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SDS EFI in 2023

rv6ejguy

Well Known Member
Starting the usual yearly thread off with a Service Bulletin to maybe save some pain for customers installing their dual pump modules.

Jan. 8/23 Fuel Pump Terminal Nuts

We've had 2 reports of customers breaking the 6-32 studs when tightening the electrical terminal nuts. Use caution here. Nyloc nuts just need to be snug here.
 
Starting the usual yearly thread off with a Service Bulletin to maybe save some pain for customers installing their dual pump modules.

Jan. 8/23 Fuel Pump Terminal Nuts

We've had 2 reports of customers breaking the 6-32 studs when tightening the electrical terminal nuts. Use caution here. Nyloc nuts just need to be snug here.

6 to 10 INCH POUNDS.... it's not a lot.

torque driver.JPG
 
These don't lend themselves very well to using a torque wrench due to limited access and they are nylocs, so even less so- don't smoke them down.
 
Starting the usual yearly thread off with a Service Bulletin to maybe save some pain for customers installing their dual pump modules.

Jan. 8/23 Fuel Pump Terminal Nuts

We've had 2 reports of customers breaking the 6-32 studs when tightening the electrical terminal nuts. Use caution here. Nyloc nuts just need to be snug here.

Make that 3 reports - I broke one and didn't report it - just fixed it and kept going.
 
Typically once we have 1 report of something breaking, cracking, glitching etc., we investigate. At 2 reports, we'll issue a guidance SB if we think it's procedural, do a re-design on the failed part or offer a software fix as the case may be.

Field reports are important to improve the reliability and durability of any part or system in our view.
 
Ross, are those terminals brass or steel? The ones on my AFP pump were brass. I looked at them and thought "cad plated steel".

Snap.
 
Ross, are those terminals brass or steel? The ones on my AFP pump were brass. I looked at them and thought "cad plated steel".

Snap.

Not magnetic but doesn't appear to be brass when I file the end of one terminal. Don't look like stainless. Mystery alloy but certainly not Inconel...

Looks like this warning may save more people than I thought. I'll add a warning label on our pumps that we ship out from now on.
 
Starting the usual yearly thread off with a Service Bulletin to maybe save some pain for customers installing their dual pump modules.

Jan. 8/23 Fuel Pump Terminal Nuts

We've had 2 reports of customers breaking the 6-32 studs when tightening the electrical terminal nuts. Use caution here. Nyloc nuts just need to be snug here.

Maybe just change (add to) the instructions to read...contact + 1 flat (or what ever) turn.
 
Yes, that's a good idea. I'll try to determine when they break and see how far we should go from having no terminal rotation.

We went away from torque values in some other areas and went to a snug and then additional rotation to set proper tightness.
 
CPI-2

At this time we've sold out of CPI-2 main circuit boards. Due to our large order backlog on our other products and trying to finish off the EM-6 we've decided to stay CPI-2 production until at least the third quarter of this year or whenever we have time to deal with it again.

Have to concentrate our main energies on filling present orders and getting on with the EM-6.

Existing CPI-2 orders will be filled of course.

Lots of CPIs in stock. Those orders can be filled in around 30 days generally.

EM-5 orders stretch out into March now.
 
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EM-6 Update

As we get closer to EM-6 rollout, I'll be posting some updates in the coming weeks.

One thing to note for new builds and those who'll be upgrading from EM-5 to EM-6 ECUs in the future- if you want the SD card logging feature, you'll need to make provision for a breakered or fused 2 amp 12V wire to feed the external SD box.

This box is about 3 X 2.4 X 0.75" and can be mounted at the edge of the panel, underneath, in the panel or in a place that is easy to reach to extract and insert the card. There are 2 status LEDs to the right of the card slot.

Data and power connections at the rear.

I'll have some face and hole spacing dimensions when it's finalized.

This is the prototype to give you an idea of the shape.
 

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Backup Power

I've had a couple good PIREPs from SDS customers using the Monkworkz generator system. This seems like a good lightweight way to go for backup power.

Check them out if you're contemplating what to do in this regard.
 
I've had a couple good PIREPs from SDS customers using the Monkworkz generator system. This seems like a good lightweight way to go for backup power.

Check them out if you're contemplating what to do in this regard.

Thank you, Ross! I will look into them.
 
Hey Ross, I have a question about tuning. We've got an exhaust pop during descent if we do them at <75% throttle. It's a rich pop because it goes away if we turn the knob significantly lean. With the way the MAP and RPM tables are implemented, is there a way to lean the mixture below 75% throttle only above 2300 rpm? We use the same throttle settings in the pattern, but are normally off the governor by that point so the rpms are in the high teens or low 2000s and we don't have any issues with popping once we've slowed down and come down on the rpms.

Our current work around is to just leave the LOP button active until we reach pattern altitude. We like to disable LOP as step 1 in our descent checklist though, so if ATC has us stop the descent or we need to add power for maneuvering it's already taken care of.
 
We've seen this a few times. Usually taken care of by leaning the MAP fuel values below the idle range which is 8-10 inches.

You can try reducing the MAP values from 8.05 to 4.59 by 20-25% as a first try. Don't touch the values below 4.59 as they are defaults in case of low MAP sensor failure, the ECU will fuel high to allow high power when throttle is advanced.
 
We've seen this a few times. Usually taken care of by leaning the MAP fuel values below the idle range which is 8-10 inches.

You can try reducing the MAP values from 8.05 to 4.59 by 20-25% as a first try. Don't touch the values below 4.59 as they are defaults in case of low MAP sensor failure, the ECU will fuel high to allow high power when throttle is advanced.

We'll give it a shot. Thanks.
 
EM-6 SD Logger Box Dimensions

Several folks are at the panel planning stage and have been waiting for dimensions on the SD box. Box will be black anodized with white laser etched lettering. You need a breakered 2 amp circuit to power the logger. Can be mounted from behind the panel (through) or under the edge of the lower panel flange.

Here they are:
 

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As we get closer to EM-6 rollout, I'll be posting some updates in the coming weeks.

One thing to note for new builds and those who'll be upgrading from EM-5 to EM-6 ECUs in the future- if you want the SD card logging feature, you'll need to make provision for a breakered or fused 2 amp 12V wire to feed the external SD box.

This box is about 3 X 2.4 X 0.75" and can be mounted at the edge of the panel, underneath, in the panel or in a place that is easy to reach to extract and insert the card. There are 2 status LEDs to the right of the card slot.

Data and power connections at the rear.

I'll have some face and hole spacing dimensions when it's finalized.



This is the prototype to give you an idea of the shape.

Any estimate of the final weight of the individual items including this?
 
...Our current work around is to just leave the LOP button active until we reach pattern altitude. We like to disable LOP as step 1 in our descent checklist though, so if ATC has us stop the descent or we need to add power for maneuvering it's already taken care of.

Not sure how your LOP setting is configured, but mine deactivates above a particular MP. In other words if I forget to deactivate the LOP function and grab a bunch of throttle.... Nothing gets hurt because the system takes care of it.

In theory I could just leave the LOP switch on all the time.
 
I have a Bendix FI, but I think it doesn't matter for this. I stay LOP during the descent. I leave the mixture knob right where it was during cruise.
Leveling off or even a mild climb would not require enough power to be an issue to be LOP.
My pattern entry "GUMP" check says mixture to rich at that time, configured (along with prop forward) for go-around if necessary.

I find this avoids a lot of popping from the low MAP scavenging.

YMMV

Hey Ross, I have a question about tuning. We've got an exhaust pop during descent if we do them at <75% throttle. It's a rich pop because it goes away if we turn the knob significantly lean. With the way the MAP and RPM tables are implemented, is there a way to lean the mixture below 75% throttle only above 2300 rpm? We use the same throttle settings in the pattern, but are normally off the governor by that point so the rpms are in the high teens or low 2000s and we don't have any issues with popping once we've slowed down and come down on the rpms.

Our current work around is to just leave the LOP button active until we reach pattern altitude. We like to disable LOP as step 1 in our descent checklist though, so if ATC has us stop the descent or we need to add power for maneuvering it's already taken care of.
 
Not sure how your LOP setting is configured, but mine deactivates above a particular MP. In other words if I forget to deactivate the LOP function and grab a bunch of throttle.... Nothing gets hurt because the system takes care of it.

In theory I could just leave the LOP switch on all the time.

I forgot that was an option. What MP do you have that limit set at? We're still grounded for the annual so I haven't changed anything yet, but I think the real answer is to just delay turning off LOP during the descent.
 
I "think" mine is set at 24 inches. I have intentionally activated LOP early in the climb (to no effect), and then later watched the FF plummet as I climb past the set point and the LOP function goes active.
 
Wide band controller not switched, I guess that is the lambda sensor and you’re saying it should come on when the main bus is powered on so it will be up to temperature before engine start.
 
Hmm...
Where did the ECU select switch go? (for pri/backup)
What is the octane select switch? Is it new?
Does the closed loop function need a switch or can it be done via programmer?


Edit: I've not yet flown but I'm already mentally planning the changes I'd need to make to incorporate this, and whether/where I need a new switch or can repurpose one that's already there...
 
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SDS Switches and Breakers

I'm re-posting this with revisions. For those in the planning stages of their panels, I've prepared this chart showing switches and breakers recommended for a dual 4 cylinder EM-6 setup.

I'll try to get a similar chart for dual 6 cylinder systems built up next week.

ECU Select is called Injector Relays in this chart as this is where connections are made.

Octane Select switch is new. Allows you to retard timing a few degrees across the board (programmable from 1-6 degrees), when running Mogas or lower octane fuel. Could also be used if CHTs were getting too high on a hot day in the climb.

Closed loop function is controlled through the programmer but we felt it maybe a good idea to have a quick disable method rather than scrolling through to those menu pages. It's a complex menu set and we are not sure how it will all pan out until flight testing is complete.
 

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Thanks! Looks like a nice set of new features.

One more dumb question and then I'll be quiet... what Molex contact(s) will we need to add the applicable wiring?
 
Thanks! Looks like a nice set of new features.

One more dumb question and then I'll be quiet... what Molex contact(s) will we need to add the applicable wiring?

We'll supply pins/ wires for any upgrades with the new boards. Just snap into the 16 pin Molex.

The new ECU has a lot more jumpers on the PCB to configure hardware for new and diverse tasks as well.

Main harnesses (DB25) built from late 2017 on, had all spare pins populated with wires to make connections easy for the future EM-6 upgrade path. Back then, we weren't sure exactly what that would look like. We only had a "wish list" developed at that time.

Barry has worked diligently to make all the new features, hardware and software play together with the new CPU- a huge task during an unprecedented growth period, which is why it's taken 5 years to finally get here.

We want to thank the hundreds of customers who supported us and look forward to bring the new ECU and its features to you.
 
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Let me know if you need an airplane to document the upgrade / install. I'll happily volunteer as tribute. Ya know, in case the 6 you guys have up there isn't available for some reason....
 
Let me know if you need an airplane to document the upgrade / install. I'll happily volunteer as tribute. Ya know, in case the 6 you guys have up there isn't available for some reason....

Photos are always welcome and help out others following in your path.

I hope to eventually start some more dedicated pages on our website to make it easier to find info and photos of various aspects of the installs.
 
Update

We finally have production EM-6 ECU boards in hand. We've been testing 2 prototype boards for over 5 months now. Testing will now progress on to production boards.

We are waiting for production SD card PCBs from the loading and soldering facility now. We expect these early in May.

If testing goes smoothly, we hope to start delivering EM-6s before mid May.
 

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We finally have production EM-6 ECU boards in hand. We've been testing 2 prototype boards for over 5 months now. Testing will now progress on to production boards.

We are waiting for production SD card PCBs from the loading and soldering facility now. We expect these early in May.

If testing goes smoothly, we hope to start delivering EM-6s before mid May.

Excellent news. Looking forward to the new features.

So you and Barry start on EM-7 next week? :D
 
Excellent news. Looking forward to the new features.

So you and Barry start on EM-7 next week? :D

Yup next on our to do list!...:rolleyes:

We figure EM-6 is the last word in aircraft engine management systems. Barry has put about all the hardware on board he could think of to work with future software updates and have connections to almost every CPU pin and connector pin available.

It will be user re-flashable so no more sending ECUs back to us for that.

Looking forward to getting it into a -10 before month end.
 
Progress

Well we were getting crushed by some closed loop error warnings last week and it took a week to sort those out. Finally got it in the RV6 today and ran it.

Will do some data log runs on Wednesday and if all looks good there, will get it into the RV-10 near week end.

BTW, we received all the PCBs for this batch of ECUs, programmers and SD card loggers on Friday so when testing is complete, we'll be ready to build up systems right away.
 

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Drop us an email and we'll get you on the upgrade list. We won't be doing any upgrades until all current orders are filled. I expect that will happen sometime in July if things go to plan.
 
EM-6 Update

We did another ground run on our 6A today, logging to the card and testing various features, especially the closed loop area. Everything performed as expected (what a relief!).

I'll run a bit more on the ground and if all looks nominal, will conduct a test flight early next week, weather permitting. If that goes well, will get EM-6s into 2 other RVs ASAP, start building more time on Lycomings and testing the new features.

Exciting times.:)

Screenshot from the logs using the new V7.1 software.
 

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Ross,

What do you see as the upgrade path from EM-5 to EM-6? How much hardware is common? I'm thinking more about installing a full fuel injection system instead of just the CPI-2 ignition. I know you probably get asked this all the time, but what do you see as the time frame for EM-6 to be fielded and take over from the older versions?
 
Just about all the hardware and wiring is identical between EM-5 and EM-6 save for the ECU boards and optional new separate memory card logger. Since 2017, we'd been planning the EM-6 and have been populating the wiring harnesses with all the wires for the eventual shift to the EM-6.

We are continuing to ground and bench test and have a large number of production boards ready to go once we are satisfied everything works as planned.

First flights will begin this week and we should have at least 3 planes flying by next week building some flight hours. If all that goes well, We expect to start releasing EM-6 boards for our rather large number of waiting orders. After that, we'll begin filling new orders and start to provide free upgrade boards to those on our list who bought aviation EM-5 systems from 2018 onwards.

Obviously there will be a huge demand in the coming months. We'll do our best to provide.
 
Just about all the hardware and wiring is identical between EM-5 and EM-6 save for the ECU boards and optional new separate memory card logger. Since 2017, we'd been planning the EM-6 and have been populating the wiring harnesses with all the wires for the eventual shift to the EM-6.

We are continuing to ground and bench test and have a large number of production boards ready to go once we are satisfied everything works as planned.

First flights will begin this week and we should have at least 3 planes flying by next week building some flight hours. If all that goes well, We expect to start releasing EM-6 boards for our rather large number of waiting orders. After that, we'll begin filling new orders and start to provide free upgrade boards to those on our list who bought aviation EM-5 systems from 2018 onwards.

Obviously there will be a huge demand in the coming months. We'll do our best to provide.

Is the panel display the same rectangular layout dimensions? Starting panel layout with Aerotronics.
 
Yes, that was the first EM-6 part we developed, just introduced early due to demand for that shape and the new features in had.
 
EM-6 Flies!

Did the first flight in our 6A this morning finally. All went well.

On to the RV-10 next here today.
 
Did a test flight in Les Kearney's RV-10 today too with EM-6. All nominal.

Will try to put together a bit of a video sometime next week if I can make some time.
 
Up again in the the RV-10 this morning testing the closed loop.

Many thanks to Les Kearney again for use of his airplane for testing the 6 cylinder Lycoming software. Invaluable.
 
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