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wiring through wing question

osaleh

Active Member
i have started working on cleaning, flutting wing ribs. I also intend to install landing lights, strobe and nav lights. I went through FAQ that VANS published regarding wing wiring and this is what they begin with:

"There are a number installations that require routing of wires and tubes in the wing. These may include nav lights, strobe lights, landing lights, heated pitot, nav antenna, autopilot, AOA and maybe a stall warning device. Listed here, in no particular preference, are some ways to run wires and tubing through the wing ribs. "

I am confused about the autopilot part. I intend to install autopilot and now i am wondering if i have to do something now for the autopilot? also they mention that we can drill a #30 hole near the lighting hole to hold the wire conduit with a wire tie. Anyone has done this and have a picture i can take a look at i would appreciate it.
 
servo?

Hi Omar,
Well about the autopilot, I am not real sure but I would think some wiring for the aileron servo would have to be somewhere in there, in one of the wings. Try a search on this site and some autopilot stuff should show up. I am installing a conduit and plan on routing through lightening holes and will drill a small hole near it to use for securing it. I am also going to apply some type of anti-chaff on the edge of the lightening hole where the conduit contacts it. Either some proseal or some plastic edge material for that. Good luck on your build.

bird
 
I bought a cheap 3/4" step drill - got it welded to a piece of 1/4 steel rod to make a very long drill - about 3' long.

Then - choose your route down the wing, there are tooling holes in line all along the wing.

Run it through from both ends, then slide some light 3/4" OD plastic conduit down the hole.

You can thread a lot of wires down the conduit - cut holes as you pass autopilot locations etc.

Once you are comfortable it is in place - dab some silicone at each rib station and the job is done.

This came from one of the guys blogs several years ago - i am sure someone has photos of similar installations.

I am away until the weekend and will post then if necessary.
 
I drilled aligned holes in every rib and inserted the conduit Van's sells (so does Home Depot I found out later). Works very nice, and looks good. In addition, it will make it easier if you have to add wiring after the wing is closed up. Just be careful where you locate it so it doesnt interfere with the push-pull tubes and final riveting of the last skins.

As for the AP, I added my servo motor mounting brackets (Dynon) and a wiring harness (SteinAir). It should then be easy to install the servo when I purchase it later.
 
I went the VANS route

I drilled the 3/4" hole and inserted the conduit that Vans sells for the job. The link to document I used is below. I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't have routed a second conduit for radios, lighting, antennae, etc. as I'm not sure how stuffing all the electrical into 1 conduit is going to work out (I haven't done much research on the electrical part of my plane yet).

As for the autopilot, most of your vendors sell an install kit so you can install the required brackets in your wings now, and buy the servo later when you are closer to flying. I plan on leaving the bottom outboard skin off and installing the AP later in the build.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/Wing_Wiring.pdf

John
RV-7A
Spring, TX
 
where is the AP location

when i buy the AP install kit, does it detail where to install the brackets and servo?
 
Ron, when you ran the cables or harness for the AP servo, does SteinAir add a connector at the root end of the wing, when you take the wing off in the future, whats on there. And how much was it?
 
Ron, when you ran the cables or harness for the AP servo, does SteinAir add a connector at the root end of the wing, when you take the wing off in the future, whats on there. And how much was it?

I havent purchased a connector as of yet and probably wont, but I am sure Stein has something to fill your needs. The question is, and its been debated plenty on here (do a search and you'll probably find a few threads), do you want/need a connector at the wing root? When will the wings ever come off under normal circumstances? And by doing so, you're adding a possible point of failure. Because of this, I will probably not add a connector and if I ever have to remove the wings at a later time I can easily add a connector then. Thats my approach, YMMV.
 
Ron, when you ran the cables or harness for the AP servo, does SteinAir add a connector at the root end of the wing, when you take the wing off in the future, whats on there. And how much was it?

If you want a connector in the wing root we happily add it for the cost of the parts (about $10) in addition to the main harness. I personally try to discourage extra connectors in the wing root on most RV's, but many people do put connections there and we are happy to do it.

Cheers,
Stein
 
to allow wing removal

Stein,

I guess I don't understand. If you don't recommend terminating the wiring runs through the wing at the root, where do you terminate them?
 
Stein,

I guess I don't understand. If you don't recommend terminating the wiring runs through the wing at the root, where do you terminate them?

Terminate things either at the loaction of the item in the wing or terminate it at the panel. Either way, simply coil up the excess wire either in the butt rib or in the fuselage, and when inserting the wing the final time run the rest of the wires through the fuselage and up to the panel. For example, you can have all the light wires, etc.. run to the root of the wing, then leave 8-12' of extra wire coiled up in the rib. When the wing is put on for the last time, uncoil the wires and run them up to the panel. You can leave yourself a service loop or bend down in the wing root if you are concerned about removing the wings int he future. Normally you won't have a need to remove the wing later on in life unless it's bent or broke (or possibly removing it for export).

Cheers,
Stein
 
do you have instructions

Stein,

do you guys have detailed instructions on what I need to install now during my wing contruction? i intend to buy the AP from you guys but in stages. So some builders suggested the mounting brackets for now. I guess if i have some detailed installation description, i can make a proper decision.

Thank you.
 
Stein,

do you guys have detailed instructions on what I need to install now during my wing contruction? i intend to buy the AP from you guys but in stages. So some builders suggested the mounting brackets for now. I guess if i have some detailed installation description, i can make a proper decision.

Thank you.

I can only speak for Dynon, ACS has the servo mounting bracket kits available for order. They are $75/ea for pitch and for roll. They are all inclusive with detailed instructions.
 
Stein,

do you guys have detailed instructions on what I need to install now during my wing contruction? i intend to buy the AP from you guys but in stages. So some builders suggested the mounting brackets for now. I guess if i have some detailed installation description, i can make a proper decision.

Thank you.

I'm sorry but we do not have a detailed list of instructions because there would be many variables. Here's what you "could" need to install now. It's certainly not a complete list, but some of the items you may need:

1) Servo mounting brackets.
2) Roll Servo (easier to do now than with the wing on the plane).
3) Wire for servo
4) Pitot tube mounting bracket.
5) Pitot tube wiring if using heated pitot
6) Pitot tube plumbing for Dynon AOA Pitot
7) Regular pitot tubing for other pitot tubes
8) Strobe light wires
9) Strobe light power pack if using some brands.
10) Nav light wiring
11) Landing light wiring
12) Taxi light wiring
13) NAV antenna (or possibly comm, but I wouldn't recommend it) for the wingtip.
14) MKR antenna
15) Coax cable for said antenna above.
16) OAT probe if mounted in the wing
17) If using an old style aileron trim servo, run wires for it.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. You can mix/match the above to end up with your configuration.

Cheers,
Stein
 
Looking at your list here, is it true that I can run all the wires together through my conduit, Except the "NAV antenna" and "MKR Antenna" which would be 2 coaxial cables, to not get noise interference.
 
The SteinAir harness -- at least for the TruTrack, comes with D-sub pins attached at one end but no connector. The connector is already installed on the other end (the controller end, if memory serves, which it frequently doesn't). So when you're ready to run wire, you can get them through .

I drilled holes and ran conduit when I made the wings, but I didn't run any wires until about a year ago, after the wings were already attached. It was a non issue. I simply cut the conduit at the access hole, ran the wires down the rib (adding two Adel clamps) and ran the rest of the wires -- nav/strobes -- out to the end of the wing.

I installed the TruTrak servo during wing construction, but it's pretty easy to add it after a wing is finished, too.

You should have no worries here.
 
Ditto

when i buy the AP install kit, does it detail where to install the brackets and servo?

Yeah, what all these guys said. I put a TruTrak in the right wing. Instructions were detailed and taylored for an RV. The package included brackets. I believe if you go to the TruTrak site, you can download the install manual. This will give you a heads up as to what is needed. Don't know about Dynon.

I ran all the wires in the plastic conduit and the nav coax through a separate routing hole protected with plastic push-in grommets reachable through the inspection plates.

To route all the wires I first tied a cotton ball to a piece of long string and shoved the ball into the conduit. Then get the vacuum cleaner and from the opposite end of the conduit suck the ball with the string attached through the full length of the conduit. Now, just tie your wire bundle to the string and pull it through. I left a spare string in the conduit "just in case". I also left another string in place from mid-wing where the servo will sit through to the root rib.

I used a 9 pin sub D connector at the fuselage/wing mating area. Stein has the connector, pins and crimpers. Hindsight, instead of the connector, I would put in a service loop and just hard wire it. Hopefully, I will not have to remove the wings.
 
How much wire do you guys leave hanging out of the wing to make it to the instrument panel. Also so I can calculate needed wire size for amps.
 
I can't disagree with the failure point thing, but I still use a connector anyway. When wiring the fuselage I put in a series 1 CPC bulkhead in the side and when I get the wires all to it inside I add pins, stick them in and that is done-done. Wing end gets a pigtail & hanging CPC. Instant hook-up and easy troubleshooting point. But that's just me.
 
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