How may people have wired an EC2?
 How many people need to wire an EC2?
 How many people have wired it more than once?

 Paul Lamar
 --

 0
 1
 0
 In our household.

 John

 I still have to wire mine. Not looking forward to it, I was planning
 on buying
 a wiring harness from Bob but I never got around to it.

 Mike C



Have not wired one
 Need to wire one

 William Mason

 I am encoraged to build a breakout board for the EC 2.

 I think there is enough need to justify the financial risk.

 Paul Lamar


I will be wiring an EC-3/em3 sometime late winter.

Reading some posts, on this list, I have some concerns which may or may
not be unfounded.

The wiring of the unit, of course is critical, however the types of
wires chosen may also be. Not electronically, but physically. We are
trusting the electric and physical  robustness of our connections
(assuming no fault of the EC*) to keep us in the air. a broken, corroded
or insulation compromised wire may just render you a glider.

Do you know what you are really using when you use computer cables or
multi wired cables (which you probably get on the cheap. Copper wire, in
aircraft specs is tinned, that is each separate entire wire strand  is
coated with a metal other than copper (probably tin) so it doesn't
corrode. This, of course makes it stiffer than non-tinned.

To give you some sort of idea of what some in the electronic industry
think about this matter, consider Dynon who includes a two wire
harnesses with their Skyview units.

One is the master bundle, to be used in the aircraft for power,etc. This
is made of aircraft grade wire. The other is a test bundle, made of
"computer type wire" This, according to them is for testing only and,
they say must be replaced by aircraft wire.  You can make your own or
buy theirs. Perhaps they just want to sell you their harnesses, Why
wouldn't they do the same thing with the main harness, or perhaps they,
the FAA, all Manufacturers, As and Ps know something that we are
overlooking when they require aircraft grade wire. Certainly, we are all
free to choose our own poison-- that is the freedom we have in building
our own.

Now to another matter.

Wiring is not a monumental task. It involves very simple activities, the
only two are connecting a wire to a plug at one end, and connecting that
same wire to a plug at the other end. It is no more complex than that.
Where the complexity comes in is trying to figure where each end goes as
well as the number of wires necessary. Colors help, but are not
necessary, a simple labeling system (one label at each end -same
leabel-) does the same as colored wire.) The type of connector you use
(solder or crimp) depends on your skill and/or experience with either of
them.

The schematics are straight forward, If you have trouble reading them,
get some help. The helper does not have to have any knowledge of the
ECs, anybody with a modicum of wiring knowledge should be able to give
you all the information you need to know. Until you are confident you
know what you are reading, don't proceed.

Now the biggest problem, in wiring, especially with the Sub-D
connectors, as are used, is confusion about pin orientation and the
possibility of reversing the pin locations. (don't ask me, how I know.)

It is vital that you look at the plastic insulator of the connector. You
will see tiny numbers next to each (or some of the)pin(s).

The pins are arranged in two rows, starting with pin 1 on the wide part
of the plug (the connectors are not rectangular), continuing to the end
(# depends on number of pins) and then continuing on the second row, the
next wire, in sequence below the #1 position, not a clockwise or
counterclockwise continuation. Male and female plugs are mirror images
of each other-- but they are numbered

Make sure that you see these numbers on the connector. They are very
small and hard to see, especially for eyes that used to wear younger
men's clothes.

What I do is to mark the #1 and last position with a magic marker (on
the metal part) so I am constantly reminded of whose on first. Without
this indication, it is very easy to confuse. (Write there two numbers on
the metal, a dot is easy to confuse)

Tracy recommends 22 ga wire for interconnections. I prefer 20 for
physical security. Makes things a little tougher but my mind resets
easier.

These wires are probably the most important wires in your airplane.
Don't approach them lightly

Rich

Where do you get aircraft wire?

Paul Lamar


Arcraft wire can be gotten through ACS, or wicks. Another source, which,
in the past has been cheaper is Pegasus Racing (in wisconsin) (guy who
owns it is a flyer and carries some flying stuff less expensively.

Rich

Does he have vinyl jackets with at least 12 color coded 18 gage wires?

Paul Lamar