Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 14:03:56 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from mail.indian-creek.net ([209.176.40.9] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.8) with ESMTP id 2885013 for lml@lancaironline.net; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 11:44:08 -0500 Received: from pavilion (sl6.indian-creek.net [209.176.40.122] toucan@78055.com) by mail.indian-creek.net with SMTP (IOA-IPAD 4.0) id 4LA7E00 for ; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 10:44:37 -0600 X-Original-Message-ID: <002f01c3bf3c$ecb78920$7a28b0d1@pavilion> From: "Jim Cameron" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: Wiring insulation X-Original-Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 10:44:41 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_002C_01C3BF0A.9DE34000" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002C_01C3BF0A.9DE34000 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable For spam cans, wiring has to meet various milspec's to pass muster, = but our certificates say "experimental," and there are no rules = specifying what type of wiring must be used. That said, I've used mostly (90%+) tefzel-insulated, milspec wire in = my airplanes (3rd in progress), but there are places where it makes = sense to go with other types. Color-coded, multi-conductor cable is = virtually impossible to come by in milspec wire, and there are lots of = nice Belden cables out there at reasonable cost that do a good job. = Yes, they're PVC insulated, but even those pass the VS-1 flame test. = Besides, these are low-current applications that are fused at something = like 1 to 5 amps. In the event of a complete melt-down of such a = circuit, you'd probably have a hard time even smelling the insulation = by-products. Interestingly, quite a few PMA parts I've received have come = supplied with PVC-insulated wire and cable. Autopilot cables, RG58, and = so forth. The PVC-insulated wire is much cheaper, and much more = pliable, which makes it a lot easier to work with. For battery cables, = try a welding supply place. The good quality welding cable is much more = pliable than the tefzel-insulated stuff, and runs about 1/6th the cost = in 2 ga to 2/0. One caveat -- I wouldn't use teflon-insulated wire. The native = teflon "cold flows" easily, so wires pressed together over time may push = through their insulation and contact each other or other metal parts. Jim Cameron Legacy in the works ------=_NextPart_000_002C_01C3BF0A.9DE34000 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

For spam cans, = wiring has=20 to meet various milspec's to pass muster, but our certificates say=20 "experimental," and there are no rules specifying what type of wiring = must be=20 used.

That said, I've = used mostly=20 (90%+) tefzel-insulated, milspec wire in my airplanes (3rd in progress), = but=20 there are places where it makes sense to go with other types. = Color-coded,=20 multi-conductor cable is virtually impossible to come by in milspec = wire, and=20 there are lots of nice Belden cables out there at reasonable cost that = do a good=20 job. Yes, they're PVC insulated, but even those pass the VS-1 = flame=20 test. Besides, these are low-current applications that are fused = at=20 something like 1 to 5 amps. In the event of a complete melt-down = of such a=20 circuit, you'd probably have a hard time even smelling the insulation=20 by-products.

= Interestingly, quite a=20 few PMA parts I've received have come supplied with PVC-insulated wire = and=20 cable. Autopilot cables, RG58, and so forth. The = PVC-insulated wire=20 is much cheaper, and much more pliable, which makes it a lot easier to = work=20 with. For battery cables, try a welding supply place. The = good=20 quality welding cable is much more pliable than the tefzel-insulated = stuff, and=20 runs about 1/6th the cost in 2 ga to 2/0.

One caveat -- I = wouldn't=20 use teflon-insulated wire. The native teflon "cold flows" easily, = so wires=20 pressed together over time may push through their insulation and contact = each=20 other or other metal parts.

Jim Cameron

Legacy in the works

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