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RV-6A Project Website

Wiring

Finally!  Something I know how to do.  While the aluminum riveting has been a learning process, the wiring is an area in which I have confidence.  And, putting the panel together is fun.

I am using the EXP-2V power board from Control Vision.  I am not too far along as yet, but I like the board as it really does seem to simplify wiring.  There are fewer conventional circuit breakers because the board uses self-resetting polyfuses.  Also, I am using the on-board master relay and ammeter shunt.  The display unit shows the current charge/drain, and the board incorporates lots of good ideas like:
* It shuts off power to the avionics if I turn the starter and leave the Avionics switch on,
* It has the ability to turn on power to the radio to receive clearances without turning on the master bus.  I used a switch from Radio Shack with a big ol' red LED in its end to remind me that that circuit is on,
* It ramps up current to the landing lights so maybe they'll last longer.
 
I mounted the EXPBUS board first, and started running wires to the switches.  I put Molex connectors in line for all the wires so that the panel *might* be able to be removed in the future.

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I'm wiring from the top, so since the switches are on the bottom, I started there.  That way they will be done as I add the flight instruments and finish toward the top of the panel.

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I added a spare cigarette lighter and its circuit breaker, but I put it on the sub-panel because I don't expect to use it much.  It is there if I need it.

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More wires in place...

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This chime from Radio Shack will remind me to turn off the Master when the oil pressure is low.  I added a SPST switch so I could turn off the chime when I was working on the panel.  I also added a warning red light to the panel to tell me when the pressure was low.  This light is not controlled by the switch.

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The radio and transponder trays are in and the wiring harness is almost complete.  The wiring of these components is easy compared to the intercom connector.

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