Another 3-day post here… where does the time go??

Besides wrapping up my remedial soldering training, and ordering some of the correct consumables for my soldering irons, I’ve been slowly deconstructing my instrument panel mock-up that has been around for about 7 years now.  It houses the venerable (ha) “Tri-Paragon” that is somewhat analogous to a glorified T-shaped motherboard that houses many of my electrical, flight control and avionics system components, as well as electrical system power and ground busses.

If you look closely you can see behind the mock-up is the removed GRT HXr AHRS and Trig COM radio and transponder remote units.  I also pulled all the mock-up specific wiring out to clean it up in prep for the no-kidding wire interfaces that await it inside the bird.

Within the next day or two I plan to get to some no-kidding wire and cable management accomplished to clean and organize it all as best possible to facilitate its move into the airplane.

I have a few component and wiring tasks to complete before they too are added into the mix, so just next to the mock-up I carved out a little spot on the kitchen table as a make-shift work space for soldering and assembling those few components remaining.

What components you may ask?

Well, first out of the gate is the Warning Annunciator Sub-panel which sits TDC on the instrument panel.  Besides the pair of actual AG6 Warning Annunciators, it also houses the Automatic Gear Extension System, or AEX, switch and indicator light on the left side [this replaces the original switch and LEDs that came with Jack Wilhelmson’s EZNoseLift nose gear extension system].

On the right side it houses the switch that isolates the E-Bus (cutting off Main Bus power) and fires up the SD-8 backup alternator that supplies the E-Bus with about the same current that it draws.

Here we have the left side AEX switch and indicator light wired up.  Yes, it won’t win any wiring beauty awards, but it’s functional, fits, and works.

I terminated the wires from each switch/light(s) combo into mini-Molex connectors to both facilitate installing the Warning Sub-panel onto the panel via the two 3/4″ holes I drilled for each AG6 compartment, as well as terminating all the wires after it is installed.

I then tested out the AEX switch/light combo… which worked a treat!

The morning of Day 3 I drew up a surrounding cover in CAD for the “last minute” (circa 2018?) addition of the row of Korry indicator lights’ —which adorns the top edge of the HXr EFIS— Push-to-Test button to get it off the panel (very tight space for stuff!) and into a spot that easily makes it a side note: the right end of the Warning Annunciator Sub-panel.

The somewhat diminutive push-button installed with not too much problem (some finagling required), but I had no viable way of identifying exactly what its purpose was… with no good visible surfaces to affix any labels.  Thus the 3D printed surround that has two vertical edges to attach said labels.

Here is the 3rd and final version, just off the 3D printer and ready for painting (pic 1) and after a few coats of hi-build primer, black paint, then labeled and clear coated (pic 2).  I’ll note that most of the past week was COLD weather, but today it was in the mid-60s… perfect for painting.

I then spent the requisite few hours wiring up and installing the right side E-Bus ON & Aux Alternator (SD-8) power switch and indicator lights.  Here you can see some of the final wiring and the mini-Molex connectors labeled.  Note the pair of red wires which is for the Push-to-Talk button.

And here is a short video that provides a quick overview of the Warning Annunciator Sub-panel, which also covers the functioning of the switches and indicator lights.

I expect that within the next week max that I should have the Tri-Paragon installed in the bird and will be pushing to no-kidding start populating the panel with instruments.