VAF POSTS & RV NEWS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE.....dr:
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Giadina RV-4 Panel
vansairforce.net
New plenum build - RV7
Original build was a Sam James long cowl with their plenum. It was slightly rushed to finish the plane, and I never liked the way it fit. I also didn't use enough fasteners and I think installed it way to low over the cylinders. Results were fine in cruise, 75% ROP would run around 400F, LOP would drop to 320-350 depending on OAT. Climbing out on hot days was done at 120-130 KIAS which limited the ceiling to about 11,000 ft at full gross. I had 2 weeks off while I'm changing jobs and decided to tackle rebuilding the plenum. I tore off all the old baffling and started with a new baffle kit from vans, modified for the ECI tapered cylinders. The plenum was created by vacuum bagging 3 layers of carbon to the inside of my cowl. I laid up pieces that were ~33 inches wide and 17" long. This wasn't enough depth, but was where the James cowl would allow for a mostly flat part between the oil door and where the round inlets started to become prominent. I then scarfed on 3" to the front to have enough depth to make all the connections. Once everything is fitted and riveted, I'll go back and add a 4th layer as an aesthetic top layer.
vansairforce.net
A little cowl help?
Started on the stock cowl today. Top went very well. I’m using Skybolts for the firewall and hing for the horizontal split. Set up the bottom cowl and trimmed it to fit. I thought there was supposed to be excess material to remove for the split. Not so with my cowl. The right side is just barely going to make it but the left side I have a 1/2” gap at the aft end. Not sure what the best move fwd is. Install the hinge and lay some flow between hinge and cowl scarf a slice into the lower cowl and then cut the line? The front corners all fit quite well.
Any advice appreciated .
vansairforce.net
RV-12 current sensing shunt
I am in the process of redesigning my legacy RV-12 electrical system. To free up more panel space I am going to replace my Van's Fuse and Switch Module with a Vertical Power VP-X electronic circuit breaker box. Besides switches and fuse, the Van's panel apparently also has a current sensing shunt. I say apparently because I'll be darned if I can figure out where it is. I was expecting to find an appropriate copper shunt with sense wire whiskers on it but so far no joy. Is it possible they implemented the current sensing shunt with just a PCB trace? Using a PCB trace for current sensing is notoriously inaccurate but maybe accuracy isn't that big of a deal. Still...
Anyone know where the current sense element is in the Fuse and Switch Module?
Anyone have an recommendations for an external current sensing shunt for use with the VP-X ECB?
Attached are a few pictures for reference. BTW, that last picture I attached is some less than acceptable soldering I found on my panel. This solder bridge shorted around the 30 amp generator fuse. Nice!
vansairforce.net
Cylinder pitting
Starting my condition inspection early this year, and since my buddy bought a new borescope we decided to take a look at my jugs
IO-390 with 250 hours (about 100 a year), but it was long term pickled for a little over 12 years before first start. We'll get better pics and I'll share, but Cylinders 3 and 4 show a little pitting. Compressions were great at my last condition inspection (78+ on all) and oil analysis looks good too over the last three reports with numbers all within or below Blackstone's averages. I use a qt every ~15 hours
Any thoughts/advice? I could pull and see if they'd clean up with a bore/hone or run and monitor given compressions, oil analysis and usage.
vansairforce.net
Remote Comm Radios Shelf Location
Does anyone have pictures of the tray or other mounting brackets they used to stack two Garmin GTR-20 comm radios and GMA-245R audio panel behind the RV-8 instrument panel? What did you attach things to? I realize the GMA-245R has to be mounted facing certain directions per the installation manual.
I have a 10.6” Garmin G3X mounted 1” off center in the instrument panel with a GNX-375 next to it on the left side (looking forward) with a GMC-507 autopilot panel below it.
vansairforce.net
OFF TOPIC:
PS: Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
www.vansairforce.net
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Giadina RV-4 Panel
Show us your panel!
I wanted a clean, uncluttered panel and also to retain the canopy hinge release handle so Com 2 (GTR-20) and transponder (GTX-45R) went under the panel. Electrical protection is all fuses except for the alternator field breaker; I mounted two fuse blocks on the right panel support rib. I'm...
vansairforce.net
New plenum build - RV7
Original build was a Sam James long cowl with their plenum. It was slightly rushed to finish the plane, and I never liked the way it fit. I also didn't use enough fasteners and I think installed it way to low over the cylinders. Results were fine in cruise, 75% ROP would run around 400F, LOP would drop to 320-350 depending on OAT. Climbing out on hot days was done at 120-130 KIAS which limited the ceiling to about 11,000 ft at full gross. I had 2 weeks off while I'm changing jobs and decided to tackle rebuilding the plenum. I tore off all the old baffling and started with a new baffle kit from vans, modified for the ECI tapered cylinders. The plenum was created by vacuum bagging 3 layers of carbon to the inside of my cowl. I laid up pieces that were ~33 inches wide and 17" long. This wasn't enough depth, but was where the James cowl would allow for a mostly flat part between the oil door and where the round inlets started to become prominent. I then scarfed on 3" to the front to have enough depth to make all the connections. Once everything is fitted and riveted, I'll go back and add a 4th layer as an aesthetic top layer.
New plenum build - RV7
Original build was a Sam James long cowl with their plenum. It was slightly rushed to finish the plane, and I never liked the way it fit. I also didn't use enough fasteners and I think installed it way to low over the cylinders. Results were fine in cruise, 75% ROP would run around 400F, LOP...
vansairforce.net
A little cowl help?
Started on the stock cowl today. Top went very well. I’m using Skybolts for the firewall and hing for the horizontal split. Set up the bottom cowl and trimmed it to fit. I thought there was supposed to be excess material to remove for the split. Not so with my cowl. The right side is just barely going to make it but the left side I have a 1/2” gap at the aft end. Not sure what the best move fwd is. Install the hinge and lay some flow between hinge and cowl scarf a slice into the lower cowl and then cut the line? The front corners all fit quite well.
Any advice appreciated .
A little cowl help?
Started on the stock cowl today. Top went very well. I’m using Skybolts for the firewall and hing for the horizontal split. Set up the bottom cowl and trimmed it to fit. I thought there was supposed to be excess material to remove for the split. Not so with my cowl. The right side is just barely...
vansairforce.net
RV-12 current sensing shunt
I am in the process of redesigning my legacy RV-12 electrical system. To free up more panel space I am going to replace my Van's Fuse and Switch Module with a Vertical Power VP-X electronic circuit breaker box. Besides switches and fuse, the Van's panel apparently also has a current sensing shunt. I say apparently because I'll be darned if I can figure out where it is. I was expecting to find an appropriate copper shunt with sense wire whiskers on it but so far no joy. Is it possible they implemented the current sensing shunt with just a PCB trace? Using a PCB trace for current sensing is notoriously inaccurate but maybe accuracy isn't that big of a deal. Still...
Anyone know where the current sense element is in the Fuse and Switch Module?
Anyone have an recommendations for an external current sensing shunt for use with the VP-X ECB?
Attached are a few pictures for reference. BTW, that last picture I attached is some less than acceptable soldering I found on my panel. This solder bridge shorted around the 30 amp generator fuse. Nice!
RV-12 current sensing shunt
I am in the process of redesigning my legacy RV-12 electrical system. To free up more panel space I am going to replace my Van's Fuse and Switch Module with a Vertical Power VP-X electronic circuit breaker box. Besides switches and fuse, the Van's panel apparently also has a current sensing...
vansairforce.net
Cylinder pitting
Starting my condition inspection early this year, and since my buddy bought a new borescope we decided to take a look at my jugs
IO-390 with 250 hours (about 100 a year), but it was long term pickled for a little over 12 years before first start. We'll get better pics and I'll share, but Cylinders 3 and 4 show a little pitting. Compressions were great at my last condition inspection (78+ on all) and oil analysis looks good too over the last three reports with numbers all within or below Blackstone's averages. I use a qt every ~15 hours
Any thoughts/advice? I could pull and see if they'd clean up with a bore/hone or run and monitor given compressions, oil analysis and usage.
Cylinder pitting
Hi All- Starting my condition inspection early this year, and since my buddy bought a new borescope we decided to take a look at my jugs :-) IO-390 with 250 hours (about 100 a year), but it was long term pickled for a little over 12 years before first start. We'll get better pics and I'll...
vansairforce.net
Remote Comm Radios Shelf Location
Does anyone have pictures of the tray or other mounting brackets they used to stack two Garmin GTR-20 comm radios and GMA-245R audio panel behind the RV-8 instrument panel? What did you attach things to? I realize the GMA-245R has to be mounted facing certain directions per the installation manual.
I have a 10.6” Garmin G3X mounted 1” off center in the instrument panel with a GNX-375 next to it on the left side (looking forward) with a GMC-507 autopilot panel below it.
Remote Comm Radios Shelf Location
Does anyone have pictures of the tray or other mounting brackets they used to stack two Garmin GTR-20 comm radios and GMA-245R audio panel behind the RV-8 instrument panel? What did you attach things to? I realize the GMA-245R has to be mounted facing certain directions per the installation...
vansairforce.net
OFF TOPIC:
PS: Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
Van's Air Force
Doug Reeves Vans Aircraft Kit Forum Official Build Experimental RV
www.vansairforce.net
