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Wing Wiring & Conduit

I am a first-time builder of an RV-10 but thought this thread would go better here as the issue is similar across most RV builds regarding wing wiring and conduit. I have found and read lots of posts on the topic as well. However, I want to get some considered thoughts about the following options and potential pitfalls.

I plan to use ZipTips and I have the wire requirements for them. I plan to use a heated/regulated Garmin Pitot tube and magnetometer in the left wing. So I am thinking I need two physically diverse paths for the magnetometer (GMU 22 probably) and the pitot/ZipTip wiring? In the right wing, I plan to install aileron trim, Garmin GSA28 roll servo, ZipTip lighting, and archer antenna, again two diverse paths to isolate the antenna coax from the GSA28, ZipTip, and trim wiring.

Should the wiring be long enough to make it to the panel or attach a connector at the wing root? I am sure there is a whole school of thought on this topic.

1. Standard VAN's 3/4" corrugated conduit, seems to be the most popular approach, either through drilled holes or through the lightening holes with some sort of bracket. However, I think (not sure) I would need another path for antenna coax to isolate noise.

2. Amazon split wiring corrugated conduit, same as above but is split for easier cable management. Is there a reason why this isn't acceptable? I have not seen any posts of builders using this material.

3. Braided sleeve or wire loom, seems like a reasonable option. Easy to manage and allow reasonable access for future wire additions. That could be run through the drilled rib holes or attached with brackets to the lightening holes. Thoughts on why that is a bad idea?

4. Bilge pump hose (PVC), I have seen 3/4", 1", and 1 1/2" options there and the hose is thin wall, lightweight, similar to the corrugated conduit.

5. Fluorescent bulb guard plastic tubes. Extremely thin and lightweight, available in 8' lengths, about 1 1/2" diameter, would need to bracket them through the lightening holes, but seems like a reasonable option.

6. PEX tubing, I have seen several posts on the use of PEX, but it seems thick and heavy to perform the function of conduit.

Also, I was thinking about running the pitot and AOA tubes through a braided sleeve and then through the J-channel holes. Thinking the sleeve would protect the tubing from any aluminum rib contact. Any thoughts as to why that is a bad idea?

Again considered response would be greatly appreciated.
 
Assuming you are using shielded wires for stuff, physical separation in not needed. This also assumes your Zip Tips do not require anything beyond standard LED landing, NAV and Strobe lighting wire configurations. What I also don’t know is any issue with the proximity of the wingtip VOR/GS antenna in the Zip Tips. This however is not a consideration for the coax run to the antenna.

The hard part is the left wing between the wing root and the bell crank area. This run adds the two 1/4” tubes (pitot and AOA). This is the only run needing to have rib holes larger than what comes from Van’s (5/8”). Here 3/4” does what you need.

The 3/4” is large enough to allow use of the Van’s black ribbed conduit. I prefer standard irrigation 3/4” tubing - it is very durable but light.

The run outboard of the bell crank area on the left wing, and the entire right wing can just use standard 5/8” cold water plastic pipe.

The conduit is in two sections, wing root to bell crank area and then bell crank area to wingtip. Both wings have connections in the bell crank area - or near it.

I suggest you get some tubing and do a mockups of wires in each to verify.

Some of your other listed choices are not acceptable - as in they do not do a good job protection agains the ribs cutting into the wires. The other aspect is this smooth tubing allows easy wire bundle additions if needed. I completely build and close out the wings then insert the conduit right before mounting the wing to the fuselage. All wire runs are done after that.

Carl
 
I did ZipTips and if you want to learn of possible noise problems PM me.

If I were to do it again I would use shielded cable for the Zip Tips power runs.

Van's suggested corrugated tube is a great solution for wires for a lot of reasons. Run several messengers (strings) through that tube and whenever you pull wire be sure to leave another messenger for a future wire pull.

The normal construction method causes builders to need to mount/demount the wings a few times. Having a shielded connector block for your wing wiring will save you time. Eventually the wings may need to come off and if you didn't use a connector block you'll have to install one later and that is just plain harder.

I wouldn't trust braided sleeve for your pneumatic tubes, hard plastic grommets will give more peace of mind against chafing.
 
I didn’t bother with conduit in the 14 or the 8. I can reach well enough to do the job and it isn’t too hard to run a fish tape either.
 
I’m a big fan of the nylon corrugated conduit. Its hard to imagine a safer, more secure environment for the wires in a typical RV. It’s rated to 300F, you can zip tie it in a lightening hole, clamp it with a nylon clamp or hold it at the end in a bracket with a hole the size of the minor diameter. I have runs in my -8 that go from behind the center section to the instrument panel that were easy pulls with the conduit 3/4 full. The wires from the wingtips to the fuselage I just pushed in but I did leave pull strings for additions.
 
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I took a different approach on my little RV-3B project. I used the plastic bushings in the ribs, rather than conduit, and ran all my wires and tubes before closing the wings. For the left wing, I allowed for the wingtip nav/strobe light, the stall warning wires and the pitot-static tubes. On the right, I didn't have the tubes or stall warning wires, but do have an autopilot servo.

On both wings, I included a piece of cord in each bundle so if I need something else, I could pull it through.

I did it this way because I'm building a simple day VFR airplane. And the reason I'm including it in this thread is merely to offer a different point of view.

Dave
P.S. Lest an AOA advocate feels the need to comment on my lack of such, please remember that a stall warning vane is a single-point AOA.
 
I'm not a fan of the corrugated tubing - too difficult to install - and would use smooth plastic pipe of an appropriate diameter. Agree no physical separation of wiring is required. Blow a trace down the tube using compressed air, every time something is pulled through pull another trace. Coax and P-S pipe can be pushed through and will not need a trace.
 
If you have not made the ZipTip purchase yet. Vans and AeroLed announced last Osh they have partnered on an new, integrated Tip package, and they are quite nice. Choice of Carbon Fiber or Fiber Glass.

I was going to go ZipTip, but chose these as I did not care for the upswing of the ZipTip design for ,my 8, and I liked the AeroLed Lighting package better.

You can get info from Vans or AeroLed, a number of others here report they have ordered them as well.
 
Vans conduit

Both wings, Vans black corrogated conduit.
Installed before closing bottom skins. No sweat routing wire. Exits drilled with a hot soldering pen.

Lights are shielded wire.
 
I took a different approach on my little RV-3B project. I used the plastic bushings in the ribs, rather than conduit, and ran all my wires and tubes before closing the wings.

I used the snap bushings on both of my airplanes. That approach makes it easy to add wires or to fish a new wire out of the loom at the desired location. The only place I used conduit was in the belly of the -10 where the wires run under the floorboards and aren't accessible.
 
Lots of options but this is what I have done and if I build again, I will do the same.
Corrugated conduit thru the lighting hole held by sharkbite suspension clamp

https://www.amazon.com/SharkBite-23...ocphy=9032476&hvtargid=pla-318853271419&psc=1

Run the higher amp items such as pitot heat, outside of the conduit but if you are using a shielded wire then you can run them thru the conduit.
I did not cut my wire and use a connector at the wing root, all of my wires go all the way to the devices in the wing as one piece. Less chance for issues.
 
Thanks for the insights to all

Thanks for the insights to all. One thing I did not hear a comment on was using split corrugated conduit from Amazon. Any reason that can't be used over VAN's solid corrugated?
 
The tubing Vans sells is Nylon. Some vendors use Polyethylene. Nylon is stronger and withstands higher temperatures. Both are available from many sources. To me the premiere manufacturer of most cable management products is Hellermann Tyton.
 
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I didn’t bother with conduit in the 14 or the 8. I can reach well enough to do the job and it isn’t too hard to run a fish tape either.

I agree with this. Run some fishing line to allow easy future pulls, but even without that you can get by using the access panels (on the 14). The tubing seems rather unnecessary to me.
 
I benefited tremendously from the my OB's decision to use Van's corrugated tubing the length of each wing. Absolutely simple access for post-build installation of new strobes, wingtip lights, AOA tubing, heated pitot wiring, etc back into the cockpit to install. All it took was a $9 fiberglass fish tape from Harbor freight.
 
Thanks for the insights to all. One thing I did not hear a comment on was using split corrugated conduit from Amazon. Any reason that can't be used over VAN's solid corrugated?

Cheap split conduit is not that durable - and in this application (through a hole in a rib) I would not consider it satisfactory. I do use it to organize wire bundles in the fuselage.

Carl
 
I used the snap bushings on both of my airplanes. That approach makes it easy to add wires or to fish a new wire out of the loom at the desired location. The only place I used conduit was in the belly of the -10 where the wires run under the floorboards and aren't accessible.

This is what I did and my only regret is not installing bigger than 1/4" ID bushings in the wings and also a second conduit under the seats/baggage floor.
The only other thing to add to the conversation is the use of an 8 foot length of 1/8" wooden dowel to pull the fishing line through the wing bushings.
 
I did leave a string in the -8 wings and have snap bushings along the length.

8 feet of 1/8 dowel? What a good idea never knew that existed.
 
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