procharger Posted March 17, 2016 Report Posted March 17, 2016 Just so I am clear where does the extra wire go for 12 volt signal and how do you hook it up to modules they arrived today thanks? I know t they go to the starter solonoid not sure about other end?? Never mind the modules didn't come with the connector pins I need so I ordered them, someone said they came with the modules. modules are black with no yellow or any markings on them.
Anticept Posted March 17, 2016 Report Posted March 17, 2016 If there isn't a video, I'll make one. I have some parts coming in soon too for 2 aircraft that need the retrofit (they have new engines hung but the softstart wire was never run).
procharger Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Posted March 17, 2016 Roger there are no open ports I now have 6 wires on each new module plug
procharger Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Posted March 17, 2016 Just think, I could have bought a new 70 inch flat screen for cost of the modules.
FlyingMonkey Posted March 17, 2016 Report Posted March 17, 2016 Just think, I could have bought a new 70 inch flat screen for cost of the modules. Then you'd just be watching other people fly on TV.
procharger Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Posted March 17, 2016 I am watching them fly now seeing that my plane wont start. Red Bull races
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Procharger: The open wire isn't on the module side of the connector, it's on the aircraft side. I knew this would come up, which is why I said I can make a video
procharger Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Posted March 18, 2016 Ok thanks I knew about the aircraft side just confused by what Roger said thanks, he must have been talking about the same thing
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 For those that are curious: Basically, when you turn the key to start, it sends current to the solenoid input, energizing the coils and closing the main contactor. The rotax modules each have a signalling wire that is going to be physically hooked up to the solenoid input (NOT THE MAIN CONTACTOR), so that when you turn the key, the signal reaches that input and splits up. Some of the power goes to the solenoid coils, and some goes to each of the modules. There will be a little more power flowing through the starter since you provided another 2 electrical paths (1 for each module), but it's nothing that it can't handle. Once you let go of the key, the modules will stay in "soft start" mode for another 5-8 seconds. We hook up to the solenoid input because it's safer. While the main contactor could work, there's no circuit protection on the main starter circuit, and thus is usually prohibited by all kinds of regulations in all sorts of machinery and standards, including aircraft.
FastEddieB Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 The solenoid setup on my Sky Arrow: Hard to see, but it uses a one female to two male spade adapter. The larger yellowed wire is from my starter switches and is on one male lug, and the blue and white striped meet in one female spade terminal and attach to the second male lug and run to each module. A picture (Googled) is worth a bunch of words:
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Why do people run two tires from the solenoid? Just run one and splice it near the modules
FastEddieB Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Why do people run two tires from the solenoid? Just run one and splice it near the modules Six of one, half dozen of the other, so to speak!
Tom Baker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Why do people run two tires from the solenoid? Just run one and splice it near the modules More splices = more points of failure.
FlyingMonkey Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Also easier to run two point-to-point wires than deal with splicing. Laziness FTW!
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 More splices = more points of failure. You get the same number of crimps in either configuration, but one has less wire .
Tom Baker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 You get the same number of crimps in either configuration, but one has less wire . Crimp at the solenoid, 2 wires, crimps for 2 pins. I will give you less wire in length, but I count 3 individual wires for your method. That is if you use standard practices and not splice in the middle of the wire.
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Crimp at the solenoid, 2 wires, crimps for 2 pins. I will give you less wire in length, but I count 3 individual wires for your method. That is if you use standard practices and not splice in the middle of the wire. Clarification: I was stating less wire length
Tom Baker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Clarification: I was stating less wire length One foot less wire maybe, but you still have more crimps to fail.
Anticept Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 One foot less wire maybe, but you still have more crimps to fail. I guess it depends on what we call a crimped connection then! But you're right, I didn't think of the splicer as two crimps. BUT, a proper crimp is supposed to be stronger than the wire itself!
GravityKnight Posted March 18, 2016 Report Posted March 18, 2016 Shrink tube along with the spade or whatever your crimping helps to spread out the load. Sometimes it takes a small piece or two on the wire to build it up enough you can use the right size to go over the connector and still grip the wire. If I'm going back over wiring that was done without shrink tubing, and not actually replacing it, I like to smear a bit of silicone on/around the wire, down inside the connector just a bit and up over the connector. Not a big heavy glob, just enough to "connect" both pieces together and spread out the load of the wire and connector vibrating and bending. Seems to help, or at least make me feel like it's going to survive longer
Runtoeat Posted March 19, 2016 Report Posted March 19, 2016 It is always interesting to look at an older aircraft's wiring. Most of this I look at appears to be brittle and poorly supported at connectors. Most wires just come out of the crimped connectors with no shrink wrap, etc. and are way undersized for the connector's skirt. After going 100's of hours, I'm amazed that there aren't multitudes of breakages caused by vibrations of these unsupported areas. I guess the multi-stranded aircraft wiring is robust and does it's job - or, because I'm not a A&P, I don't hear about the breakages.
Anticept Posted March 19, 2016 Report Posted March 19, 2016 Solid wire isn't used a whole lot anymore except in residential. Main reason is that stranded is easier to pull and install, secondary reason is it reduces eddy currents (in AC).
FastEddieB Posted March 19, 2016 Report Posted March 19, 2016 It is always interesting to look at an older aircraft's wiring. Most of this I look at appears to be brittle and poorly supported at connectors. Most wires just come out of the crimped connectors with no shrink wrap, etc. and are way undersized for the connector's skirt. For the most part, Cirrus aircraft are well built. But some of the electrical connectors were really sub-par, at least on my 2003. This was the failed ring terminal on my plane: I was VFR when it failed, and intermittent contact made several engine gauges bounce around. Had to land short of my N GA destination and rent a car and sort it out later. This ring terminal had no support, and was the field connector for ALT1 - pretty important for an all-electric plane, where ALT2 can only supply certain critical systems. Owners also had huge problems with the Emax connectors which used marginal spade connectors. Main problem was erroneous readings, leading pilots to think "it's probably just the connectors". Plus, when they came out with a mod with better connectors, they charged an unconscionably high price for a fix to a problem of their own making. Hopefully they've improved over the last dozen years or so - and I've heard reports that that's the case.
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