puts a bezel all the way around it. If you want to mount it permantly, you can do it using much less space by just doing what others have done for a few pennies of metal and/or a few standoffs...or just buy the panel mount version of the 696 and be done with it. If you want it removable, or even semi-removable, there are probably other ways to go.

Anyway, not knocking the product because the quality is obvious. Just have a hard time seeing the benefit to it verses the other simple yet elegant ways of doing it and keeping it removable.

My 2 cents as usual.

Cheers,
Stein
 
flickroll said:
...then I clicked on the link and the black anodized one is $281. Yikes!!!
Click to expand...
Must have been a glitch with the web/cart. Our came up with $129 as it should. Did you try again? Can't wait put ours in:D
3238511409_1b170529c1_o.jpg

SteinAir said:
...or just buy the panel mount version of the 696 and be done with it.Stein
Click to expand...
Well that's a nice idea, but a we already bought this one and the new garmin one is an extra $1000:eek:
SteinAir said:
... by just doing what others have done for a few pennies of metal and/or a few standoffs...
Just have a hard time seeing the benefit to it verses the other simple yet elegant ways of doing it and keeping it removable.
Stein
Click to expand...
We made one like the "others" have and it didn't come out nearly as nice, solid, and professional as this one. We like the way this is going to work much better. After spenmding $3200 on the GPS, didn't mind the little extra to get it properly mounted. We didn't want ours to just pop out and have to drad it around and are looking for security screws to mount it with. The 696 isn't the size thing that we want to pop out and have to drag around. Could probably get a version that would pop-out if that's what you wanted.
 
MauiLvrs said:
Well that's a nice idea, but a we already bought this one and the new garmin one is an extra $1000:eek:

We made one like the "others" have and it didn't come out nearly as nice, solid, and professional as this one. We like the way this is going to work much better. After spenmding $3200 on the GPS, didn't mind the little extra to get it properly mounted. We didn't want ours to just pop out and have to drad it around and are looking for security screws to mount it with. The 696 isn't the size thing that we want to pop out and have to drag around. Could probably get a version that would pop-out if that's what you wanted.
Click to expand...

No really...If you take the cost of the 696 and the tray/gizmo, the difference is only about $500. Anyway, not trying to debate, just saying it's not $1K in difference.

We just installed another one today. Still removable for updates and such (which you'll need to do with your 696), but secure enough that it won't "pop out". Not saying that my way is the only way, just the cleanest we've found as of yet.

Also, I'd think twice about using security screws to mount the thing if it were me....you will want to get that thing out of there sooner or later.

Cheers,
Stein

6964500RV8.JPG
 
SteinAir said:
No really...If you take the cost of the 696 and the tray/gizmo, the difference is only about $500. Anyway, not trying to debate, just saying it's not $1K in difference.
Click to expand...
The way I do the math....
$3200 + $130 = $3330 which is pert near $1200 less than $4500 for the 370 (the price that was floating around last week) or $700 one proce floating around this week
 
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MauiLvrs said:
The way I do the math....
$3200 + $130 = $3330 which is pert near $1200 less than $4500 for the 370
Click to expand...

A quick search shows they are advertised all over the place for:

GDU-370 $3295
GDU-375 $3995

Prices above shown as on the ACS & Chief websites and I'm sure you'll see them at pretty much similar prices everywhere...Typically we are competitive with everyone else on them.

I'm pretty sure you meant to referece the 375 instead of the 370, so the price difference is where I said it was...especially if you consider $200 for the air gizmo...perhaps even less than $500 difference with s/h, time, etc..

Anyway, I know where you were going and working off of list prices, but if you're doing that then the list price of the 696 is $3595. Either way the delta is pretty much the same.

My 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein
 
For $500 we may have thought about it, but again Gramin didn't let anyone know it was coming... Don't think that anyone will provide 100% trade-in credit. Last week all we saw was the list price.

Haven't seen any details about what you get for your $14k EFIS/EMS.
Do they give you a break on the second and third display?
Garmin - probalby not...
 
Installed

Here is our 696 installed in the panel with the Dynon's:

3288168988_377a54c9e5.jpg


It was nice having a professionally cut panel. If your looking for a place to get your panel cut, check out these guys:
http://www.tk-machine.com/
 
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garmin 696 mounting

I had no room on the panel and I thought the unit was too big for the yoke, since it blocked some engine instruments on my commander, so I epoxyed a RAM mount to the cabin floor...to the right of the console. I added a 12" gooseneck and the adapter for the Garmin ball. It now sits above the fuel selector and trim wheel with no interference.
 
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