My dash wiring dosn't look real tidy

[Herm]

Well I thought I was doing a good job of wiring my Jab. Started out real neat until it came to the radio and intercom. I seem to have wires all over the place an trying to keep them tidy but still allowing length to remove the dash if I need to. Is it normal that behind that nice looking dash is a mass of wire?

 

I would love to see some images of what others look like to get an example....and not just the perfect ones.. This is my first go at this

 

Mardy

 

 

[Thirsty]

Have a look at zerksus.com/airCraft_cabling_info.htm for an example of neat cabling? I think it's important to get it as neat as you can as it will help with fault finding and repairs later on.

 

 

[Virago]

It's amazing what you can do with a handful of cable ties!

 

 

[pudestcon]

Well, I hesitate to take a photo behind my instrument panel, but this is what it looked like during the setup process - in a not yet finished state, obviously.

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/useralbums/puds-thruster-project.9/view

 

Pud

 

 

[Yenn]

I am in the middle of doing mine and am thinking of re doing it, now that I haved proved it all works. I will possibly make a new loom to stand clear of the rear of the panel, fully wrapped, a bit like a spine with arms and legs coming out to each instrument. I am using thin slivers of bamboo to stiffen as necessary. No photos yet.

 

There was a good post on Vansaircraft forum, which showed how Stein does it. Stein is a proffessional panel maker in he USA.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

what like this?

 

 

 

[Diggler]

Nah. More like this.No smoke was released on the application of power!

 

 

 

[Diggler]

Hey Mardy,

 

What sort of Jab is it - we should compare notes some time

 

Cheers

 

Rod

 

 

[Herm]

Wow that is really neat. I think I need to go back and make changes. Hi Rod! I have purchased an early Jab SK 2.2. It was started in 2006 and never finished. I have been told that it is the only known brand new SK around. I have about 2 weeks work to finish it, other than getting my wiring more tidy LOL. Just managed to scrape up the funds with some help from the parents.. That being Alan (Guernsey on the forum). I guess not having really tidy wires is not great, but as long as nothing is rubbing and it's labeled... Oh and safe.

 

Cheers

 

Mardy

 

 

[Virago]

Hi Diggler! As a retired avionics LAME I can tell you that is an excellent job ... I couldn't have done it better myself. It's well thought out, neat, practical and safe! You have also used approved wire - looks like tefzel. You can be proud of that! John.

 

 

[Diggler]

Thanks John, Your positive feedback is much appreciated. Apart from the occasional chat with my TC, home building can be a singular experience. The occasional pat on the back is a real bonus and also serves to calm the life partners (unfounded?) concerns.

 

Wire is indeed Tefzel. In fact I have replaced the Jabiru supplied non-Tefzal strobe wiring with M27500-22TE3T14 as well, to keep the whole project using approved materials.

 

Regards

 

Rod

 

 

[Guernsey]

what like this?

Now that looks like an accurate picture of 'Mardy's' Brain Panel at the moment....now I can say that about my Son and it is reverse hereditary, since after raising him my brain has been re-wired in a sinilar fashion. .

 

Alan.

 

 

[Herm]

Well I got things looking tidy with some changes and cable ties. Then came the time to connect the power and test all functions in tha Aircraft. After going through all the connections and diagrams a few times the connection took place. NO SMOKE. Yay!

 

Yep it all worked as it should. IT'S ALIVE! Just one connection to add backlight to the radio. Finish the trim and she is all done.

 

Very Happy

 

Mardy

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Cable ties make life pretty easy these days, doesnt seem that long ago that I would have got down the spool of waxed lacing cord and built the loom with that. They look better finished than cable ties, but what a pain in the Ar$e if you need to run an extra wire or pull one out for fault finding etc. My J230 panel is always a work in progress as I add and change the panel contents. (I need to add an MGL 12 channel thermocouple display/recorder for EGT/CGT) to replace the 2 "cheap as chips" and just as useless guages that came from J. If Virago is now retired then I suspect he has spent more than a few hours playing with lacing cord over the years....... :<)

 

Andy

 

 

[Virago]

Hi Andy! You betcha! In the sixties we used to tie looms with a "nylex" cord ... solid plastic stuff about 1mm thick. When waxed string, and later, waxed lacing cord came out, we thought it was heaven. Then cable ties arrived on the scene and these were the bee's knees! I wouldn't mind a dollar for every cable ties I've used. The best cable ties are nylon with the little metal locking tab. I think they were made by "Thomas and Betts". We also found that the black cable ties didn't perish as much as the white ones even though the nylon ones are practically indestructible. Ever tried to cut a cable tie only to find you've cut a wire in the loom? Usually in the most inaccessible location! My Beech Debonair was always a work in progress too. Geez I miss that plane! John.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Well I got things looking tidy with some changes and cable ties. Then came the time to connect the power and test all functions in tha Aircraft. After going through all the connections and diagrams a few times the connection took place. NO SMOKE. Yay!Yep it all worked as it should. IT'S ALIVE! Just one connection to add backlight to the radio. Finish the trim and she is all done.

 

Very Happy

 

Mardy

Well guys and gals, I was in the hangar at the time and witnessed the proceedings, I only wish that I had a video camera at the time.

 

Mardy and his mate and helper (Mark) were sitting in the aircraft whilst I took a keen interest from way past the wing tip; the first switch was activated and the wing strobes started flashing followed by a 4 decibel Yay! in unison, shortly after a second switch then a 6 decibel Yay! (panel lights) third switch a 10 decibel Yay! with two pairs of arms flung into the air (fuel pump ), fourth switch (radio) a 20 decibel Yay! with arms and legs flailing, laughter and shrieks of excitement. I think by now you have got the way that this is heading, after testing around twenty switches the aircraft was shaking, the excitement was incredible and the noise was so high that within minutes we were surrounded by about fifty people who had run from their hangars to see what all the excitement was about and would you believe that two aircraft doing circuits heard the commotion from 1,000 feet and landed in front of Mardy's hangar. The two students were so impressed that they are each ordering a Jabiru.!!

 

Stone the crows, I can't wait until Mardy's first flight.

 

 

[damkia]

No idea if it is relevant here, but when I was running cables to termination boards and equipment (all LV and signal stuff) we used to route all cables to the furtherest end of the board and then split the wires off as you went back. This usually gave you enough cable to pull the board or equipment off completly to work on the back of it if needed at a later point.

 

In the pictures above (of the panel, not the Chinese olympic venue) the centre origin of the cables makes working on the panel a bit more difficult as you cannot swing it out easily. Good looking layout of the panel....

 

 

[Diggler]

Definately relevant - maintenance is a major consideration. The layout of the panel is such that it can be released from the instrument console (7 screws), laid forward, and then all multi pin connectors disconnected. This allows the panel to be maintained away from the aircraft in a more "controlled environment" like a work bench. Worth noting that no two connectors are the same thus it should be not possible to screw up the reinstallation.

 

 

[damkia]

Definately relevant - maintenance is a major consideration. The layout of the panel is such that it can be released from the instrument console (7 screws), laid forward, and then all multi pin connectors disconnected. This allows the panel to be maintained away from the aircraft in a more "controlled environment" like a work bench. Worth noting that no two connectors are the same thus it should be not possible to screw up the reinstallation.

Remember that there will be times where some of the mainenance you need to do can ONLY be done with the panel in the aicraft, such as tuning antenna for VHF radios and tracing through faults in the wiring or other electrical points away from the panel such as servos and sensors hooked up to their panel electronics.As for Mr Murphy, let me tell you that it is possible to get some plugs to fit where they shouldn't, especially in the darkness of the back of a panel. Mr O'Shaugnessy, Mr Murphy's cousin, was the person that said Murphy was a bloody optimist...

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Diggler

 

Ive goto say that if it was me and I was going to the effort of using tefzel wiring (which is a choice I would probably make) then those premade looms that come with main voltage supply lines as just plain old red and black Dick Smith wiring would have been replaced back at the connector. Its good having tefzel lines even for low voltage signalling lines but sort of flys in the face of reason if you then dont use it on the main supply lines which is where the majority of the risk that tefzel is supposed to be used to mitigate exits.

 

If you've got spare tefzel, and have access to someone who can do the job for you (generally need specialist pin removal tools, soldering equipment in the form of resistance tweezers, and anti wicking tools) then I'd suggest you go that extra mile. At the same time I would remove the extra power connectors that exist as well, there is simply no reason for them once everything is fitted as long term intended.

 

Andy

 

 

[Herm]

I fully agree with Andy... It took more time and money when doing my electrical work, but I have used only tefzel wire. thier is no Dick Smith gear anywhere. The only cable I have that is not is the cable for my GPS supplied by Garmin and the one that goes to my Ipad... All breakers on the dash and not a fuse in site. When I think of the total cost for wire it was not really all that bad and I think well worth the money and the effort..

 

Here Here

 

Mardy

 

 

[Diggler]

G'day Andy

 

You do both Dynon and Microair a disservice. Their premade looms are all Tefzel. As Mardy has commented, the only non Tefzel is on the Garmin supplied cable.

 

Regards Rod