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Firewall Forward Kit

J

JDA_BTR

Well Known Member
For those that have bought the 14 firewall forward kit from Vans.....

What was missing, what was not really needed?
Is the alternator supplied adequate?
I want a fuse link on the alternator for the B-lead is that there?

Other lessons learned?
 
The alternator is a 60 amp internally regulated Plane Power. More than adequate. You will need to add your own 70amp alternator output breaker. The single PC-680 battery is not, in my opinion, adequate for an IFR install.

Check with Vetterman's to see if you want his exhaust or the Fire Wall Forward provided exhaust. The one RV-14 I helped with got the exhaust from Vertterman's.

Carl
 
No fuse link provided in my kit that I recall. Purchased mine from B & C. If you happen to be installing throttle quadrant , you could delete the supplied control cable as they will be too short.
 
Ron B. said:
If you happen to be installing throttle quadrant , you could delete the supplied control cable as they will be too short.
Click to expand...

Yep - forgot to say that if you plan on the standard push/pull cables the firewall forward kit provided throttle cable will be ~2" short. The mixture and prop fit. Unfortunately Van's does not have a longer throttle cable to substitute so you will need to buy elsewhere (and they are amazingly expensive).

Carl
 
Carl Froehlich said:
Yep - forgot to say that if you plan on the standard push/pull cables the firewall forward kit provided throttle cable will be ~2" short. The mixture and prop fit. Unfortunately Van's does not have a longer throttle cable to substitute so you will need to buy elsewhere (and they are amazingly expensive).
Click to expand...

Van's doesn't have a longer one because the one supplied in the FWF kit should work (I don't know why yours didn't, but I have a guess).

Both of the prototypes, and Mitchs' demonstrator were all built using the same controls as are supplied in the kit
 
I've enjoyed reading AeroElectric Connection, and it makes me think about the firewall forward electrical. The stock RV14 has a fuse block. Is that in the finishing kit or the firewall forward?

I'm changing thread gears, but....
- anyone have a backup alternator on the accessory drive of the IO-390?
- anyone have a battery always-hot bus? What is on it? Why?
- anyone have an endurance bus? How much of the G3X can be on that?

I'm about halfway through the fuselage and I know this is right around the corner....
 
The fuse block is not included from Van's, I do believe it's available from Stein's. I have one circuit live all the time and it's for one Lightspeed Plasma ignition.
 
Sorry guys, my previous post was wrong! The throttle cable fit fine until...I installed the metal heat tube manifold. The throttle cable is to short and rubs against the bottom of the scat tubing pushing it up against the engine. The design is very tight between the engine, scat tube and throttle cable. I wonder how the flying RV14's keep from chaffing the heater scat tube between the engine and throttle cable?
 
Thanks but I cant see the throttle cable where it goes underneath the scat tube in the 360 view. This is where it rubs. I have an IO-360 installed instead of the IO-390 in my RV14A. Maybe that is the difference. I tried all different combinations regarding the scat tubing and metal manifold and it is tight between the engine and throttle cable.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
Van's doesn't have a longer one because the one supplied in the FWF kit should work (I don't know why yours didn't, but I have a guess).

Both of the prototypes, and Mitchs' demonstrator were all built using the same controls as are supplied in the kit
Click to expand...

Technically correct - but if the RV-14 is built to plans the throttle cable is tight against the bottom of the engine. The exact same problem found with the recommended RV-10 throttle cable. Most people will want to have another couple of inches to avoid this chaffing problem - and perhaps put the cable in a run of fire sleeve to further protect it.

Carl
 
I ran mine in fire sleeve, then sealed the fire sleeve ends with RTV, and then also wrapped the fire sleeved cable in a silver heat reflective wrap due to exhaust proximity. Then, anywhere the cables could make contact with anything, I also cut small pieces of 1/8" thick red silicone baffle seal material and RTV'd them to the SCAT tube as a cushion barrier.

I can't comment on any of the cable lengths...mine are all custom as I used a throttle quadrant.

The quadrant, BTW, is almost identical in placement and feel to the RV-10 throttle quadrant (it is also the same quadrant). I'm very very glad that I did that change.
 
Carl Froehlich said:
Technically correct - but if the RV-14 is built to plans the throttle cable is tight against the bottom of the engine. The exact same problem found with the recommended RV-10 throttle cable. Most people will want to have another couple of inches to avoid this chaffing problem - and perhaps put the cable in a run of fire sleeve to further protect it.

Carl
Click to expand...

Carl,
I don't know why it is on yours.
It is not, on the prototypes.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
Carl,
I don't know why it is on yours.
It is not, on the prototypes.
Click to expand...

Yep - I was told the same thing when I called Van's that the throttle cable was too short on the RV-10. Then I found out others had the same problem. For the RV-10 at least I was able to exchange the recommended 47.5" RV-10 cable for the 50.5" RV-7 cable. The extra 3" solved the problem.

Too bad Van's does not carry a longer cable for the RV-14 as other cable vendors can be pricey.

Builders do as you want. I offer that a slightly longer cable is better.

Carl
 
Carl Froehlich said:
Yep - I was told the same thing when I called Van's that the throttle cable was too short on the RV-10. Then I found out others had the same problem. For the RV-10 at least I was able to exchange the recommended 47.5" RV-10 cable for the 50.5" RV-7 cable. The extra 3" solved the problem.

Too bad Van's does not carry a longer cable for the RV-14 as other cable vendors can be pricey.

Builders do as you want. I offer that a slightly longer cable is better.

Carl
Click to expand...

One question....
The add on panel at the bottom that you have your engine controls mounted in... is it offset fwd like specified in the plans or is it flush with the face of the instrument panel?
 
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