AVIONICS, ELECTRICS, & CONTROLS

The scheme behind my avionics choices is this:   I eventually decided to get a Blue Mountain EFIS/One system as my primary EFIS.  I wanted my backup EFIS to be a different manufacturer than the primary, in case of problems with any one manufacturer or their products.  Also, at the time I made my avionics decisions, Eggenfellner Subaru Aircraft was bundling the GRT EFIS with their engines and the GRT Engine Information System.  So, I got the Grand Rapids Horizon EFIS as secondary EFIS.  In the end, I also got a Dynon D-10A EFIS as third backup, instead of the IFR-required turn coordinator.  I also had planned a full Garmin stack, based on the Garmin 530.  My avionics dealer talked me into getting a Garmin 496 instead of a music radio (with the 496, you get WAAS, weather, music, and more all for less than the cost of adding any one of those features to the 530 or  adding weather and GPS to the Grand Rapids).  So, I probably won't get the 530, at least not until I am ready for instrument training.  So, once I get to flying this plane, I will have a lot of info on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Blue Mountain EFIS, Grand Rapids EFIS, and Dynon EFIS, as I will have them all in one panel.

See my CURRENT DRAWINGS section for copies of the current state of my RV electrical drawings, electrical diagrams, wiring diagrams, etc.  See VENDORS page for info on panel planning software & sites, as well as avionics related vendors.

See my SPLICING page for details on how to do wire splices.

2002 details - very basic initial planning

2003 details - acquire AoA, stick grips, ELT; make EFIS and avionics decisions  33.5 hours

first half 2004 details - order BMA EFIS & A/P,

July, 2004 details - bench test BMA EFIS, order GRT EFIS  21.25 hours

August, 2004 details - acquire & test low fuel indicators, wig-wag, lighting; work on panel layout; acquire & install flaps positioning system; RFQ on avionics stack  & choose avionics source  131.25 hours

September, 2004 details - acquire & return turn coordinator; work on Panel Planner; begin "discussion" with Eckhard over TSO encoder; order Dynon EFIS; receive & test GRT EFIS  29.5 hours

October, 2004 details - continue argument over TSO encoder  0.5 hours

November, 2004 details - give up on TSO encoder argument; order Sandia encoder; acquire fuel flow transducer, EFIS magnetometers, ARINC-429  3.0 hours

December, 2004 details - receive Dynon EFIS  0 hours

August, 2005 details  3.5 hours wasted again on Panel Planner

September, 2005 - see fuselage page for magnetometer installation work

January, 2006 details - plan EFIS mounts; panel final layout; start cutting panel; Garmin tray installation 27.75 hours

February, 2006 details - Garmin tray installation; panel components final fitting & installation; cut subpanel; make mounts for GRT & BMA EFIS AHRS  60.5 hours

March, 2006 details - finish mounts for GRT & BMA EFIS AHRS  27 hours

April, 2006 details - mount BMA A/P controller & Sandia encoder; make removable avionics tray; acquire & mount fuse blocks  10.5 hours

May, 2006 details - continue work on fuse blocks   27 hours

June, 2006 details - wiring  5.75 hours

July, 2006 details - get DVM, make lug crimper; fuse blocks; switches layout; TurboCAD work on electrical plan;  DC supply wiring  80.75 hours

August, 2006 details - basic wiring planning  0 hours

September, 2006 details - acquire current sensor; revise wiring block diagram; install ground block; wire fuse blocks  8.25 hours

October, 2006 details - EIS wiring; current sensor installation, MAP wiring; engine support final wiring; DC supply wiring; switch panel layout; Schottky diode install; contactors install  56 hours

November, 2006 details - EIS wiring; DC supply wiring; switch panel wiring   33.5 hours

December, 2006 details - battery wiring; Perihelion module wiring, DC supply control wiring   18 hours

January, 2007 details - Dynon testing & return to mfg, LVWAABMM return & reinstall, switches panel work, LOVP install, TurboCAD drawings work  31.5 hours

February, 2007 details - install Angle of Attack display, update warning indicators layout, configure EIS  10 hours

March, 2007 details - EIS configuration, install GRT ARINC-429, GRT GPS, DVM wiring, install panel indicators, install battery wires, install conduit under floors, paint panel, install warning indicators  58 hours

April, 2007 details - warning indicators wiring, instrument panel wiring, EIS configuration, document avionics interconnections, wire low fuel pressure switch and supercharger pressure sensor  63.75 hours

May, 2007 details - avionics interconnections documentation, wire GRT EFIS/mag, wire BMA EFIS/mag, finish wire harness through LT firewall, add Avionics Master, new switches subpanel   62 hours

June, 2007 details - fabricate, tune fit, paint, and wire new switches subpanel, install K-11 dimmer system, rewire low coolant sensor wiring through DB-37  27.5 hours

July, 2007 details - low coolant wiring, landing & taxi light indicators & switches wiring, nav & strobe light switches wiring, Dynon PC port wiring, Sandia AIM wiring  27.5 hours

August, 2007 details - wired Sandia AIM switch and LEDs.  7.5 hours

September, 2007 details - replace LVAABMM, rewire fuse blocks, wire Sandia encoder, install Snapjacks, rewire 2 circuit breakers, panel wiring  34 hours

October, 2007 details - some more panel wiring  3 hours

November, 2007 details - didn't accomplish anything, unfortunately

December, 2007 details - install new design LVAABMM module, update wiring docs  3.25 hours

January, 2008 details - nothing accomplished - planning to get going on avionics wiring with SteinAir

February, 2008 details - work on avionics wiring plan  4.0 hours

March, 2008 details - update avionics wiring plan  0.5 hours

April, 2008 details - install panel labels, move warning lights power source  4.5 hours

July 9, 2009 - I just found out Blue Mountain Avionics, makers of the EFIS/One and my autopilot, the most expensive components of my plane besides the Eggenfellner FWF fiasco, has gone TU. Their web site says this:

Well, it's been fun. We developed a whole new class of machine, started an industry, dominated it, and are now leaving it.  BMA will be ceasing production and spinning down.  The best way to contact us is via email: support@bluemountainavionics.com.  Please don't call, since the office is not staffed on a scheduled basis.  We'll still be around to service, support and assist as time permits, homebuilders helping other homebuilders, but BMA is essentially closed.  This website is paid up and will be around for a few years at least, and there is some hope (and a fond desire) that we may return to full production when the economy recovers.  Database updates are still be available on this site, and service, maintenance and repairs are still available for all BMA products.  We are actively seeking someone to buy the code and continue development.  If your interested, please email.

I just want to die. This does NOT help with the motivation I've been trying to resurrect on this plane. For just what I have spent on FWF and BMA alone, I could have bought a very nice used plane.

October, 2009 details - very little Garmin panel wiring - high distractions & low motivation  8.0 hours

December, 2009 details - more Garmin stack wiring  5.25 hours

April 23, 2010 - I've been in California all winter and spring.   Returned to NH a few days ago.  Worked a bit on Garmin/EFIS/avionics wiring.  1 hour

May 5, 2010 - remove GTX330 pins 28 and 30 and redo them using Shielded Twisted Pair, as I should have in the first place.  Back to CA.  1 hour

CURRENT DRAWINGS

This section will show, in one consolidated place, the latest version of each of my electrical design drawings and RV-7A wiring diagrams.  Understand that these are all works in progress, and will be changing as I move forward on this project.  This is also where I have put drawings and manuals hosted by others (see also my Other Builders and Builder Support pages).

AVIONICS INTERCONNECTIONS - the all-important document, showing how everything is interconnected  updated 08/04/09

Grand Rapids interconnections to Garmin stack.   THIS is the source doc file for the WD-1001-05 "Interface Diagram GNS430/530 SL30" PDF file that is on the GRT documentation page.   THIS is my modified version of that file, changed mainly to reflect one display, not two.  updated 02/15/08

HERE is an updated version of the Grand Rapids/Garmin interconnections doc, from SteinAir .  updated 02/23/08

HERE is a doc showing how to do the shielded wiring   updated 12/18/09

fuse blocks circuit layout - shows the wiring to each fuse  updated 12/10/07

DC control schematic - main drawing.  Based heavily on Bob Nuckolls' drawings, and Perihelion's components  updated 9/10/07

Grand Rapids EIS 4000 settings - setup notes for my GRT EIS configuration for Eggenfellner engines  updated 5/1/07

drawing for Grand Rapids EIS 4000 on Eggenfellner engines

additional circuits schematic - shows more circuits that don't fit onto the main drawing  updated 9/10/07

switches subpanel drawing - these are mostly completed and built; just one switch position still pending.  Lifesize.  updated 1/25/07

DC control block diagram - this is the block diagram I went with, after several adjustments & changes  updated 9/16/06

instrument panel layout (approximate) - an old JPG from the old free ePanelBuilder  updated 10/22/04

warning lights layout  The shape in this PDF is the only leftover place I have in my primary field of view for warning lights.  I made this lifesize drawing in TurboCAD, based on measurements from my panel.  THIS is a picture of the portion of the panel this drawing depicts, and THIS is how it actually looks after being populated.  updated 4/11/07

panel switches and indicators notes doc  updated 4/13/07

OTHER DRAWINGS & DOCS:

See here for Mike Casey's very well rewritten Grand Rapids Technology Horizon EFIS User Manual.  He also has a nice PDF on his web site, regarding tools and techniques for wiring.

Ted Chang also has good GRT wiring and general wiring diagrams here.

See HERE for Mike Stewart's great downloads page, including all those hard-to-find Garmin Installation Manuals

For some odd reason, Grand Rapids Technologies does not have the GRT EIS installation manual online on their document downloads page, so HERE it is.  

The bible for aircraft building is FAA AC 43.13, available in print from various vendors like Avery and ACS (Aircraft Spruce), and available free as a series of PDF files from the FAA

The bible for electrical work is Bob Nuckolls' "Aeroelectric Connection" book, available directly from Bob's web site, or from various vendors, such as SteinAir.  There is also an "Aeroelectric" Matronics list, where electrical questions and answers are exchanged every day.  And Greg Richter, of Blue Mountain Avionics, wrote "Aircraft Wiring For Smart People", available HERE .

Click HERE for a great PDF on crimping techniques

Click HERE for a great PDF on the Top 10 Wiring Mistakes

See NASA Workmanship Standards HERE, and especially the the NASA wiring workmanship standards HERE.

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