I would like to run these wires inside the tubing of the control sticks but would need to drill two holes, one just below the upper, straight part, and another to exit near the lower end. Is this what others have done? Alternatives? Can the switches be grounded locally or better to go out to the firewall where the main grounding point is located? Thanks for any suggestions.
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Wiring the stick grips
- Thread starter bob888
- Start date
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
I have Infinity grips and ran the wire (actually a wire bundle) on the outside--just easier that way. I plan to put cloth/upholstery covers on the sticks to pretty'em up one of these days but for now the wire is visible. It's no big deal and doesn't cause any interference. I was even able to install my AntiSplat Aero gust lock bracket on the pilot's stick without issue.
As for the grounds, I ganged them together in groups to minimize the number of grounds going back to my forest of tabs on the firewall.
As for the grounds, I ganged them together in groups to minimize the number of grounds going back to my forest of tabs on the firewall.
forest of tabs on the firewall
I see this phrase in other posts what does it mean? I plan on grounding the battery to the firewall then everything else just to the airplane frame. do some people run all grounds to a post on the firewall that is connected directly to the battery?
I see this phrase in other posts what does it mean? I plan on grounding the battery to the firewall then everything else just to the airplane frame. do some people run all grounds to a post on the firewall that is connected directly to the battery?
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
Here's a pic of a dual sided one.
Most folks go with a single sided one that's mounted to the cabin side of the firewall. The bolt that extends through the firewall onto the engine side then gets grounded to the engine (at least on the RV-10 which typically has the battery in the tail).
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Stick Grip Wiring
The Infinity grips are really nice but they have that blue wire bundle that's quite wide in diameter, making it difficult to run thru the stick and requiring a relatively large exit hole at the bottom. The Tosten grips have a loose bundle of 22ga wires that are much easier to manage. I ordered mine directly from Tosten with extra long wires and just covered them with expandable sleeve protection. With this, I was able to run the bundle thru the stick without drilling an exit hole at the bottom. The wire bundle just fits thru the gap between the two heim joints in the stick weldment. For the connection to the panel, a couple of cpc connectors that use Dsub pins worked great. To manage pilot/copilot isolation, ganging the grounds through a panel mounted spdt switch allows selection of one stick or the other but not both.
The Infinity grips are really nice but they have that blue wire bundle that's quite wide in diameter, making it difficult to run thru the stick and requiring a relatively large exit hole at the bottom. The Tosten grips have a loose bundle of 22ga wires that are much easier to manage. I ordered mine directly from Tosten with extra long wires and just covered them with expandable sleeve protection. With this, I was able to run the bundle thru the stick without drilling an exit hole at the bottom. The wire bundle just fits thru the gap between the two heim joints in the stick weldment. For the connection to the panel, a couple of cpc connectors that use Dsub pins worked great. To manage pilot/copilot isolation, ganging the grounds through a panel mounted spdt switch allows selection of one stick or the other but not both.
Tosten grips here. Ran the wires on the inside. I drilled a hole in my pilot side stick for my gust lock and welded in a 5/16" steel bushing tapped 10-32 that the gust lock attaches to. Snaked the wires around that with no problems. I also have a vinyl sock I sewn up that goes over my sticks and matches the interior.
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
The audio electronics are rather particular about how the grounds are done, noise or other gremlins can be introduced due to poor grounding.
Not sure if other electronics besides audio stuff is as troubled by poor grounding but why take the chance?
Many folks just run all ground wires together, not just audio-------play it safe that way.
I used the forest of tabs mounted to the sub panel for all of the grounds of everything in my panel-------even indicator lights and such. I have no noise issues in the radios.
Forest is visible on left side of the photo--------just getting started here, by the time I was done, I ended up using every tab-------and even had to "Y" two wires into some terminals.
