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Dave's RV-7A Builder's Log
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Date: 3-19-2016
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Number of Hours: 3.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Main power wiring
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Session #2 was devoted to more wiring. In my design, the B-lead from the alternator connects to the bus between the battery and start relay, and then runs through the firewall to the power distribution bus. This wire is 6 AWG (big) and as such, a bit unwieldy. One of the primary challenges I had was trying to decide where to put each of the electrical components in order to make the wiring runs efficient, but as important, accessible once the top skins go on. Looking down from above, it’s a bit deceptive since there is easy access to everything, but I’ve been considering how to reach it all when I’m laying on my back, looking up into the dark recesses they will be when the project is complete.
I had purchased a large distribution bus earlier in the process, but kept feeling like it was too big for my purposes. Since real estate behind the panel is at a premium, I found a smaller bus bar that I felt would work better. The only issue with it was that it was designed to be assembled from components, and each stud was inserted individually from the back. Although the studs fit securely in the base, each one was still exposed and while they couldn’t physically come into contact with the structure, it still made me feel a little uncomfortable that there were up to 60 amps running through there. I elected to make a “base for the base” out of some phenolic block I had purchased for another use, and as the picture shows, it came out pretty good. Problem solved. After measuring and cutting the wire, I attached the terminal and routed the cable into the bundle.
During this time, I had also found a spot for the diode that prevents current flow from the main bus to the essential bus during alternator out operations, and that went just above the battery bus. Four holes and the associated screws and that was done. With that, the main power components were all in place. I finished up by spending about an hour organizing wires and trying to figure out how to keep everything under control…thank goodness zip tie
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Power distribution bus
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Diode from distribution bus to essential bus
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Starting to look like a plan...
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