One thing to consider is that with a canard pusher you can't get a prewired

harness installed easily because the plugs won't go down the electrical

conduit. A harness could be installed during the fuselage construction, but

once the fuselage is built you either have to run the harness another way,

add a connector, or snip and resolder all the wires.

 

One easy solution is to use the gold plated, machined crimp-on d-sub pins.  Put all the pins on, but pull the wire bundle to where it goes before snapping the pins into the connector.

 

After doing all my avionics and EFIS plugs with the gold plated crimp-on D-subs, I got to love them.  Quick easy, and with the special D-sub crimp tool; very secure connections. Snap them into the connector after making and checking the crimp.

 

I’m recommending that Tracy go that route.  Yeah, it takes a good tool ($44 t Aeroelectric http://www.bandc.biz/cgi-bin/ez-catalog/cat_display.cgi?9X358218#RCT-3)  I believe in soldered connections for all critical leads that carry much current, but the risks involved in soldering those little solder-socket d-subs that are already in the connector – I don’t think so.

 

 It is especially important on the EM2 P-1 connector because the TC wire does not solder well.  Tinned copper works OK, but the TC wires do not form a eutectic at the joint, and you only get a ‘mechanical’ connection anyway. I found I had to use additional acid to get the solder to wet out on these wires – risk of corrosion in the future. If I were doing that one over, I’d toss that connector and get a new one with the plated crimp-on pins.

 

Any seconds to that motion (Tracy needs a little more pressure; don’t ya think :)

 

Al