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Garmin 696 Serial Data Question

f1rocket

f1rocket

Well Known Member
I'm putting together my wiring diagrams and I'm integrating the Garmin GPSMAP 696 with my GRT EFIS, GTX327, SL40, and TruTrak AP. I've noted serial outputs from the 696 going to the EFIS, SL40, and GTX327, but I have not seen a need for any device to provide a serial input to the 696. The only one that seems logical is from the EFIS, but I'm not sure the input and output formats are compatable (out is Fuel/Air Data Z format and in is Aviation).

Is there a serial input that I should provide to the 696?
 
Randy,

I can't think of an EFIS that is able to send data to a Garmin portable GPS (although someone may be able to correct me). If you had a 430/530 you could have it send flight plan data to the 696, or if you had a GTX 330 Mode S transponder or other compatible traffic receiver you could send that data to the GPS. But, since you didn't mention having any of those boxes, I can't think of a use for the 696's serial-in wire in your application.

good luck,
mcb
 
Another Question

Thanks Matt.

I have another question. When providing serial input to the SL40 from the 696, there is just one serial wire out of the 696. At the SL40 end, there is a serial in AND a serial ground connection. I am using shielded wire for all my serial data runs. What wire do I connect to the serial ground connection at the SL40? Do I run two conductor wire and connect the 696 end of it to the 696 ground wire? Can I leave it unconnected and just connect the shield end to the SL40 ground? I'm guessing I can leave the SL40 serial ground unconnected because most of my other gear (A/P, EFIS, etc) do not have serial ground wires to go with their serial input/output wires, but I don't know if there is something unique with the SL40.

Anyone know the answer? Thanks.
 
As long as the 696 and the SL40 share a common ground at the power source, you won't need a serial ground.
 
696 & Serial Connections

I also have more questions on this issue. I have a similar installation with a 696, 430W, AFS EFIS, Trio ProPilot autopilot, SL40 and GTX330 transponder. So do you take the single serial output from the 696 and just daisy chain to each device? Or is there a better way by having a common terminal block of some type and taking a separate feed to each one? I'm struggling on how to run the wires since they terminate into connectors which don't allow for splicing two wires together.

To complicate the matter further I want to have a selector for the autopilot to selcet either the 430W or 696 as the source.

For the 330 transponder I'm assuming that I'd just take it's serial output only to the 696 for TIS. I've actually already have the 330 connected to the 430W for TIS but I think it's using the ARINC. I'd like to also have the TIS on the 696 since it's a bigger display.
 
Yes, you can daisy chain the serial wires as necessary. I usually solder them together, inside the DB connector if possible, and cover with good high quality heat shrink. It doesn't really matter whether you send multiple wires from the source to the various outputs, or just go from one output to the other. Whatever makes the wiring easiest is the way I'd go. I also believe you can switch serial lines as well so you can run them to a switch just like you described.

Same for getting TIS on the 696. Just use one of the serial out ports on the 330 and connect it to the serial in port on the 696 and set the proper configuration settings and you should have TIS on both. I don't know if the TIS data is sent to the 430 across the ARINC connection, you'd have to refer to the manual. You may need another serial connection for that, but I'm jsut guessing since I'm not familiar with the 330. I did have a 430 on my previous Rocket.

Maybe Stein can comment if he reads this thread.
 
Randy is correct. You can chain them together, but not more than 3 or 4 times. Beyond that and it "may" work or may not. Also, do not use something like a termina block for that purpose. All that does is add a lot of extra screws, weight, and signal loss. If you need to chain them together, do so as Randy suggested...

Yes, serial lines can be switched quite easily. And to Brians comment about serial grounds, that is sort of right most of the time, but you need to be carefull. Some units have their RS-232 balanced to a ground, and it needs to specifically be used by itself and not as a common ground.

Cheers,
Stein
 
ARINC Connections

Thanks for the good info on the serial connections. Would this also apply to ARINC connections? The ARINC A & B wires could be daisy chained in parallel to multiple devices as required?
 
serial data from 430 and 330 to 696

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Just wondering how one would handle the situation of a mode s transponder with traffic information (Garmin 330 or Trig T21) as well as flight plan sharing (from a 430w) to a 696. Would you need a serial data switch to share the flight plan from the 430w and then switch over to the transponder for traffic information in flight?
 
I also have a 696 with a 330 transponder and 430 GPS. I've only wired the input to the 696 to the 330 for traffic which works fine when in a service area. Hopefully I can upgrade it to ADS-B later. Anyway it sounds like what you are proposing may work in theory but personally I think it may be more trouble than it's worth. While flying you'd need to go into the 696 setup and change what the input is used for. For traffic it has to be set for TIS. At this point I always use the 696 for navigation and autopilot. It's so much easier to use than the 430. That may change later if I get back to doing some IFR work. If you really want to copy flight plans perhaps you should investigate whether you can transfer flight plan from 696 to 430. After all, the 430 has more inputs. I do have a selector switch to select whether the 430 or 696 output drives the autopilot and that works fine.
 
jeffk said:
Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Just wondering how one would handle the situation of a mode s transponder with traffic information (Garmin 330 or Trig T21) as well as flight plan sharing (from a 430w) to a 696. Would you need a serial data switch to share the flight plan from the 430w and then switch over to the transponder for traffic information in flight?
Click to expand...

For this kind of setup, it's probably easier to leave the 696 connected to the GNS 430 for flight plan sharing, and connect the GTX 330 to the GNS 430 to display traffic data there.

mcb
 
Matt,

I understand from reading another thread that the GDU 375 has multiple serial inputs. Is it possible to configure a GDU 375 so that it can receive/display TIS data from a 330 AND also receive/display flight plan crossfill data from the 430 without having to change internal settings?
 
WhiskeyMike said:
I understand from reading another thread that the GDU 375 has multiple serial inputs. Is it possible to configure a GDU 375 so that it can receive/display TIS data from a 330 AND also receive/display flight plan crossfill data from the 430 without having to change internal settings?
Click to expand...

Yes - in fact I was just in an airplane a couple weeks ago that had this exact setup.

mcb
 
How about the ability of the GDU 375 to drive an autopilot???

TruTrack Digiflight II VGVS
 
Mike S said:
How about the ability of the GDU 375 to drive an autopilot???

TruTrack Digiflight II VGVS
Click to expand...

A standalone GDU 37x unit (i.e. not part of a full G3X system with AHRS, etc.) has the same ability to output NMEA data as pretty much any other GPS device. So yes, you get the same basic ability to drive an autopilot as with a 696. If you have a full G3X system and the right autopilot (TruTrak GX Pilot) then the integration between the EFIS and autopilot is much tighter, and you have many more interesting autopilot things you can do through the EFIS.

mcb
 
NEMA code then, not ARINC?

I have GRT EFIS units, with ARINC, and was wondering if a stand alone GDU 375 would be a good back up to the auto pilot input.

I currently have an AvMap EKP IV, but the Garmin units seems to have a lot of "hits" where the AvMap has "misses"
 
gns430 serial outputs

the gns430 has several serial ports, 5 if my memory serves.
I need it to supply aviation data to
1. skyview D1000
2. skyview 429
3. the skyview transponder (when ADS B out is approved)
4. my Dynon D6 standby instruments

Now unless I am doing something wrong, only one of the gns430 ports can be configured as aviation out.

my question is... are 4 outputs tied together ok, and is there any way to configure more than one gn430 serial out for aviation out?
 
Hooking all 4 up to one serial port is fine, and there is no way to make the 430 output aviation on more than one port.
 
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