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Anyone use the "Power Panel" from Spruce?

Like the EXP Buss, we've removed more of these than we've installed. I'd say just move on and do something a bit more traditional. They do work in some installations, but for the typical RV builder they usually are just not a good fit.

Cheers,
Stein
 
SteinAir said:
Like the EXP Buss, we've removed more of these than we've installed. I'd say just move on and do something a bit more traditional. They do work in some installations, but for the typical RV builder they usually are just not a good fit.

Cheers,
Stein
Click to expand...


I will be darned...
I am the gadget type, without your comment, I would have gone for something like this... the photo looks impressive.

But of course you are speaking from experience...
and I hate things that don't work more than anything else.

What do you mean by traditional?
individual fuses?
 
Traditional?

Hold out your arm with your fingers spread wide. Your arm is the main bus, each finger is a circuit going to a device (radio, light, pump, flap motor, etc.). The first knuckle in each finger is a circuit breaker or fuse (your choice). There you go - the electrical system is as plane as your arm! :) (Add additional arms, legs, and toes for more circuits...;))

These single engine airplanes, even with advanced avionics, do not need to have complex electrical system components with electronics between the source(s) and devices. I have a very robust system with two alternators and two batteries. Most of the protection is "automatic" without a single moving part - just a diode here and there. A couple of switches, and some circuit breakers make it all work. the fewer components you have, the fewer there are to fail.

Paul
 
Perhaps I should have worded that a bit differently. Traditional in todays terms can mean many things, but Paul makes an excellent point. I'd only add that if you desire to go with something like the EXP or PowerPanel then you'd be much further ahead to use the Vertical Power System. We have been installing more and more of those lately, in fact we're just finishing up a pretty amazing panel with G900X's, Dual Vertical Power system and it's pretty slick.

Anyway, I'll leave that decision up to the indivicual builder as to whether you like CB's, Fuses or the Vertical Power stuff. Those are all pretty popular right now.

Cheers,
Stein
 
My experience

apkp777 said:
Hey all - has anyone used the "power panel" from spruce?

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/powerpanels.php

I don't know if it is any good our not. Seems like it would be a nice modular set up. I know some have had trouble with the EXP BUS.
Click to expand...

I have two aircraft with EXP-BUS units. Both of the units have given good service with relatively few problems. I did manage to fry one circuit on one EXP-BUS unit. Don't know how, but one of the polyfuses simply went up in smoke. Fortunately, in my case, there was a spare circuit unused and was able to make a quick repair by moving the wire from one stud to another. This all occurred on the ground during my rebuild. I suspect it got toasted from the constant abuse of a stuck starter solenoid and almost, but not quite, dead battery. Yes, the starter was constantly sucking up juice every time the master switch was on. The battery was too weak to engage the solenoid, thankfully. This went on for a number of days until I smelled it one day!

The permanent fix was simple. I replaced the bad polyfuse with one from Mouser (at a cost of about 6 bucks as I recall).

My panels are simple VFR. For an IFR panel, the EXP-BUS does not, in my opinion, have enough outputs.

It's very fast to wire up a panel with the EXP. I personally like the "no moving parts" nature of the breakers.

During panel testing and bug hunting, some of the polyfuses were tripped dozens of times and performed perfectly.

Just my two cents, YMMV.
 
Keep it simple

I had a ESP installed in my 8 for a little over 100 hrs , I yanked it out and replaced with toggle breaker switches . The ESP had Gremlins that I never could id and get out of the system . Rewiring is no fun at all , would have been much easier to go the traditional way from the beginning . MY .02
 
Homebuilder's Power Panel

apkp777,
I used the Composite Design, Inc. Homebuilder's Panel in my 6A....LOVED it.
I now have the EXP II in my 4. I wish I had stayed with a CDI unit. It's easier to install and work with than the EXP.

Their website: www.compositedesigninc.com

Good Luck,
 
Bill - I will check out the CDI website.

Stein - your input is always appreciated. I would like to use vertical power, just too expensive. In the end I will likely go with "traditional" components.

I really just want a really clean panel with as few dohickeys as possible. Also, I wouldn't mind doing something more unusual. I am planning an IFR panel and want reliabilty and function.
 
Here's the issue if you use it. For a VFR plane they kinda/sorta work most of the time. For a typical RV IFR panel you end up having to re-engineer it with a mishmash of extra stuff and here's why:

The "Radio" buss is good for only 12 Amps. Not enough if you have dual radio setup + txpr + audio panel, etc.. Heck, a Garmin 430w needs over 10 amps worth of protection on it's own.

To make matters worse, the two radio circuits are rated for only 5A each...not even enough for many modern radios on their own.

Then, the Ldg/Nav/Strb are all rated at 10A. Fine if you're using incandescents, but WAYYY oversized if you're using LED's.

The autopilot is rated for 5A, which is enough for some AP's, but not others.

Trim is rated at 10A, I rarely see many trim systems in RV's need more than 2A unless you plan on using AWG18 wire or something, but most of our trim uses AWG22 or AWG24. That wire will fry LONG before that CB blows.

Boost pump is rated for 10A which is fine for injected stuff that needs close to that, but most carb'd pumps only need 2 or 4A.

There is a circuit for "Gyros" rated at 3A, I assume you could use this for an EFIS (1), but not enough for 2 of them and you really need a separate circuit for each one anyway. Since this thing was created by the canard guys, no circuit for flaps!

Now, you still need to consider any other goodies you have in the panel like maybe AOA, hobbs, CO det, various map lights, electronic ignition, 12VDC power points, engine monitors, stall warning, backup instruments, flaps, starter, so on and so forth. Once you start adding extra CB's and switches to complete what you need, you just as well should have started that way to begin with.

Next, your switches are: Radio, Accy & Power (then lights and the boost pump). Fine maybe in a VFR panel, but in a good IFR panel you absolutely want to control the AP, the heated pitot, perhaps some cabin lights, flaps, maybe a wig/wag, most likely an electric primer switch, etc.. Now, if you add a secondary battery or alternator everything goes out the window. How about an EBuss of some sort?

Anyway, nothing personal against them, just believe me when I say it's highly unlikely to be a good fit in an IFR installation without adding stuff to it, and in my opinion once you start adding and working around it you've completely defeated the purpose for it to begin with! I would agree the CDI stuff is probably better than the EXP stuff, but again that's relative.

Polyfuses/Thermal breakers and such were popular for a short time decades ago and have long since been abandoned in the certified aircraft world. 'Lectric Bob has a lot of info on this history! Here's the short of it...if you're in IMC and a fuse blows do you really want something to try and reset itself continually?

My 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein
 
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