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Thread: Wiring teardown (or how I destroyed my plane in a weekend)

  1. #21
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Question Re: Wiring teardown

    I was just wondering on your source for this, because during the E-LSA class I took this past weekend it was mentioned that any fuse or circuit breaker needed to be accessible by the PIC in flight...

    The guy teaching was not from the FAA, but he is a A&P w/IA. We were talking of the merits of circuit breakers and fuses. His words were you can even use the cheesey inline spade fuses from the auto parts store, as long as you can reach them in flight.
    Av8r3400
    Kitfox Model IV
    The Mangy Fox
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  2. #22
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wiring teardown (or how I destroyed my plane in a weekend)

    I've got some on the RV. They didn't need to be. But, you should go down and get some of those resetable fuses at the auto parts store for the critical stuff. That's what i did.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
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  3. #23
    Senior Member akarmy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wiring teardown

    Quote Originally Posted by Av8r3400 View Post
    I was just wondering on your source for this
    Ok, first up, I clearly understand and believe that whoever you are talking to, be it FAA inspector, DAR, or other person of authority has the final say. If you need them to sign off on something you may end up having to meet whatever requirements they put on you. That said, here's some background if you want to research this topic yourself.

    I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, just sharing what I have seen.

    First up, Why does it always come up that it's required to have accessable fuses & CB's to the pilot? Well that's because of FAR Part 23.1357.D which says

    Code:
    If the ability to reset a circuit breaker or replace a fuse is essential
    to safety in flight, that circuit breaker or fuse must be so located and
    identified that it can be readily reset or replaced in flight.
    Now that seems pretty clear. However there are 2 issues to be considered. First up is a check on applicability of FAR Part 23. In FAR Part 23.1.a it says

    Code:
    This part prescribes airworthiness standards for the issue of type
    certificates, and changes to those certificates, for airplanes in the
    normal, utility, acrobatic, and commuter categories.
    Now last I checked that does not apply to Experimental aircraft. Secondly we each need to think about what is required to meet the phrase "essential to safety in flight" and think of proper backups for those items. This comes down to how you equip your plane and what conditions you plan on flying in. There are literally thousands of RV's up to and including 4 place full IFR planes with fuses that are not accessible, so they are getting approved by inspectors all over the country already.

    Here's a link to one of the articles by Bob Nuckolls which talks about system design and the fuse vs breaker issue. This is the material that got most of those RV guys thinking about these design issues.

    http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/fusvsbkr.html

    So, that's what I know on the subject, not trying to argue with anyone. In the end we all have to decide how to equip our own planes to meet the mission profiles we have defined for them.
    Andy Karmy
    Kitfox 7 - 912S - SOLD
    Auburn, WA

    http://kitfoxflying.com

  4. #24
    Senior Member cap01's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wiring teardown (or how I destroyed my plane in a weekend)

    andy , i just went thru this last summer with the a/w cert . my fuse panels are located on the bottom side of my glove compartment . i had a well known local dar look at the airplane and no mention was made of fuse panel locations . he must have been happy with the location
    chuck
    kitfox IV 1050
    912ul warpdrive
    flying B , yelm, wa

  5. #25
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wiring teardown (or how I destroyed my plane in a weekend)

    I put many of my fuses on auto fuses inside the panel, only way to get to them was with the canopy open, this is on the RV. Only thing I was told was to mark them for application. This was from the big guy that oversees all the Dars at my FSDO. He was at my inspection looking over the DAr for his inspection. That was last may.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

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