>Do any of you wizzes have , or know of a programme that would help
>me draw a presentable looking circuit diagram for my Europa. I can
>understand my own efforts but I shudder to think what anyone else
>would make of it. I got to try a panel planner which I thought
>might have a circuit programme on its back but if it had I couldn't
>find it, nor for that matter could I get the panel planning bit to
>do much either.
There are many, many "drawing" programs for both the MS-Dos and Mac
worlds and I've seen them used to develope some pretty credible
documentation but for most builders I would advise the following:
Unless you are ALREADY fluent and agile in some form of drafting
software (AutoCAD, CadKey, MicroCad, etc) . . . .
-AND- unless you have a pre-packaged symbols library that produces
symbols you like . . .
-AND- unless you have no better way to spend time on your project
than to sit for hours at the computer to pretty up what you already
know . . . .
Then consider using a three ring binder and quadrill (square lined)
paper (hopefully printed in non-printing light blue ink) to document
your wiring.
Put only one system on each page. E.g. the landing light should show
power path and components used to wire from the bus, out through a
fuse or circuit breaker to the switch and on to fixture and back to
ground. Put wire gage notation on the line representing conductors
(I use 18AWG, 22AWG etc.)
Build a list of reference designator for purchase materials other than
wire. Assign numbers to switches (S1, S2 etc) light fixtures A1, A2 . . .
lamp bulbs (L1, L2), rotating machines . . (Alternator = M1, starter = M2
etc), capacitors (C1, C2), Resistors (R1, R2) and so on. Use these
reference designator numbers on each page of the wiring diagram.
Here's where the computer comes in handy . . . use a simple data base
program (Pc-File, Access, etc) to list your reference designators
and document their part number, description, and who manufactures it
(not the distributor or dealer who sells it). Some builders also include
a column for load information (amps) and perhaps a column for where it's
located in the airplane on on what page of the wiring diagrams it appears.
While putting things together, draw the diagrams free hand, keep a large,
soft, art-gum type eraser around to make changes cleaner and easier. Neat
doesn't count at this stage of the game, just get the information down
in a legible, accurate form.
When your airplane is all done and during the first following days of
lousy flying weather, sit down with straigh edge, symbols template,
eraser, and do a careful redraw of your shop documents. Do a final
edit of your reference designator list and print it. Photocopy these
documents so that the blue guide lines drop out of the finished drawing.
Spray the copies very lightly with clear Krylon or other moisture sealant
and allow to dry. At this point, some builders have their pages laminated
(Not in the heavy, sign making plastic but the lighter, more flexible
stuff used in schools). This is a really good move because photo copy
toners tend to transfer to other sheets . . . especially plastic ones
although the Krylon slows that down somewhat.
Make an extra copy and put it away somewhere safe . . . you're going to
want to sell the airplane someday and the future owner would really like
to know that you know where all the wires go so that he'll know too!
If you REALLY want to do CAD drawings, I recommend AutoCADLite, a low
cost version of AutoCAD that will understand the wirebooks in progress
and symbols library that I will GIVE you. I have a disk which contains
many, many drawings and virtually all of my symbols library that you can
download from Compuserve's maintenance library, or I'll send it on IBM-PC
3.5" disk. The contents of this disk will afford you the fastest route
to really professional drawings. I'll even throw in a copy of Jim Button's
stone-simple but very utilitarian data base program called PC-File. It's
about 10 years old but runs like lighting on modern PCs and does exactly
what I need it to do.
For those who would like to mark individual wires (nice but in most cases
not necessary except for very complex airplanes) get some Avery mailing
lables and an disposable black ink drafting pen (Pilot makes some really
nice ones) and some clear heatshrink. Plan out a wire numbering convention
which may be as complete as system designator (L for lighting, P for dc
power, H for heating, etc), circuit number, segment letter and wire size.
This system is used on may certified airplanes. For most homebuiders, it's
a waste of time. It takes a lot of time to plan and install and will be
of very little help in the future. You could consider something as simple
as a number for each wire segment. Assign the numbers serially and don't
worry about which numbers are used in which system or even what gage the
wire is. Just be sure you don't use the same number twice.
Here's another application for a simple database document. Make a log book
for wiring. Number lines 1 through however many it takes. As each wire is
labeled, record the wire's system, function, gage and where each end of the
wire can be found.
Use the ink pen to write the number on a piece of Avery sticky back label
material. 22AWG wires let you put on only one label . . . 2 AWG wires
need a column of the designators so that the label can be read from any
angle. Cut the label out and stick it to wire, about 2 inches from the
terminal end (you gotta do this before the terminal is crimped on!!!!)
and put a piece of clear heat shrink over it.
The techniques I've described above are about the simplest way I know
for the amateur builder to get his project's wiring documented without
turning it into a several hundred hours task. I've got thousands of
hours experience in AutoCAD and a library of hundreds of drawings I can
steal previous work from to make new projects go faster but unless you
already use AutoCAD or a similar program. Even so, it takes me 20-100
hours to do wirebooks in the Glasair/Lancair class airplanes. I think your
time is better spent doing nice work on the airplane and doing a NEAT job on
the
documentation by hand.
Regards,
Bob . . .
AeroElectric Connection
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