Brief Description: Installing more instrument harnesses
The task for today was to get all the individual instrument wiring harnesses installed. This required locating the various connectors (mostly cannon and DB type plugs) where they will mate with the instrument panel when it is put in place. Then the various wires to power, ground, dimmer, etc. had to be routed with the existing bundles to the appropriate posts and fuse blocks. I believe there are only two harnesses remaining, the VOR/ILS and the transponder/encoder/XL250. The harness for the transponder will be challenging since the harness is semi-permanently attached to the tray (the tray must be attached to the instrument panel when it is installed). This was a bad design by King Avionics.
I have discovered one thing for sure. Traditional steam gauge panels have considerably more wires than modern glass panels. In the glass world the boxes are delivered with prefab harnesses without the need for individual power, ground, and dimmer wires for every instrument. I have also discovered that there is no extra room behind the instrument panel in an RV-8. Thank goodness I put a door in the baggage door bulkhead for access behind the panel. I don't know how owner/builders managed to wire and/or maintain the wiring and instruments without this mod.
Ok, it still looks like a rats nest but I think once all the bundles are tie-wrapped it will look much better... I hope.
