Heated pitot tube wiring

[sahrens]

While I will install Skyview, I don't think this is the correct forum for this question. I guess the moderator will move my question to the correct one.

I am building a RV-7 and I am running the wiring in my wing for the heated pitot tube. The installation documents on page 2-1 suggest the proper gauge wire to be used is based on distance. Based on my estimate of distance the proper guage should be 14AWG. When I compared it to the controller, the controller only has 18 AWG.

That seems pretty small to handle the 10 amps required for the circuit. Am I missing something here?

Thanks
Scott

 

[Carl_Froehlich]

Scott,

18AWG is a little light. For wing wiring I run single three #20 conductor shielded wire for the AeroLED nav/strobes, #16 for landing light +12VDC, #16 for pitot heat +12VDC, a #22 for the pitot indication light and then a single #14 common ground wire for everything. I'm not of the "use the airframe as a ground" school - everything gets gounded at the firewall terminal strip.

Carl (RV-8A and RV-10)

 

[sahrens]

I agree, 18AWG is a little light. That is why I ran 14 for power for the pitot heat. Just a little surprised the Dynon controller has 18 on the power side from the controller.

 

[Dynon]

For short distances (ie the amount of wire that we have on the controller) 18ga is fine. But for your longer runs to the pitot, you'll want to go bigger, of course, like others here have said.