Splicing Serial Connections

[HR2PLT]

Anyone has a PIREP on Brians interconnect board?

RB-RV9A,

This is Brian who makes the interconnect board. If you want some more info on my board, email me at hr2plt@yahoo.com.

To give you a basic idea, when they first came up with the ACM, you could not buy one unless you bought the pre made fully assembled panels. I was trying to help out a few friends on a simple way the connect it all together, and make the system expandable. I came up with this board, and have made a few upgrades as things changed.

What it does, is make all the serial, contacts, and audio out spliced together with the required isolations where needed. It allows you to have a basic system, one screen, ADHARS, and EMS, and then allows you to expand the system without tearing into the wiring to add modules. You just have to mount the new module, make a simple harness, and program the SkyView with the new module, and then go fly. All the serial connectors are basically the same, power ground, and serial data. Some have a few extra connections, like serial port 1 is for the transponder, so it has a remote ID, and a serial input from an external GPS position source, and serial port 4 will allow you to plug in that old GPS 250 so you would have a backup GPS.

I am working on a new handout, but will attach a copy on the current one, on how to wire the harnesses, and a list of addition connectors to put it all together.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to email me.

Brian

It looks like there might be a need to add a connector for a third screen. That would be easy to do.

 

[Albee]

Building the harnesses doesn't concern me and I was expecting to do that. However, I was concerned about an unsightly bundle of solder sleeves or butt joins to split the serial connections to the two HDX screens I plan to install. I'm favouring using the SkyView interconnect board at the moment and have been in touch with Brian about that.

I avoided "big bundles" by making each splice at different points rather than all together. The Dynon harness is long enough that mostly these were near the serial devices but at a spot where I had good support, e.g. between closely spaced cushion clamps rather than in a service loop. But if I'd known about the Brian Adams interconnect solution ...

 

[RB-RV9A]

Thats great Brian. well done

 

[Bill Putney]

I built a junction board that ties all the connections together that Dynon recommends are commoned between two displays. There's more than just serial ports. I have seen the back of the Dynon demo systems that they take to trade shows and it has something very similar. I thought maybe Dynon was going to sell those, but I haven't noticed them. It would be part of their FastTrack stuff, but it's not there.

My solution uses molex connectors instead of D-Sub connectors. I like that they have built in latches that don't require slide-locks or screws that have to be safety wired or LockTight'd in place. They use gold plated pins and have plenty of contact area. The mating connectors have nylon around each pin to guide them and protect them from neighbors. That eliminates bent pins that are a big problem with D-Subs.

This is a 3D printed box and the connectors are attached to a printed circuit board. All the serial ports have Tx, Rx, Gnd and power in 4 pins. Serial 1 through 4 have a power input connector and Serial 5 (GPS) uses power from the HDX connectors. Since the audio wires are also paralleled, there is a connector for that too.

 

[vlittle]

Here is the original SkyView hub I designed in 2011. It does all of the serial port and other signal (contacts, audio and dimmer) bussing and allows tapping off to connecting to other instruments. Makeplane.org sells these now.

Note: these hubs can be daisy chained by adding solder-cup connectors to the board ends.
(J6 & J7).

and here is an example of how to use it:

http://www.vx-aviation.com/sprocket/photos/panel_elec/schematics-2/EFIS.pdf

 

[wilkersk]

I installed terminal strips. One for TX and one for RX. I have studs for ports 1 through 5, plus bus power and ground for the GPS-2020.

 

[pmerwood]

I installed terminal strips. One for TX and one for RX. I have studs for ports 1 through 5, plus bus power and ground for the GPS-2020.

That's a nice tidy installation.

I decided to go with Brian Adams' Skyview Interconnect Board to take care of the various signals that need to be supplied to both Skyview HDX units I'm installing in my Vans RV-6.

Peter,