Today was all about finishing up a bunch of electric tasks that are just a few that I have on a fairly long list.  Since my workshop is in a very cold state, to save money I just decided to knock out what I can on the electrical system and other non-shop –or at least heated shop– build tasks.  I figure this stuff has to be done at some point anyways, so might as well try to optimize time and money and get it done while the shop is harder to heat. Still, when I get back from my Christmas break I plan to fire up the heaters in the shop and get some real shop work done then.

One reason I needed to knock out some electrical stuff was simply to get the area around my instrument panel cleaned up and organized.  I have dozens upon dozens of wire shrink labels that need to be attached to the wires, so that’s what I started out with.  I attached 5 labels, which is much more of a pain when the wires are attached into a D-Sub connector or something analogous and must be removed to attach the label.

I then got to work on solder splicing a length of 20 AWG yellow wire to an existing yellow lead on the Electroair electronic ignition control head wiring harness (below).

This yellow lead is the one that attaches to the EI “mag” switch for ON/OFF control of the Electroair EI.

I spliced the wires together then soldered it up (I didn’t realize both pics I had of the next steps were blurry until I uploaded them).  I then labeled the wire, wound it back up and put the wiring harness away for later.

After a good hour of labeling and adding a couple of long wires to the oil heat PWM control and the heat seat relays, I then got to work on configuring the oil heat pump power leads.

Since the wire on oil pump’s leads aren’t Tefzel, I trimmed them back fairly short and prepped them for getting solder spliced to longer 16 AWG Tefzel leads.

Below you can see the raw splices and the soldered splices for both of the oil heat pump’s power leads: the positive lead and ground.

I then heat shrank the solder spliced oil heat pump power leads.

I then slightly twisted the oil heat leads together (as I did the leads coming from the PWM controller) and then labeled the leads.

I also terminated the ends of the oil heat pump power & ground leads with knife splice connectors, just as I did the oil heat pump power wires coming from the PWM controller.

Below you can see the knife splice connectors slightly set together for the aft side oil heat pump leads to the power wires coming from PWM controller.

Although I had finalized a couple of the GNS480 annunciator light wires earlier, I decided to document the last one I did for the evening (I still have 2 left to do).  I’m adding in 300 Ohm resistors to help clean up the power signal and also take a slight edge off the brightness of these annunciator lights.  In addition, to ensure there is no negative power spikes to damage the LEDs, I’m installing a small diode in parallel on each annunciator light for just a bit of added protection . . . just in case.

After soldering the 300 Ohm resistor in place (in a Z configuration for added strength), I then covered it with some heat shrink to secure it.  You can also see the diode lead sticking up, ready to be attached to the other GNS480 LED annunciator lead.  Since these protective diodes are truly optional, I didn’t waste any money on using fresh socket tabs on the end of each wire.  Instead, I just tacked the diodes in place with some solder at the base of each crimped on socket tab terminal.  I then added some shrink tubing for added strength to the diode lead.

Here’s the finished product for the new configuration on the GNS480 annunciator lights. This is the fourth one I’ve finished out of 6 total.  Tomorrow I plan on finishing the other 2 (….as well as use up a bunch more wire labels!)

Tomorrow will be a continuation of getting as many electrical tasks knocked out as I can during the cold season (at least for the next week).

I started out today actually redoing yet another round of updates on some wiring diagrams, since I had switched around some remote functions on the GNS480 handled by the 5-way castle switch.  I wanted to get the diagrams updated ASAP to reflect the changes before heading into the shop.

The weather was unexpectedly sunny & nice, so I took the opportunity to cut 4 beveled plywood hard points to reinforce the aluminum threaded inserts that the throttle quadrant will mount to.  I then rounded the corners with my sanding block.

A bit later I drilled the appropriate size holes and then trimmed the top 2 plywood hard points… this throttle quadrant is marketed more towards RV bubbas so it mounts a bit odd going into a Long-EZ with the top mounting bolts almost even (but maybe 0.050″ low) with the top of the throttle quadrant plate.  Not a huge issue, I just either had to trim down my top hard points or have to deal with them sticking above the top of the armrest.

To be clear, I had sat in the pilot’s for quite a while in an attempt to ascertain the right spot (for me) to mount the throttle quadrant.  Since I’ll have to redo the actual lever for the throttle handle I have some flexibility on the height and left/right position of the handle, thus the main issue to determine today was forward/aft positioning and did I want it sunken a bit below the surface of the armrest or not [I chose not].

This pic below jumps ahead a bit after I had decided where I wanted the throttle quadrant mounted and subsequently after the holes in the left fuselage sidewall were drilled.  I set the throttle quadrant threaded aluminum mounting posts into the holes, climbed in and ensured that this is where I wanted it before I finalized the install.  I did move it forward 0.4″ from my originally planned mounting position. As you’ll note by the pics below, obviously I liked this spot so I pulled the pressed forward with the install.

I prepped each threaded aluminum insert by taping up the outboard (open) ends of each one, and then bolting a tape-covered washer to the inboard open hole.  I then mixed up some flox and started by floxing the threaded aluminum inserts into each plywood hardpoint.  I then floxed the threaded insert/plywood hardpoint assemblies into their respective holes.  Of course the back (outboard) side of each plywood hardpoint was slathered with flox as well, providing a fair amount of surface contact area for added strength.

[In hindsight, if I had really taken note on how close the bottom 2 hardpoints were together, I might have just made one longer plywood hardpoint.  No worries though since what I used below worked fine too.]

While the floxed-in threaded insert/plywood hardpoint throttle quadrant mounting assemblies cured, I then prepped the layups by cutting and prepregging 2-plies of BID for each hardpoint.

After the flox cured the majority of the way, I then mixed up some more epoxy, wet out the prepregged 2-ply BID layups and went to work.  Here you can see all the threaded insert/plywood hard points glassed and peel plied.  I then set a heat lamp on them (….my shop was a balmy 66° F).

It was getting late so I left the threaded insert & plywood hardpoint throttle quadrant mounting assemblies alone to cure in peace while I went upstairs to get a bit of research in.  Tomorrow I’ll mount the throttle quadrant and dial in its exact, final location (left to right) in the left armrest console.  Then I’ll start the process of building out the left armrest as I install the console internals as well.  Again, this is still all part of the quest to get the lion’s share of the internal fuselage/cockpit components installed so that I can then install/construct/glass the firewall, nose & canopy.

Today I started out by pulling the peel ply and cleaning up the side layups on the inside of the fuel valve pedestal base.  I was going to layup the entire rest of it, but then determined that since I had decided to use thin-walled 1/4″ aluminum tubing to make up the top rounded edge that I needed an inside wall to create the “U” shaped channel, or rounded groove, along the top edge of the pedestal base.

So I glassed the aft inside wall and just as I did with the side walls, dug the foam out of the edge of the thigh support plate below and filled with dry micro.  I then laid up 1 ply of BID overlapping slightly onto each of the previous interior sidewall layups.

I then put the layup under a heat lamp so that it would cure even more quickly, which it did.  A little over an hour later I pulled the peel ply and cleaned up the layup.

I then sanded the top of the pedestal base to ensure the top edge was even all the way around.  I then double checked the fit of the thigh support with its newly attached fuel valve pedestal in place around the fuel valve bracket.

I then spent a good half hour bending and shaping a piece of 1/4″ 3003-0 Versatube to create the top edge of the fuel valve pedestal base.  I considered using Nylaflow, but it’s really hard to get it to straighten out.  I also considered just shaping the foam by hand, but I changed my mind in having a bit higher edge around the fuel valve bracket, so I figured the aluminum tubing was very light and would fit the requirement nicely.

I failed to get any pics of the my ensuing tasks, but after I ensured the fit of the 1/4″ tubing was correct I then set it in place and filled in the gaps with micro and then glassed over the entire pedestal base with 1 ply of BID.  I overlapped the BID ply onto the thigh support cover top about a half inch.  When the layup was done I then peel plied it.

One question I had to answer was what to do on the front side of the fuel selector valve bracket, where its 6 attach screws reside.  Since this area will be the floor to my little impromptu bin –when required– I figured I would simply take some spare glass I had kept around for just such purposes, make a small insert plate, and then simply use a few dabs of RTV Silicon to keep it in place until such time as I may need to remove the fuel valve bracket.

I found just such a piece of glass in my spare parts bin that looked to be about 3 plies thick.  I marked out (amazing how clear this stuff is btw!) the dimensions of the cover plate on the glass piece.

And then sanded it, painted it with 2 coats of darker granite paint, then hit it with a couple coats of clear (not all in one shot, I’m jumping ahead with the pic below).

While the pedestal base layup was curing under the heat lamp, I then cut a piece of 1/16″ thick angled aluminum to create a support bracket tab that I’ll attach a nutplate to in order to allow me to secure the aft end of the cantilevered fuel valve bracket to the aft wall of the fuel valve pedestal base on the thigh support.

Here’s a closer up view of the fuel valve bracket screw support tab.

By this point the pedestal base layup was cured, so I pulled the peel ply and cleaned it up. I then spent a good half hour fitting the thigh support with its newly attached fuel valve pedestal in place around the fuel valve bracket.  With the extra ply or 2 of BID on the inside of the pedestal base wall, I had to do some aggressive sanding in spots and even resorted to filing a bit of the edges of the fuel valve bracket in some spots to get things to fit!  I underestimated how much clearance I would have so the fit was TIGHT!  But I eventually proved myself smarter than these inanimate objects and won! ha!

I then drilled a small pilot hole for the fuel valve bracket screw support tab.  I was off just a hair so I ended up making the hole bigger to use a #8 screw versus my originally planned #6 screw.  With my hole drilled, I then drilled and riveted the #8 nutplate into place on the front side of the fuel valve bracket screw support tab.

After beveling the hole with a countersink, I then tested out a screw to see how it fit.  I think this should do the trick nicely!  Also, while the pedestal base layup was curing I primed & painted the fuel valve bracket, as you can see in this pic.

Here’s a shot of the painted fuel valve bracket in its thigh support pedestal.

I quickly mocked up the fuel valve top assemblies (no actual valve here) as well as the forward screw cover plate to see how it was all looking so far.  I’m liking it!

I then sanded down and prepped the thigh support cover for a couple of lighter coats of primer.  Here’s the results after the primer dried.

Then, for the grand finale of the evening, I hit the thigh support cover with a couple coats of the dark granite paint.  I have to say, I really like my interior paint scheme so far.

Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain, but if I can I’ll sneak in a few coats of clear on the thigh support cover.  I’ll finish getting the fuel selector valve and pedestal squared away, then move on to figuring out the left armrest console.  I will also try to sneak in finishing the wiring on the Dynon intercom on the instrument panel mockup.

I started off today doing a fair amount of updates to my electrical connector pinout diagrams for a bunch of the work I did on the panel last night.

I then got down into the shop to figure out the fuel valve skirt, pedestal, base . . . whatever it is that you’d call one of things!  Since the fuel valve sits higher than the thigh support cover, then I clearly need something to keep things from falling down under the thigh support, but also I want it all to look finished as well.  Another important function of this piece is that it will keep the seat cushion in place and from sliding forward.

I started by assessing and brainstorming what I needed and what I wanted.  I had a general idea –obviously– but the particulars have been germinating in my mind since the day I decided to place the fuel selector valve in the location I did.  After taking some measurements and playing around with the top few ideas on my list, I decided to keep the top level all the way around, so it’s basically a giant “U”, just flipped forward away from you.

I measured the depth at the back at about 1.7″, although it ended up being a bit taller on the very back part. The front was about 1.3″ high.  The bottom line is that I knew that I could use some of my 2″ thick urethane foam for this task.  I then made a quick thin cardboard template to figure out the lengths and slope on the bottom of the pedestal.  I then used the actual thigh support cover turned upside down to get the interior shape and dimensions transferred to the foam.  I then measured 0.25″ from the inside edge to give my sides, with a bit thicker area on the aft end for room to shape it around the actual fuel valve.  I then used my jig saw and on VERY slow speed cut this out in a very cautious manner.

Once I got the pedestal rough top view cut out, I then marked the sides using my template.  I then cut the lines to give me a straight top and angled bottomed pedestal piece.

I then tried it out on the thigh support by wrapping it around the fuel selector valve.  Of course it took about 15 minutes of the trial and error fitting-sanding-fitting cycle to do this, but I fairly quickly dialed it in.  A bit ironically (or stupidly!) I had the sides reaching forward where I needed them on the rough cutout and then ended up lopping them off too short!  I then had to make a little extension piece for each side and use needles to keep them in place.

You may be wondering, looking at the pic below, why I’m extending the sides all the way forward . . . well, I want an area that is a little sort of a tray, or bin, if you will, to hold small bits either in flight or especially on the ground.

I then mixed up some epoxy with fast hardener and whipped up some micro.  When I set the fuel valve pedestal foam piece in place I did cheat a little and used a spot of 5 minute glue about mid-point on each side.  After about 5 minutes of ensuring it wasn’t moving anywhere then I finished adding the micro fillets all the way around as you see below.

I then laid up 1 ply of BID all the way up the pedestal walls overlapping down onto the seat thigh support about an inch.  After ensuring the layup was all good I peel plied it since I’m going to add another ply of BID over top of it tomorrow.

I then went for pizza & beer with a buddy of mine and we decided to go see a movie. After I returned I decided to glass the straight sections on the inside of the fuel selector pedestal so that I would have glass curing overnight.  Since I used urethane foam on this, the walls are a bit flimsy and I wanted to beefen them up a bit.  So I laid up 1 ply of BID on each inside straight wall of the fuel selector pedestal, peel plied them and called it a night.  For now I stayed clear of the aft curved wall.

As you can see I also added some micro on the inside aft curved foam edge… actually with a little bit of cheater alcohol in it to make it much easier to sand (I learned this trick from Randi of Cozy Girrrls fame).

Here’s a shot of the interior right side glassed with 1 ply of BID (and the alcohol micro).

And shot of the right side as well.

Tomorrow I plan on getting the fuel selector valve pedestal base completed and move on to figuring out and building the pilot left side arm support & console.  If I get a chance, because I didn’t today, I’ll try to work on wiring up the intercom on the instrument panel mockup as well.

I started off today making a quick plan for wiring up the instrument panel.  To be clear, the instrument panel is mocked up, but the wiring I’m doing now is the real deal… always subject to some upgrades (read: changes!).

The plan was to get the TruTrak ADI and MGL clock rewired since I pulled them off the P6 PQD connector and am now running all the wires from point A to point B, as I noted in yesterday’s blog.  I did get them rewired, but not without the requisite issues along the way.  Nonetheless, in the end they are wired & labeled correctly.  So, check one!

My next task was to get the wiring harness for the HXr EFIS built, which is made up of wiring leads of the 3 HXr connectors: A, B & C being consolidated into one 37-pin D-Sub connector which makes up side B of the J4 connector.  Again, as I noted yesterday, since I’m a hair short on connector positions, I pressed a 4-pin AMP CPC connector into service to handle the HXr’s primary, secondary and tertiary power wires along with the single ground wire.

In the pic below, J4B is at the top left.  Then clockwise are HXr B, HXr A, P7B and HXr C connectors.  HXr A and HXr B have a smattering of different types of connections, while P7 –again- is only for power and HXr C is all ARINC 429.  In addition, as you can see I didn’t just get the wires cross-connected, but all labeled as well.  Finally, any wire loops you may see are the loopback grounds for the shielded wiring.

The 3 HXr EFIS connectors, in their final, populated state (l to r) HXr C, HXr A, HXr B.

I then did a test fit of the HXr wiring harness.  Below is a top-down shot.  Yes, it is REALLY tight, but it all seems to fit so far.

And a shot of the 3 HXr connectors . . . installed.

And a shot of P7 connected as well.

Tomorrow I’ll continue to work on the panel with the goal to get the front (Triparagon) sides of the J4 (HXr) & J3 (Mini-X) connectors wired up, as well as the last big bubba left: the GNS480 GPS unit [the Trio autopilot will be a big task as well, but it came with a populated D-Sub wiring harness, so labeling the wires and terminating them with connectors will be the time-consuming part on the autopilot].