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(EFIS) Heart Transplant!

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Even the most hardened warriors can have medical issues, and such is the case for our RV-3 “Tsamsiyu”; the “heart” of the EFIS package, the GSU 73 failed about ten days ago - dead as a door nail. it provides attitude and heading references and engine data (we have a backup for the AHRS functions - but the engine monitoring is single string) to the rest of the system and it quit during boot-up. Even though it has two power sources going into the box (from different busses), it simply disappeared from the system configuration page, so I figured something inside the box died. I did some pin-out testing on the harness just to make sure I hadn’t developed a CAN bus problem, then called in the experts - G3Xpert to be specific.

A quick email exchange confirmed the box was dead, and I had it boxed and in the mail back to Olathe that afternoon. As soon as they received it (two days later), the charged my credit card for the exchange unit and had it on its way back. Showed up last night and I installed it in about ten minutes this morning. Good heartbeat, good engine data, and the AHRS seems happy!

For those G3X users that aren’t familiar with the GSU73, it was the original AHRS/EIS that was “stolen” from the certified world when the underground experimental revolutionaries within Garmin created the original G3X. I like the current architecture of having separate AHRS and EIS boxes better.

Oh well - 13 years and 850 hours of heat, cold, cross-country and significant aerobatics can take a toll on things. Fortunately, Garmin Experimental guys were right on top of it and had the fresh unit for transplant shipped right away - no ice required……

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Well, it seems my RV-9A may have just experienced the same GSU 73 failure. My G3X was installed in 2011 and it has about 1200 hours on it. I have 2 PFDs (GDU 370) and an MFD (GDU 375). Yesterday after an hour in the air I lost AHRS, ADC, and EIS inputs on all 3 screens. At first, several of the RED Xs would restore, but then quickly fail again. After power cycling the screens, the issues continued so I shut down the 2 PFDs. The MFD's moving map continued to work in tandem with my GNS 430W navigator and ADSB-In displayed traffic via my GDL 39. I flew home visually, using my Dynon D6 to monitor my altitude and airspeed. On approach, Tower stated it was not getting Mode C from my 330ES transponder, which I think makes sense as my ADC was offline so it wasn't providing an altitude input.

I suppose there is the possibility something has come loose, but I'm skeptical I'd lose everything at the same time if it was just a couple of wires. A few months ago, I had this issue, but it was limited to PFD1 on startup. Shutting it off, then back on resolved the issue. Just last weekend, the same thing happened on startup, but with PFD2. Shutting it down and turning it back on also resolved the issue.

I purchased the plane a few years ago from the original builder. The avionics were done by Stein, with the final installation done by the owner himself. We've become friends and I'll consult with him on this before contacting Garmin.

My understanding is that post-installation of a replacement GSU 73, it will have to be updated with the correct firmware, re-calibrated, and then I'll have to get my avionics shop to perform an pitot/static/transponder test.

Is there anyone I should ask for by name when I contact Garmin, and did they ask you to provide any logs from a GDU SD card?

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

-Jeff

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Quick update. Today I turned all the avionics on while the plane was in its hangar on ground power. Not a single red X or anything abnormal. So I pulled all the screens, verified all connectors were tight, including the two at the GSU 73. I disconnected and reconnected each one and put everything back in its place. Fired up the avionics and still no failures. It has me thinking perhaps there is a heat or other vibration related issue going on here. I’ll call Garmin tomorrow.
 
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