Europa #435 G-RODO Build Journal - 2020 05

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day	notes	hours
1	Strip end of cable 904, terminate and label it with solder sleeve, earth wire and Rotax crimp connector as for cable 901. Terminate and label earth wire 910 and connect it to common earth point on engine side of firewall. Cut cable 904 to length inside cockpit. Crimp and label wires 343 and 344 to Rotax 0.1" blades for connecting to tachometer cable, assemble both male and female connectors into their plastic housings and mate connectors. Thinking about preparing to mount F14 Instrument Module to firewall, note that the Garmin GPS antenna is in box 24 in the office, along with the blanking plate to cover the unwanted hole beside the fan. However, the fan is not immediately apparent anywhere obvious.	3262.6
5	After a search of several places, find the fan in the box labelled "D" which mainly contains items now surplus to requirements. Move the fan to box 24 in the office.
9	Take the fan, the blanking plate and the Garmin GPS antenna out of box 24. Trace the outline of the fan hole and all the nearby fixing holes in the top of the F14 Instrument Module onto a piece of card. Tape a piece of polyethylene sheet over the card and then tape a sheet of the lightweight aluminium mesh over that. Mix a large batch of (el-cheapo) 5-minute epoxy and spread it onto the mesh all around the fan aperture, taking care to keep that central area clear of epoxy. Lay another sheet of polyethylene on top then weigh down for curing. Fit the ground plane for the GPS antenna onto the top of the IM (M4 x 8mm Taptite CSK Pozi 2, 7mm AF nuts) with a drop of Loctite 243 on the screws. Remove weight and the polyethylene sheets from the mesh. Trim edges of mesh within the epoxied area. Offer up the mesh to the IM and mark through the holes in 6 places onto the mesh with a felt-tip pen. Drill through the marked holes 4.5mm. Check positions of holes against IM and fettle slightly with needle file to align. Fit mesh, fan and blanking plate inside top of IM. (4 off M4 x 12mm & 2 off M4 x 10mm button head stainless screws, 2.5mm hex driver; Nyloc nuts 7mm AF). Fit Garmin GPS antenna to the ground plane with the supplied M3 x 5mm CSK screws (#0 Phillips), with a drop of Loctite 243 on the screws. Can't remember immediately what the holes in the floor of the IM near the busbars are for, and then realise they were for the now-redundant 12-24V converter. Can't remember if the SmartASS box was to be mounted with its ports towards the firewall (awkward to service) or towards the radio panel (not a lot of room). Can't find anything in the journal, but I think it must be the latter. Offer up the IM to the firewall and draw the wires through it. Hold it in place with a couple of temporary screws. Orienting the SmartASS ports towards the firewall would mean that the plumbing & connector would be rather close to the forest of earth tabs, so I think that placing it to allow access to the connexions from the panel side is most sensible all round. Note that I need to add the yellow wire on the fan as NC on the wiring diagram. Also note that the master switches and other items on the sub-panel should be fitted and wired to busbars and fuseblocks as much as possible before finally fixing the IM to the firewall. There is no plan yet for the labelling of the sub-panel and I'm not sure what will be the optimum solution there.	3264.9
10	Update some wiring & fuel system documentation.
11	Undo temporary screws and remove F14 Instrument Module from firewall. From box 14 in the office bring down to the garage the 4 switches, 2 fuseholders and 3 switch guards for the sub-panel. Also bring down the BAT-1, E-3 & TP-1 instruments. Will need to get more M3 stiffnuts and M3 penny washers for fixing those. Will need to get the labelling done for the sub-panel before I can really mount the switches and do the wiring, although I could make up some wire terminations before the switches are mounted. The blade connectors do not go fully on to the earth tabs of the illuminated switches until the insulation has been trimmed back a bit on one face. Fit the SmartASS box to the floor of the IM using standoff nuts as planned. However, the stiffnuts are barely in safety so dismount it again. Mark onto the floor of the IM the locations of the screw-heads on the bottom of the box with a paint marker. Drill through the marks 1/4", check locations and fettle with round file to fix alignment. Re-fit SmartASS box (M5 x 12mm button-head screws, 3mm hex key, Nyloc nuts 8mm AF). Notice that the sub-panel drawing still only shows the trim fuse. Need to amend that to show both trim & stall warner fuses and then prepare an overlay layer from which a legend plate can be ordered. Re-save CADintosh sub-panel drawing as V5 and start to modify. Some entities have been put on the wrong layer, so move them. Search online for firms to make legend plate and note some promising ones for sending PDF to. Search online for and order a potentiometer locking device for the line-out level adjustment.	3266.9
12	Order some M3 locknuts and penny washers from ModelFixings . With 10AWG wire, terminate and label both ends of wires 141, 140, & 139 (2.5mm hex key at busbar, 3/8" AF nut on fuseblocks). Check the ring terminals on the battery and alternator master switches and find they should be 3.5mm, not 4mm as currently listed. Just as well, because the stock of 4mm yellow ring terminals is getting low. Also, part of the switch moulding slightly obstructs the terminal. Grind the mouldings a bit on both switches with Dremel tool to allow the terminals to seat better. Make up and label the battery master switch ends of wires 109, 113, 132 & 133, and cut the wires to the approximate length for the busbar terminations. Notice when offering up the switch that the aluminium doubler for the fire extinguisher bracket is rather close to the bottom terminals of the alternator switch, so mark that for trimming slightly to clear. Continue modifying the sub-panel drawing in CADintosh .	3269.3
13	Check the dimensions of the fuseholder holes in the sub-panel. The fuseholders are 15.5mm OD over the threads, with flats 14.5mm across and take 6.3mm x 32mm fuses. The hand-fettled holes do not conform very exactly to those dimensions! Measuring from top hole to bottom hole: top edge to top edge 29mm; bottom edge to bottom edge 28mm; top edge to bottom edge 44mm; bottom edge to top edge 12mm; bottom edge to centreline 2.5mm; centreline to top edge 9mm; top height 17mm; bottom height 15mm; top width 15mm; bottom width 15mm. Toggle switches are 11.8mm OD over threads. Switch guards are 3.9mm OD over threads. Amend CADintosh drawing of sub-panel to match the measurements. Print out, check against F14 Instrument Module, adjust positions of fuseholders slightly on drawing & re-check. Now OK. Add new layer for legend overlay and print out. Try for fit on outside surface of IM. Need to adjust edges slightly. Edit, print, re-check - now OK. Make a full-size PDF of the overlay alone. Ask for quotes from 4 online suppliers. Fly Visuals sends an auto-reply to say they are not operating at present because of the virus pandemic.	3269.5
14	M3 nuts and washers delivered from ModelFixings .
18	Terminate and label the switch ends of 12AWG wires 134, 135, 136 & 137. Connect to the Cutler-Hammer NSF switch with its 4BA screws. Print the labels for the 600 group of wires. Terminate and label one end of wires 602 & 610 to a single red 4mm ring terminal. Cut wires to a generous length for fuseholder terminations and fit ring terminal to busbar 1. Remove fire extinguisher bracket and doubler. Hacksaw a piece off the outboard (port) end of the doubler where marked. Clean up and deburr the end. Leave the fire extinguisher bracket and doubler off for the moment. For the MGL instruments, once the F14 Instrument Module is fitted to the firewall, will need to use a short #1 Phillips driver for the connector screws and a short 5.5mm nut spinner for the instrument fixings. Don't seem to have any 1A fuses in the 32mm x 6.35mm size needed for the trim and stall warner; will need to order some.	3271.3
19	Potentiometer locking device delivered. Alas, although it fits the shaft diameter of the potentiometer I've got, the panel mounting thread is much bigger than that on the pot. Will have to see if I can find a pot with a matching panel thread. Decide to proceed with the sub-panel legend quote from Hockerill Engraving and send them an e-mail to proceed. They send an invoice with instructions on payment and I make a bank transfer.
21	Spend some time looking for a 1k potentiometer with a 3/8" thread on the CPC website but the data is a bit indefinite. Search on RS and after much hassle including online chat and a referral to the manufacturers helpline, decide on one to order. It appears to have a plastic shaft, but is otherwise OK. Also order some 32mm 1A glass fuses. Print out V5 of the sub-panel layout to confirm locations of MGL instruments BAT-1, TP-1 & E-3. Mark connectors for each one to avoid cross-connexions. Fit each instrument in turn to the F14 Instrument Module with stainless steel M3 penny washers and Nyloc nuts. Although the screws are done up quite tight on the plain nuts held captive in the back of the escutcheons, it is necessary to prevent the screws from turning with a 2.5mm hex key when finally tightening up the stiffnuts with a 5.5mm nut spinner. In order to get the nut spinner onto the lower outboard nut of the E-3, have to temporarily remove the busbar assembly. Don't seem to have a 5.5mm socket that is slim enough to get onto the nut and be driven by the small 6mm hex ratchet. Perhaps a short tubular spanner would do the trick, but the smallest I have in stock is 6mm AF. Re-fit the busbar assembly.	3272.8
22	Potentiometer & fuses delivered from RS. Check the fit of the locking device on the pot and the thread is correct. However, the plastic shaft of the pot gets a bit scarred as the prongs dig in when trying to unscrew the locking device, so I have to cut off the shaft to remove it. Shaft rotation seems to be OK, nice and stiff but doesn't cause real damage, so I think we now have a solution and can proceed with installation of the sockets and pot. Hockerill Engraving confirms order and payment and says the panel will be dispatched ASAP. Search online for 5.5mm AF box (tubular) spanner and order a Melco one from FFX , along with a 1/4" drive deep socket set that includes one 5.5mm AF. Take potentiometer, 3k resistor, and 3.5mm jack sockets down to garage. Check locations for them on the starboard side of the F14 Instrument Module. Enlarge the holes in the solder tags of the stereo socket to 1.1mm to accept 22AWG wires. Consider how connexions should be made and decide to solder trailing wires to each of the items, supporting the solder joint with heatshrink sleeving, then make the rest of the joints with butt splices. Not sure if I really need the Kyosho inline connector or if wires 421 & 422 can be permanently connected to the socket system. Leave that decision for now. Mark, centre-pop and drill 3 pilot holes on the side of the IM for 2 sockets and 1 pot. Enlarge socket holes to 6.5mm and pot hole to 8.5mm (width of the flats on the bush). Check that the threads on the sockets are long enough to go through the IM and fit the nuts with good engagement. Enlarge the pot hole with round and square files to fit the oval shape of the pot bush. Will need to make a recess on the inside for the locating tag - not sure if it will protrude right through. Check connexions on 3.5mm stereo socket for line-out; long solder tag is earth, tag 1 is left channel & tag 2 is right channel.	3273.6
23	Amend all wiring diagrams and wire database, replacing "Bus" with "Fuse" and "terminal strip" with "busbar". Re-make wirebook with amended order of pages and upload new wirebook and wire list to website. Mark potentiometer locating tab position onto inside of F14 Instrument Module with paint marker on tab. Drill 2 off 1.5mm holes at the ends of the mark and open up to fit the rectangular shape of the tab with round and flat needle files. Check how far the locking device will screw down onto the pot bush on the IM wall. Hacksaw a bit more off the shaft to ensure it will not foul the inside of the cap and clean up the end. Hacksaw a slot in the end of the shaft, tidy and open up slightly with a flat needle file. Solder 22AWG tails about 150mm long to each of the solder terminals on the pot and the two sockets (8 total). Slide about 20mm length of heatshrink sleeving over each solder joint and shrink it to support the joint.	3275.1
25	Fit 3.5mm jack sockets and potentiometer to prepared holes in the side of the F14 Instrument Module. Connect trailing wire from potentiometer wiper to trailing wires from line-out socket (stereo) pins 1 & 2 with a red butt splice (latter 2 wires in one end, easy fit). Crimp the trailing wires from earth terminals of both sockets in one end of a butt splice and in the other end crimp the trailing wire from the bottom end of the pot together with 22AWG for wire 422. (Have decided that the inline connector and wires 433 & 434 are not necessary.) Lay out the wire with sufficient length to reach the ATR833 socket with the radio panel folded down for service and cut off. Connect the trailing wire from the top end of the pot to the 3k resistor with a butt splice. Slide and shrink heatshrink sleeving over the resistor and its bare wires. Crimp the trailing wire from the speaker socket signal tag into one end of a butt splice. Into the other end, crimp the free end of the 3k resistor and 22AWG to make wire 421. Alas, the crimping pliers slip when completing the crimp and the resulting snatch tears the solder tag off the speaker socket! I could order another socket, but instead see that it is possible to tweak the break contact on the socket so that it is always made rather than breaking on plug insertion. Make that adjustment with fine-nose pliers. Check that plug still inserts OK and that resistance to the other terminal is negligible. Delete wires 433 & 434 from the wire database file and amend termination descriptions for wires 421 & 422. Spot errors on wire 416 data so correct that. Print labels for all changed wires. Try to de-solder the broken-off tag but it won't come off easily (well made joint!) so cut it off and re-strip the end; just enough length left to do that. Slide a length of heatshrink sleeve onto it - can't be too long or it will shrink while soldering. Solder signal wire onto the remaining terminal on the socket, then slide sleeve down over the tag and shrink it. Apply labels to the socket ends of wires 421 & 422 with heatshrink, and label the free ends with tape flags. Fit some small cable ties to the bundles of wires around the sockets and pot - it's a bit too cramped and fiddly to use lacing cord. Notice that the supply terminals on the A and B fuseholders are rather close to the underside of the (aluminium) cover plate, so grind them off shorter with the Dremel cutoff wheel. Before the IM can be fitted to the firewall, I am only waiting for the sub-panel label plate so the switches and fuseholders can be fitted and wired. Amend ATR833 harness drawing to remove wires 433 & 434 & connector. Update wirebook & wire list.	3278.4
26	Having noted a discussion on the Matronics AeroElectric e-mail list about wire insulation damage, have another look at wires 336 & 337 for the oil temperature & pressure. Add sleeving to both wires and shrink a label onto each sleeve. Find a length of 6.5mm composite cable clip section marked out but not yet cut. Slice it into 10 pieces and store them in the tub with the others. Prepare to bond clips to secure starboard side cockpit conduit. With the bandsaw, enlarge slightly the cutouts in the bridging blocks so they will go over the fuel return line as well as the conduit. Trim the ends of 4 off 27mm conduit clips. Abrade starboard side of cockpit in 8 places for conduit clip bonding. Abrade the bases of the 4 clips. Degrease all bonding areas with acetone. Mix a batch of Araldite Rapid and apply to the cockpit side for the 2 aft clips. Position each clip, cover with a patch of polyethylene sheet, fit wooden bridge on top and clamp in place with speedclamp. As before, need to have door open to get the clamp pads onto the bridges. Remaining epoxy now cured so mix p a fresh batch and apply it to the 2 forward bonding areas. Cover, bridge & clamp as before for the 3rd one, but obviously a clamp will not reach to the 4th (forward) position so use a piece of wood jammed against the side of the tunnel to hold the wooden bridge in place there. Leave to cure. Consider that with the relatively small gap between the ends of the conduits, it might have been smarter to draw the wire bundle through the cockpit-side conduit before fixing it in place. Ho hum.	3280.8
27	Remove speedclamps and wooden jamming piece from conduit clip bridges. Peel off polyethylene sheet and all bonds look satisfactory. Carefully feed the multiple ends of the wire loom from the transponder into the end of the new conduit and draw it fully through. Check the route for the wiring of the wing leveller servo. The cover plate seems to come quite close to the hole previously made for the wires in the forward face of the thigh support. Check with a piece of wire inserted temporarily and mark where relief is needed. Trim the corner of the cover plate with a TC file and smooth the edges with ScotchBrite. Re-check and all OK now. The small conduit that was bent in error for the port side of the cockpit provides just enough straight length, with the centre bend cut out, to make the 2 pieces needed for the starboard footwell. Cut to length and chamfer ends as required and smooth ends with ScotchBrite. Check that a piece of sleeving can be inserted into the hole to protect the wires across the transition to the conduit - no problem. Have a look at the antennae supplied with the Garrecht TRX-2000 traffic monitor. The manual talks only about quarter-wave monopoles that need a ground plane, but those supplied were both half-wave dipoles with stick-on patches. Not sure where they will fit. The manual also says the GPS antenna must be kept 2 feet away from any other GPS antenna - not really possible across the width of the Europa fuselage, with the Garmin antenna roughly central!	3281.8
29	Clear out the starboard footwell ready for scuff-sanding and vacuuming. Get out 2 off plain and 3 off right-angle composite clips for 16mm conduit. Trim the tab off one plan clip to clear the landing gear frame at the forward end of the conduit along the bottom of the tunnel. Trim other clip tabs to suit the space available. At this point the doorbell sounds and it is the delivery of the aluminium panel with legends for the F14 Instrument Module sub-panel. Unpack and lay in place to check for fit. All holes look good except for the outboard pair of switch guards. Insert fuseholders and switches temporarily to confirm. Everything goes in OK including the inboard switch guard. A little bit of fettling with a round needle file lets the other 2 go in also, after crimping one guard slightly with the slip-grip pliers. It looks as though I can't get at the backnuts on the switches as I don't have any open-end spanners slim enough. The NSF switch nuts are 5/8" AF (rear) and 9/16" AF (front). The other switch nuts are 15mm AF and the fuseholder nuts are 18mm AF. The switch guard nuts are 7mm AF.	3282.8
30	Thinking about the order of assembly for the sub-panel items, consider that it would be more convenient to terminate and fit the strobe & fan switch earth wires before fitting the switches to the panel. Terminate and label wires 203 & 209 at switch ends, and put tape flags on free ends. Checking the wire labelling & termination database and the wiring diagrams, I note that I have assumed that the flying leads on the MGL instruments will be long enough to reach the warning LEDs without any intermediate extension, but I will need to check that again to make sure that there will be enough length to allow the panels to fold down for maintenance. The 3 MGL instruments on the sub-panel will probably be OK, but the FF-1 & RTC-2 on the radio panel will need to be checked. Spanners delivered from FFX .	3283.2
31	Check fit of tubular spanner and it is very hard to get it onto the bottom outboard nut of the E-3 instrument that is obstructed by the busbars. However, the deep 5.5mm AF socket works fine with the 1/4" square adaptor on the Armeg 6mm hex ratchet. Check the lengths of the trailing wires from the pre-wired connectors for the MGL instruments. The BAT-1, TP-1 & E-3 wires are all OK and will reach to the warning LEDs easily even with the main panel folded down. The RTC-2 & FF-1 wires will not reach to the warning LEDs and so will need extension wire inserted on the diagrams. Update wire database & diagrams, update wirebook & list & upload to website.

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