Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 31A: Wing Electrical Interconnector Update (part 1)

Reference: Pages 31A-07, 31A-08; 2.75 hours

Vans Aircraft has updated the wing to fuselage electrical interconnect for the RV12 airplane. I touched on it in the other entry for today. You will noticed I started in the middle of the section this is because my wing for the RV12 are in storage, so I will need to plan the update for the wings at another time.

Also I am including a head scratcher on the Builder's Gotcha list. One of the wires has been changed to a new part number but the drawings in the plans don't reference it. The new wire is WH-L458 and is discussed later in this entry in more detail. The drawings in question are on page 42D-23 and 31A-07.

Step 1: NA as they were not installed Remove the F-1270B ASSMY from the left and right Side Skins.

Step 2: Label all the wires for the wing connections.



Builder's note: I used heat shrink tubing and marked it with a Sharpie before shrinking it.

Steps 3, 4, & 5 Builder's note these steps didn't apply as this was new construction on the RV12 airplane.

Step 6: Crimp an ES-00079 Floating Connector Pin 16-20 AWG on all the wires in Step 5. This is the WH-F57 (BRN/YEL) Stall Warn Wire, WH-L73(YEL), WH-L88(YEL/BLU), and WH-B183 (WHT) Wing Ground Wires. See figure 2 & 3 on page 31A-07 of the RV12 aircraft plans.



Step 7: Insert the pin on the WH-B183(WHT) Wing Ground Wire into position 1 on the back of the Floating 8 Pos Connector Female.



Step 8: Insert the pin on the WH-F57 (BRN/YEL) Stall Warn Wire into position 2 on the back of the ES-00077 Floating 8 Pos Connector Female.



Step 9: Insert the pin on the WH-L88(YEL/BLU) into position 4 on the back of the ES-00078 Floating 8 Pos Connector Male.



Step 10: Insert the pin on the WH-B183(WHT) Wing Ground Wire into position 1 on the back of the ES-00078 Floating 8 Pos Connector Male.



Step 11: Insert the pin on the WH-L73(YEL) into position 5 on the back of the ES-00078 Floating 8 Pos Connector Make.



This completes page 31A-07.

Reference page 31A-08

Steps 1 - 6 D180 Builder's note: As I am not installing a Dynon D180 These steps do not apply to my Rv12 airplane.

Step 6: (SV-D1000) EFIS: Insert the pin on the WH-274 (WHT) Lighting Power Update Wire into position 8 on the back of the ES-00077 Floating Connector Female.



Step 7: Was complected previously. Cut the spade terminal off the WH-B184(WHT) and strip the wire. Crimp on a pin to the WH-B184(WHT) Nav/Strobe Power Wire.



Step 8: Fabricate the WH-B740(WHT) Strobe Sych Wire by Cutting a 57 inch long piece of 18 AGW wire. Strip the ends of the wire and install an ES-00079 Floating Connector Pin on each end.



Step 9: Insert the pin on one end of the WH-B740(WHT) wire into position 7 on the back of the EF-00077 Floating 8 Pos Connector Female.

Route the WH-B740 (WHT) wire across the fuselage following the same routing as the WH-B184(WHT) wire.

Insert the pin on the free end of the WH-B740 (WHT) wire into position 7 on the back of the ES-00078 Floating Connector Make.





Builder's note: Here is the Gotcha. Page 42D-23 in the plans Step 3 talks about wire number L458 being inserted into position 6. However the drawings all show the old wire number B268 on both sides of the fuselage as being inserted into position 6. No big deal just leave you wondering for a while!



Builder's note: Also there is no mention in the direction to ground the Noise Filter other than as a note on a drawing on page 31A-08. So I went ahead and ground it to the seat frame as pictured below.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 31: Fuselage wiring (part 7)

Reference: 31-09, 31A-07 ,31A-08; 1.5 hours

Today is more fun, with the wiring on the RV-12 aircraft kitted by Van's Aircraft. There is a GOTHCA (of sorts) in steps 5, 8 & 11 on page 31-09. The spade connectors mentioned in these steps have been replaced with new connectors refer to on page 31A-08

Step 5: Route the WH-184(WHT) Nav/Strobe Power Wire through all the Seat Ribs to the right side of the aircraft and crimp on a connector (See page 31A-08 for the new connector design). Secure the connector on the new wing wiring assembly on the right side of the aircraft. Adjust the wire so that there is an equal amount of slack on each end.



Step 6: Separate from the WH-RV12-OPTIONAL harness the group of seven twisted wires, strip the ends, then route them through the snap bushings in all but the most outboard Seat Rib on the left side of the aircraft. Route the seven twisted wires through the rectangular opening in the second to mot outboard seat rib on the left side of the aircraft as shown in figure 1 on page 31-09.



Step 7: Find the supplied WIRE AUTOPILOT SERVO seven stranded wire in the kit and trim to 85 inches to create the WH-B170 Autopilot Harness. Strip the wires on one end.

Step 8: Matching colors, crimp together in paris the same connectors BUILDER'S NOTE: Refer to page 31A-08 for new connectors! I used the old one and then had to cut them off. YEL, BLU, WHT and BLK wires from the seven twisted wires in the WH-RV12-OPTIONAL harness and seven twisted wires in WH-B170 Autopilot Harness.

Matching colors, crimp together in pairs in the same connectors the remaining RED, ORG and WHT/BLK wires from the seven twisted wires in the WH-RV12_OPTIONAL harness and the seven twisted wires in WH-B170 Autopilot Harness.



Route the WH-B170 Auto Harness back through the rectangular hole, through the snap bushings in the Seat Ribs to the center of the aircraft. Add a Plastic Tie 4.5 inch in the hole just forward of the rectangular opening (see figure 1 page 31-09) going around the wires and back through the same hole into itself.



Step 9: Create and label two WH-B183 (WHT) Wing Ground Wires from 18 gauge wire. Strip one end of each and attach an updated connector from page 31A-07. Each will be attached to the new wing wiring connector. in section 31A. Route the wires inboard through the snap bushings in the Seat Ribs. Strip the routed end of the wire and crimp on a ring terminal per the callouts in figure 1 on page 31-09. This ring terninal will be attached to the inboard most seat rib later.



Builder's Note: One nice way to label wires is use white shrink tube and a fine Sharpie marker. Write the number on the tube and then shrink it to the wire.





Step 10: Lay the WH-RV12-OAT harness and WH-B170 Autopilot Harness into the System Blocks. Route both through the Center Section Assembly, through the cushoined clamp attached to the fuel pump and the snap bushings in the F1206A and F-1207B Bulkheads.



Step 11: Strip the ends of the seven WH-B170 Autopilot Harness wires. Crimp on connectors. Builder's note: Use page 31A-08 as a guide to the new molex connector to be used. Don't use the spade connectors and then cut them off as I did!



This completes page 31-09 and this entry of the build on the RV-12 until next time.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 31: Fuselage wiring (part 6)

Reference: pages 31-08, 31-09, 31A-08; 3.0 hours

This is a continuation of the wiring for the RV-12 aircraft I'm building. Again there are a number of changes because of updating to the Dynon SkyView. For example all of the spade connectors for the autopilot servos will be installed and then replaced with new molex connectors.

Step 1: Using the callouts in figure 2 on page 31-08 of the RV-12 airplane plans, drill #30 a pilot hole for the outside air temperature probe. Use a unibit to final-drill this hole to 3/8.



Step 2: Install the WH-RV12-OAT harness in the hole created in Step 1. Route the wires back through the snap bushing in the Seat Ribs to the center of the aircraft.



This completes page 31-08.

Reference: page 31-09

Step 1: Route the WH-RV12-OPTIONAL harness over the rudder pedals, through the fuel flow cushioned clamp and through the snap bushings in the F-1202F and F-1203A Bulkheads.



Step 2: From the WH-RV12-OPTIONAL harness separate out and route the WH-L72(YEL/RED) wire through the snap bushings in the Seat Ribs on the left side of the aircraft. Separate out the WH-L73(YEL) and WH-L88(YEL/BLU) wires and route them through the snap bushings in the seat ribs on the right side of the aircraft.



Step 3: Make and label the WH-B184(WHT) Nav/Strobe Power Wire by cutting 53 inches of 18 gauge wire and striping each end.

Step 4: ON the left side of the aircraft crimp both the WH-B184(WHT) and WH-L72(YEL/RED) wires together in the same female spade connector.




Builder's note: This spade connector is used in the new updates but the old F-1270B Assy will be replaced. See page 31A-08 for the updated assembly.



That completes this entry on the wiring for the RV-12 airplane. The best advice I have when it comes to wiring is go slow, focus on each step you are doing and document, document document!