Avionics Panel- Harness Adjustment, install, and re-work

RV14 Build February

Avionics Panel

This section takes a LONG time since there isn't plans you have to figure it out and execute all on your own. After getting all the subpanel in I laid in the wiring harness to look how it fit. Then I decided I didn't like it so I went to work on moving wires.

First I moved all the power wires so the exited the main bundle closer to the middle, I actually made it to close to the middle and had to deal with a slight prop cable interference later on. But moving wires meant some got longer some got shorter, so now I had to re-terminate all of them to be even.

I might not have done this had I known how much work it was going to be, but not like I have the FWF kit to work on.

I decided to run the wires up the middle, there were down the edge near the bus bar interconnect, but I already notices some chafing.

During the first test fit I noticed the main power mounting point contacted the airframe, obviously this isn't good.

So I tried to bend the bus bar to clear it, but its just too close for comfort.

I decided to flip the top busbar and make another interconnect.

Finished to the new part, just need a longer screw now and all set to go.

After I moved the power wires I moved all the grounds to exit the harness in front of where the main ground bus will be. Sorry no picture of that. Then I decided I was going to mount the main harness on a rail behind the subpanel with cushion claps. I just needed to make the rail and mount it. Mostly I eyeballed where it was going to go and then drilled the mounts. Then I eyeballed where I thought I wanted claps and removed the bar and drilled and installed nut plates.

I installed the harness on the rail first and then slid everything into place. The rail gets mounted on either side with AN3 bolts.

Installing the rail mounting brackets.

rail installed with the mounting brackets.

Routing all the wires through the cushion clamps and seeing what Im working with for lengths.

Since the grounding block needed to be mounted on the firewire I decided to do all the firewall stuff at once. Starting with a doubler for the avionics relay and main power in bus.

Then I made a doubler for the ANL and shunt. I didn't install this yet because I want to wait till I have the relays so I know the location is good.

About where it will go on the firewall.

I'll use nutplates to mount the units.

Then I located and drilled the mounting holes for the grounding block.  I put this close to the battery so I can easily connect it to the negative for a very low resistance ground.

Grounding block on the inside of the firewall.

Now I laid out the rest of the harness to check final fit and started to terminate wires. Beginning with the grounds.

Trimming, terminating, heat shrinking.

lots of work but worth it.

Next I decided to really make some work for myself. I didn't like how long the common fuselage harness was so i cut and repinned all 4 of the connectors.

I bought new connectors so as I cut a wire I could re-pin it and use the old as a template on what hole it went into. Worked really well.

This was before I figured out to use the old connector as a template. I was repinning and then using the heat shrink labels and the plans to re install the pins.

So much work but the finished product I think looks great and there isn't a bundle of wire for no reason behind the tunnel now.

Another view with the CB panel out of the way.

When I was redoing the power wires I accidentally pulled the power wire for the IBBS through the harness tight. Well I hate how it looks so I cut and trimmed all the wires in the connector.

The IBBS after trimming. The CPC connector goes to the light switches in the middle of the panel. I have it moched in for now. I need to replace the end with a flange panel mount the will screw into the panel.

Cleaning up the wires for the MFD and the usb charger. I just used adhesive backed flush mount zip tie mounts for this.

Avionics Panel 43.0 Hours

Avionics Panel- Inventory and starting on the sub panel.

RV14 Build February

Avionics Panel

This section takes a LONG time since there isn't plans you have to figure it out and execute all on your own.

Ive been waiting on the FWF kit but lucky the panel came a few weeks early!

It's like Christmas morning!

How the panel comes packed, some stuff attached to the harness others not.

Big ball of wires.

Couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I have the V speeds on the right and 1 of those didn't print well and Stein shipped the panel back reworked it and had it back to me in 3 days!

All the other components

After I did the inventory and while I was waiting on the panel to ship out and return I started in on the antenna cables. Really this was just mostly running them through the airframe. I had stein terminate the end at the antenna and leave the other end for me to cut to fit and terminate.

I forgot how tight the turn is from the center tunnel to the com antenna under the control sticks.

After some doing I was able to get both comm antennas run.

Next I moved on to the remote Comm and GDL51 flip down tray. Since I had previously decided to go with Skybolt for the cowling I had the cowling hinges laying around that I repurposed.

Then I mocked up a tray using some angle and sheet of .032.

Then I drilled all the rivet/mounting holes, primed and riveted.

Drilling the mount for the flip down tray.

Assembled tray with the GDL on top and the remote com on bottom.

Gad27 and GEA 24 moch up to find the location I want.

Next I started to locate and drill the nutplates on the subpanel for all the other units.

After I mounted the first 2 boxes I remembered the canopy might extend down and cause interference so I sent and measured.

Sure enough I mounted the GAD 27 too high.

Re-drilled the nutplate holes.

Installed nutplates.

To make sure the BBS would clear the canopy I lowered it down the sub panel and had to trim the support flange for the map box since Im not using it anyway.

There wasn't a tone of wiggle room to get the nutplates for the IBBS into the mapbox doubler but it did just fit, lucky accident to have the doubler for the heavier battery.

Flip down tray testing and sub panel mounted!

Finally riveted on the panel frame from back in section 35. Ill take the .5 hour work in the total on this section though

Avionics Panel 25.5 Hrs