Ground power location

[Ross7A-builder]

Any advice on the best location for the external power jack on a 7A? Type of mounting bracket, etc. Pix appreciated. I have a Van's WHITE LIGHTNING.

 

[Ironflight]

For me, it depends on what its being used for - occasional avionics power, charging, or jump starting. Fo the first two, anywhere you want. For jump starting, I like on the belly behind the wing.

And I expect the next post to be from someone who says you should NEVER jump start….to which I’ll say that they probably havne’ lived where its very cold, and the battery might just need a little assist to keep from killing itself…. I don;’t jump start and fly with a dead battery - but I have with one I am trying not to kill.

 

[BH1166]

I did not build my 6A, but there is a piper type plug (Cole Hersee) , just behind firewall pilot side, accessible outside. The plug is just aft of my rudder pedals, left corner, floor. I‘ve used for occasional avionics, battery freshening up, never a need to jump, but it can do that too. Sorry no pictures

 

[Desert Rat]

Based on the power supply you mentioned, I'm going to assume your primary concern is ground power while doing database upgrades etc., not provisions for jumpstarting.

I just went low tech and used the pigtail that came with my power supply. It attaches directly to the battery posts via ring terminals and the other end is secured to an engine mount tube via adel clamp in a location that I can reach it through the oil filer door in the cowl. That way I can have ground power without having to uncowl the engine. or install fancy plugs and access doors somewhere.

I've also seen guys put these power plugs inside the cabin. Nothing wrong with that I suppose and I can see how it's handy to just plug in there while doing avionics upgrades, but if you do that you can't use your power supply in maintain mode to keep the battery topped off without also leaving the canopy open. I often get birds in my hangar, so that wasn't going to happen in my case.

Unless you're specifically wanting something you can plug in for jumpstarting, I thing an external power plug like a Cessna or Piper connector is overkill.

 

[toolmanmike]

Same spot. Wanted it behind the wing on the belly but wit firewall battery- I didn’t have enough room to run the cables. This position keeps the cables short and as long as you’re careful- it could be used to jump the plane. It’s no closer the prop than the Cessnas I fly.

 

[blaplante]

One handy spot is to attach the piper type socket to the engine mount near the oil filler. Reachable via the oil door.

 

[SonexGuy]

I installed mine in the lower part of my cowl, and made a disconnect to easily remove the cowl.

Michael Smith - Experimental Aircraft Builder's Log

Michael Smith - Experimental Aircraft Builder's Log

Michael Smith - Experimental Aircraft Builder's Log

I've never used it to jump the engine, but use it to connect the battery charger for ground power when working on avionics, trickle charging, or for recharging a dead or low battery. If I were to use it for jumping, I'd have larger wire, and would not have put it anywhere near the prop!

 

[rv6n6r]

Lighter socket in the panel. Run a #8 or 10 wire directly to the battery with a 10A fuse or CB in between. Make a lighter socket plug adapter for your charger source. I don't know that I'd want to jump-start from this but it's perfect for charging, also doubles as a USB port with a USB lighter socket adapter.

 

[newt]

Lighter socket in the panel. Run a #8 or 10 wire directly to the battery with a 10A fuse or CB in between. Make a lighter socket plug adapter for your charger source. I don't know that I'd want to jump-start from this but it's perfect for charging, also doubles as a USB port with a USB lighter socket adapter.

I did this. World's simplest way of attaching a power supply for avionics updates or battery charging without having to open up anything else.

Caveat is that there's a "hot" wire inside the cockpit.

Given that my battery is in the original RV-6 location on the centreline of the cockpit side of the firewall which means there's at least one big meaty "hot" wire in the cockpit anyway, I judged that the residual risk was minimal.

The affected wire is marked with red heatshrink at intervals along its length, it's fused at the battery end, and there's an isolator next to the socket.


- mark

 

[PilotjohnS]

Banana plugs on the sub panel for power supply. Power goes through circuit breaker on panel. pop circuit breaker, set power supply voltage, push in breaker to power up avionics (and everything else). Master and Alt switch stays off. relay/ diode bridge behind panel makes sure voltage polarity is not reversed when it goes into panel because power supply can be hooked up either polarity and diode bridge fixes it.

I think I am going to move the banana jacks to probably behind pilot seat, right next to the fuel sump drainer holder.