ACK ELT E-04 installation/pics

[Yesterdays-3's]

Anyone have pics of their ACK ELT E-04 installation to replace the old ACK E-01? My new to me RV-6A originally had the old ACK E-01 121.5mhz unit from Van's mounted directly behind the pilot seat. The E-04 has a different mount footprint and is longer due to the lithium battery. I was thinking of putting it in the same place but elevating on a shelf that lifted it up over the flap actuator bar to allow it to be extended aft. Any pics or recommendations of how you mounted yours is very much appreciated! Pic of my original E-01 mount and location.

 

[RV6_flyer]

That photo is not an ACK ELT-01 mount. The ACK ELT-04 uses the same mount as the older 121.5 MHz ELT. The mount in the photo looks nothing like the ACK E-01 mount that I have my ACK E-04 mounted in.

 

[plehrke]

The mount is for an Ameri-King AK-450.

 

[Yesterdays-3's]

My apologies, it was missing when I purchased the aircraft and there was no documentation. So...request and help still needed.....if you have a ACK E-04 mounted in your -6/-6A.....I would appreciate a post a pic or describe where you mounted it.

 

[RV6_flyer]

Mine is mounted AFT of the baggage compartment bulkhead. On my RV-6, I fabricated a mount on the side wall angled so that it was parallel to the centerline of the aircraft. Van's eventually sold a mount like the one I fabricated.

Van's list this part for the RV-7/9.

Drawing OP-42 shows it mounted like this. (My homemade bracket is on the other side [right side] of my fuselage.)

​

 

[Yesterdays-3's]

Thanks Gary. I will look into this bracket/location. I purchased the RV-14 kit just to get the ELT (at the time was a lower price than just the ELT). I looked for other drawings for the -6 and did not find anything . . . but a lot of items are lumped in with the -7 now (understandably).

Rob

 

[wirejock]

I used F7129 on the starboard side. However, before I installed the mount, I added nutplates to every hole. The hope is other ELTs will fit.

 

[Yesterdays-3's]

The E-04 is installed. I elected to put it on the right side behind the baggage bulkhead. In reading the installation instructions the unit has to be mounted within 10 degrees of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. So, mounting directly to the longerons had 2 in delta cabin width in the 6-7" mounting plate area. A quick paper towel measurements in the hangar showed this to be about 20-25 degrees off from the longitudinal axis. So, instead of mounting the plate directly to the longerons I made brackets with a 2 in offset in the front. This should bring it to under 5 degrees. Angles are bent .063" 2024 and plate is .050" 2024. Very solid and happy with the result. Now antenna hook up and wire routings back to the ELT.

 

[FredMagare]

The E-04 is installed. I elected to put it on the right side behind the baggage bulkhead. In reading the installation instructions the unit has to be mounted within 10 degrees of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. So, mounting directly to the longerons had 2 in delta cabin width in the 6-7" mounting plate area. A quick paper towel measurements in the hangar showed this to be about 20-25 degrees off from the longitudinal axis. So, instead of mounting the plate directly to the longerons I made brackets with a 2 in offset in the front. This should bring it to under 5 degrees. Angles are bent .063" 2024 and plate is .050" 2024. Very solid and happy with the result. Now antenna hook up and wire routings back to the ELT.

OUTSTANDING MOUNT! It's better than the one I purchased from Van's! I wish I'd seen these pics a decade ago....

 

[sansoneservices]

Please Allow me to add this note:
The ACK E-04 has the phone cable leading forward to the remote. Keep this unshielded cable as far as possible from the transponder antenna. There's reports of unintentional ELT transmission.

 

[Dugaru]

Please Allow me to add this note:
The ACK E-04 has the phone cable leading forward to the remote. Keep this unshielded cable as far as possible from the transponder antenna. There's reports of unintentional ELT transmission.

It’s also capable of going off for no known reason, with nothing in the plane even powered on.

 

[upperdeck]

No offense intended, and I hope you have different results. I had so many false activations with this unit that mine is now mounted in the trash can. I refuse to even sell it.

 

[sansoneservices]

No offense intended, and I hope you have different results. I had so many false activations with this unit that mine is now mounted in the trash can. I refuse to even sell it.

I installed the E04 in my old bucket of bolts and I'm not experiencing any false transmissions. Lucky maybe

 

[RV6_flyer]

The E-04 is installed. I elected to put it on the right side behind the baggage bulkhead. In reading the installation instructions the unit has to be mounted within 10 degrees of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. So, mounting directly to the longerons had 2 in delta cabin width in the 6-7" mounting plate area. A quick paper towel measurements in the hangar showed this to be about 20-25 degrees off from the longitudinal axis. So, instead of mounting the plate directly to the longerons I made brackets with a 2 in offset in the front. This should bring it to under 5 degrees. Angles are bent .063" 2024 and plate is .050" 2024. Very solid and happy with the result. Now antenna hook up and wire routings back to the ELT.

That looks a LOT like my installation. I also have a strobe power supply mounted on the same bracket. I used a lot thinner material and made angles bent up out of sheet like used in the elevators and ailerons.

Yes I am another one that has had FALSE transmissions but they are far enough apart that I still use this cheapest 406 ELT on the market.

 

[Dugaru]

No offense intended, and I hope you have different results. I had so many false activations with this unit that mine is now mounted in the trash can. I refuse to even sell it.

I also could never sell mine in good conscience. I’m afraid to throw it in the trash can, however, as I suspect it would eventually start false alarming from some garbage scow mid-ocean, leading to an expensive SAR fiasco.

 

[sansoneservices]

I also could never sell mine in good conscience. I’m afraid to throw it in the trash can, however, as I suspect it would eventually start false alarming from some garbage scow mid-ocean, leading to an expensive SAR fiasco.

You probably already know this, the ELT main body will function without the remote. The inertia switch will set it off upon impact and the remote/cable is the culprit behind false triggers. Experimental aircraft can legally install it without the remote

 

[Yesterdays-3's]

I reviewed all of the affordable upgrade ELT's on this site, ACS, others....they all had about equal likes/dislikes and warnings/praises....I went with the E-04 bc Van's sold it and at a good price (has since gone up of course). Figured I was rolling the dice no matter which option I chose. We'll see.

 

[wnplt]

I have two and have never once had a problem with either.

 

[Dugaru]

You probably already know this, the ELT main body will function without the remote. The inertia switch will set it off upon impact and the remote/cable is the culprit behind false triggers. Experimental aircraft can legally install it without the remote

I did not know that! I would recommend installing without the remote, as my switch failed and the replacement had the screw holes in different places. Oh and replacing that weird little battery can be a pain.