Hi Stan
I wired my Longeze and made mistakes. It was so bad that my technical advisor gave up and quit
coming around. I essentially rewired the aircraft after he saw it the last time. I would not want to
suggest a way to wire it. I can, however, suggest some thing to NOT do and a few TO DO.
(1) Read all of Nichol's manual twice or more. I don't know the title or how to get one
but someone on here has that information. I can go out in the shop and get it for you.
(2) All end connectors must be CLAMPED or crimped on. My largest cables (to the starter)
were done by a company that, fortunately, wires large boats so they have large, heavy
duty crimpers. You can buy a smaller one for most work. The Seal-all crimper ($37.95)
sold by ASSC is NOT a double crimp tool so I DID NOT get one. Spencer Aircraft is near
me so I bought one from them. I found that I am not strong enough to use it.
I found a way to modify it so I can, just barely. The handles are too short. Harbor
Freight sells the exact same tool for less. I do NOT recommend it as the handles are
too short. Get a good crimper. The Professional crimper that ASSC sells is $134.95
so there may be better ones, cheaper somewhere. I don't know but it MUST be a double
crimper for at least 3 sizes of connectors.
(3) I found that you MUST double back the wire at the end or the connector will pull off.
That means that you will have little use for the end connectors with red plastic
covers; the hole is too small for most wires when you double back the wire. See (4)
(4) If the tables say to use #24 wire, use #20, and the same for # 22 or #20, use
bigger wire because the wire is going to be vibrating and will break.
(5) Keep ALL ground wires together in a bundle. I finally had so many wires that I had
to run the bundle down the LEFT side of the fuselage. That is a problem because you
must NOT interfere with other things like the air brake. Use spiral wrap.
(6) Keep all 12 V wires in a bundle. I have at least 8 to 10 of those at the pilot's right
side under the armrest. Use spiral wrap
(7) Keep all sensor wires in a bundle. I have at least a dozen of those, probably 15.
Use spiral wrap.
(
Realize that you will have MANY more wires than you expected. You may add more
later. Then you have to undo the spiral wrap and it is near impossible to do that.
(9) If you run all of those wires down the right side, you will not have space enough for
the push rod for the elevators. Guess how I know that.
(10) Get aviation type end terminals. These are double clamped to hold the wire to
avoid breaking the wire. You can also use heat shrink IN ADDITION to the double crimp
end connector to further protect the wire from bending.
(11) Use only Tetzel wire; if it overheats, you will not be exposed to toxic vapors
(12) you will need a good wire-stripper. Don't get a cheap one; they will not work.
(13) Label your wires at least 3 places so you can troubleshoot later. It is required
anyway. That is IN ADDITION to color coding.
(14) ASSC sells 6 colors of wire. You may need other colors as well and there are companies
that well other colors; I am sorry but I don't have their names. When I wired mine, they
only had white. Big PIA. I finally found a place to get color coded Tefzel wire.
(15) Put a master solenoid in to control ALL 12 V EXCEPT the starter. If you have current
going through a master solenoid, then a starter solenoid, then the solenoid actually inside
the starter, you have 3 points where heavy current must cross a gap. You may not get
enough current to start the engine. I had to eliminate the starter solenoid and run the
starter cable around the master solenoid. That means I have one solenoid instead of 3
to make/break the connection. Someday I will change that when I can find a master
solenoid with the ability to carry a heavy current. I may burn up the starter if the
internal solenoid hangs. SIGH
(16) The plans system to prevent takeoff with nthe canopy unlatched and landing with
the nose gear up is AWFUL. You had better use it but you will have a problem when
some part of it is not working correctly. I spent ENDLESS hours debugging it. I
finally put a terminal block on the surface of the inside of the fuselage where I can
get to it (inside the nose compartment so I cannot reach it in flight, of course).
EVERY wire in the system runs to that block. Then I close the canopy (get a friend
to do it and sit there while you do the check) and check voltages with throttle
back vs throttle forward. Then I put a sawhorse under the fuselage and retract
the nose wheel. Check voltages with throttle back and forward. ETC. If some
part of the system is not working correctly, you can tell.
(17) McMaster-Carr (
www.Mcmaster.com) caries some things that you can use. No
minimum charge.
(18) Be sure that your engine block is grounded to the rest of the electrical system
with a very flexible braid, and heavy enough. There is a lot of current running
through it, at least during starting.
Bruce Hughes
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