Bayou Bert

Bayou Bert

Well Known Member
I guess everyone can tell I am getting the electrical part of the plane
organized.
Considering using VP-X.
The folks using VP-X, did you run any backup circuits in case the VP-X were
to have a problem?
 
If both busses go down inside the VPX-pro...the engine still runs and the stick still works. Lots of battery backups though. The G3X system will stay up on the TCW battery and the Dynon D6 will run on it's internal backup battery. No radios or transponder, but I can land without them.
 
I am putting in an 8 fuse buss block directly connected to the battery.

On that block I will have my baggage lights, power port, defrost fan, pitot heat, Garmin GPS, and Com1 radio.

The audio panel fails to com 1.

My dual Dynon screens both have backup batteries.

The Garmin and Com will use the power switches as recommended by Vertical Power in their documentation to connect to the buss and to the VPX.
A DPDT (2-3) switch lets you switch power to both the GPS and Com with one switch.
 
Here is the back up circuitry for the RV8 I'm building with the VPX Pro. The GRT EFIS and AHRS units have multiple power inputs so they do not need to be on a switch. Not so lucky with the Garmin and PS Engineering units, they only have a single power input so in the event of a VPX meltdown the GRT will continue to operate without a hichup but the SL40 and Audio Panel units will need to be swtiched on from the power souce coming through the fuse block. You could certainly add additional things to this circuit but we felt these would be the most important ones. The plane also has a back up alternator and two P-Mags so no need to run any additonal power to anything to keep the engine running.

vmy6ox.jpg
 
Yes, there are multiple back up strategies in the vp/x manual. The documentation is quite good.

I have three sets of batteries and two alternators in my RV-10 with the vp/x

Bob
 
I have two independent buses, and two alternators. either alternator is capable of charging both batteries. The batteries are interconnected with a "smart relay" which interconnects them automatically at a predetermined charge voltage. The main battery feeds the VPX and the backup battery feeds the "power 2" pins on all the equipment that has them available. On the remaining items such as the SL30 and A/P I have auto-switching relays that kick in when the vpx power is off. As Bob stated, there are many methods to accomplish this. The VPX manual names a few, but not all.
You should assess the purpose of your aircraft and then determine the design of the system. If you are going to use your all electric aircraft to fly in IMC you had better have some redundancy in the system. If you never intend to fly IMC then the system becomes much easier to design.
 
VP-X Pro feeds all my primary gear either on their one power input or the primary input for those that have dual power inputs.

The essential bus which is a fuse block is fed from a simple sealed lead acid battery which is charged any time the main bus is on. All essential items have dual power inputs and their secondary input goes to the fuse block. Essential equipment is the PFD, the MFD, the main AHRS/EMS, and the Gemini PFD. No radio or xponder. The PFD and MFD both have built in GPS's for navigation.

The essential stuff will run almost an hour on the backup battery.
 
Build the airplane you want, but beware "options disease". It combines with "what if" disease to create fat airplanes slowly.
 
Good VPX backup comments here. Can any one suggest a method to lite an LED lite that indicates the DPDT backup (method B) switch has been flipped from VPX power to the the backup power.
 
pilotkms said:
Good VPX backup comments here. Can any one suggest a method to lite an LED lite that indicates the DPDT backup (method B) switch has been flipped from VPX power to the the backup power.
Click to expand...

I used the led switches from Aerosport Products to do exactly that.
 
AEROSPORT SWITCHES

hi Bob - i checked out your switches at Aerosport & will be giving them a call tomorrow. i looked thru your website for some time & wasnt able to locate any specific info on your installation or use of them & how they worked. is the LED always lit or just when the switch is moved into the ON position. if this is on your site, can u point me to where?

thanx
keith
 
I decided against using a VP-X as it would be controlled with the Dynon Skyview. I had thought well if the Skyview goes out. How do I control the VP X, I am not an expert by any means and have no education on the VP-X. but sometimes the technology seems to get inter woven and we lose the backup that we all desire.

Each to there own. I think it is a great idea and from the folks who have it seems to work great.
Smilin' Jack
 
The VPx does not have to have anything controlling it in a situation where the EFIS fails.

Whatever switches are configured to whatever circuits will work just fine without any EFIS.

What you won't be able to do is all the stuff that having an EFIS connected allows you to do.
 
pilotkms said:
hi Bob - i checked out your switches at Aerosport & will be giving them a call tomorrow. i looked thru your website for some time & wasnt able to locate any specific info on your installation or use of them & how they worked. is the LED always lit or just when the switch is moved into the ON position. if this is on your site, can u point me to where?

thanx
keith
Click to expand...

Here is a link to our web forum that shows how to install lighted switches. http://www.verticalpower.com/forums/showthread.php?850-Lighted-Switches

Hope that helps.
 
Smilin' Jack said:
I decided against using a VP-X as it would be controlled with the Dynon Skyview. I had thought well if the Skyview goes out. How do I control the VP X
Click to expand...

Jack, Brian is right, the switches go right to the VP-X. The EFIS is simply a display and if it fails then the VP-X still works as you'd expect.

The EFIS supplies groundspeed, airspeed, engine RPM and other data, so if the EFIS fails you do lose some of the advanced functionality like variable speed trim but the core circuit protection and switching works.
 
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