As most of y'all may know, my project is an all
electric bird (Velocity SE) with a rotary engine. Since if I loose power
things get quite I am using Bob Knuckls' duel alternator/duel battery
set up. What I am curious about is the switches in the cabin.
Currently I have all the switches up high on the panel a bit right of center
towards the co-pilot position. I hope to not have a passanger who would
inadvertanlty flip a switch down and off, HOWEVER, you never know what may get
tangled or a stray move may flip a switch. If my coil switch or primary
injectors get switched off I will start sweating. Also, I don't really
mind the switches where they are, but I do have a couple of other places I would
like them, but I placed them here as to minimize being bumped.
My question is what other options do I have to
either guard against accidental deactivation. I have purchased a
couple of aviation locking toggles from ebay, but they are kinda small and
may not be up for the task (but at $13.00 for twoI couldn't go too wrong...they
may work for my coil switch and primary fuel). The regular priced DPDT
(for my contactors and injectors) seem to start at close to $60.00 a piece...a
bit much for my police salary if other options will surfice.
I have also considered installing some of the
switch guards you see in old nuclear missle bunker movies that they would open
to expose the firing buttons for the big ol' missles. I considered
installing them upside down (which is really easy) so that they are on when the
cover is closed thus making the switch impossible to turn off by
mistake. This seems really fool proof, however, the guards, while cheap,
are pretty big and do not look all that, well, elligant.
Also, I was watching the Astronaut Farmer
last night on PPV and saw the little hard wire loops that where installed next
to the switches on each side of the individual switches in his space
capsule and this reminded me of the ones NASA used to use....maybe still
do. Donno. These seem to be just half circles that make grabbing the
switch very deliberate and minimizes potential knocks. Finally, it seems
as if I have seen bars held in by springs that lay across a series of switches
to keep them in place.
What say ye? Insight? Wisdom? Warnings?
Observations? WAG's?
Thanks.
All the best,
Chris Barber
Houston
crossed posted on Reflector, FlyRotary,
Aeroelectric Connection email list & Canard Aviation
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