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Thread: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

  1. #1
    Senior Member Cherrybark's Avatar
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    Default Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    It would be so convenient to complete and test all of the wiring here in the garage workshop. Both wings will have AeroLED landing lights and strobes and one wing will have a magnetometer. Having plugs or terminal strips to make the connections is so tempting.

    Are there any significant downsides to having these plug connections?

    Any favored plugs?
    Carl Strange
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X

  2. #2
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    I think I know what you mean. If you do a walk around and check your lights every time you fly, will notice if you have a problem with your connectors. I'm planning on having connectors on everything in the wing so I can remove the wing if required without cutting wires. Just my take on it.
    ------------------
    Josh Esser
    Flying SS7
    Rotax 914iS
    AirMaster Prop

    Edmonton, AB, CWL3

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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    Carl, I have the same lighting set-up as you on my plane. However, my magnetometer is in the fuselage. I used Molex 6-pin plugs behind the seat. I ran a 6 conductor cable w/bare shield down the rear spar. The strobe drivers are in the wingtips. All of it works great with no noise whatsoever!

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    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    I used the weather-tite connectors (forgot the brand name) on my wing wiring. Its like a Molex, but has the rubber gaskets for each pin.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #5
    Senior Member Cherrybark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    I thought a fuselage mount would be great for the magnetometer but the Garmin G3X system came with their GMU 11, solid state magnetometer that is very sensitive to magnetic fields. The manual specifies a minimum of 10' from electric motors and relays, including servo motors. Using Kitfox factory mounts for the autopilot servos put my AP pitch servo near the elevator bell crank towards the rear of the fuselage. So a wing mounted magnetometer is in my future.

    Can you tell me more about how you wired the lights? AeroLED says the braided shield can be used as the "Black" negative/ground wire without any radio noise. Seems odd to have varying current running in the shield as the landing lights are wig / wagged but I know just enough to be dangerous.

    Again, showing ignorance of wiring, what is a "bare shield"? And what type of wire did you find that offered 6-conductor 20 AWG? I'm only finding 3-conductor in official TEFZEL aircraft wire. Whether or not that grade of wire is really necessary is probably worth a separate thread that would go on and on.
    Carl Strange
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X

  6. #6
    Senior Member jmodguy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    Cherry
    I am using DB9 (computer serial port) connectors at my wing roots. These are very affordable (cheap) and easy to put in small places. You can get a bag of 10 for a few bucks at Frys or similar electronics store. Be sure to use mil spec machined contacts. We use these on mil aircraft. The rolled contacts can be iffy at times and it is harder to get consistent crimps.
    I am using a 4 wire unshielded cable in my wings. This allows for wingtip wires for nav, strobe, ground, and sync.
    I used a 3/8" OD polymer tube from Lowes as a conduit to route the cables to the wingtips. I cut a small hole where the OAT and magnetometer wires head to the fuse. Plenty of room for the quad cable and 4 wires from my magnetometer.
    As for using the shield in a cable (term for a multi wire jacketed "wire") as ground, I would NOT recommend this. The shield is designed for noise mitigation (EMI), not current handling. Some of the tefzel cables use a silver plated braid that corrodes rather easily and you would not want that to be carrying any current.
    Do you need Tefzel wire? nope. a lot of your car wiring is not tefzel, even in the engine compartment. The reason mil aircraft use teflon based jackets is the noxious fumes PVC puts off when it burns. Tefzel is pretty nasty too, it just has to get hotter.
    I have been wiring military and civil aircraft since 1980. I currently work for a DoD contractor in the wiring and interconnect department and can go on for a bit about wiring best practices and techniques...

    Oh - the connector on the fuse should have female contacts so you do not inadvertently short any pins (there will be power on one or more).
    Jeff
    KF 5
    340KF

  7. #7
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    Thanks Jeff. I never understood why the instructions instruct what end of the wire the female and male connectors go on. Now While wer on the subject Ill hijack Carls thread since he will want to know as well. Without spending $150 on a crimper, where or how would one get the 6AWG battery cable connector crimped onto the cable. I bought a really nice multi head ratchet crimper but it turns out that it wont handle 6AWG
    Eddie

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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    The cable is:
    Nova Electronics Strobe Cable Made is USA

    The bare stranded wire (grounded at ONE END ONLY) is in contact with a metal shield under the insulation. I used one of the (6) conductors as aircraft ground. The other (5) are for position, landing/wig-wag, and strobe lights.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #9
    Senior Member Cherrybark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    Jeff,

    Thanks for those comments. Being retired software, I've been surrounded by DB9 connectors, just never thought of them in this context. When using shielded, do you solder or connect the braid to the cases?

    I saw your idea of using the 3/8" OD polymer tube in an earlier thread. Promptly returned my unopened bags of official conduit and bought a nice length of poly for a fraction of the cost. Great idea, and I like the smooth walls.

    Do you know offhand if the magnetometer is doing the analog conversion at the unit and sending digital in the wires? I would think digital transmission would be less subject to noise. If digital, I would be less hesitant to use non-shielded, 4-strand for the lights and run the magnetometer wires through the same spar.

    I'll be happy to move away from Tefzel and enjoy the wider variety of color choices. Would you go so far as to use Tray Cable or is tinned better?
    Carl Strange
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X

  10. #10
    Senior Member Cherrybark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Electrical Plugs at Wing Roots

    Floog,

    I really appreciate that specific recommendation for wire. Excellent to have rather than spending hours digging through on-line catalogs.
    Carl Strange
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Oratex, G3X

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