Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Sun, 08 Sep 2002 18:33:01 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1724068@logan.com>
From: "Bob Jude" <bobjude@charter.net>
Subject: Wiring with AWG -26 Wire
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>Bob,

It sounds like you did a great installation of the small gage wire. How did
you prepare the wire terminations. Crimp or Solder, Insulated Terminals or
Bare Terminals + Heat Shrink. If you used heat shrink, did you use one layer
or two, Plain or Adhesive lined.

This may be of interest to the LML to describe your methods that have
obviously proven their worth for the past 8 years of flying.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Best Regards,
Mike Hutchins<

OK, by popular request, I will try to highlight some of the significant
points for wiring an airplane with small stranded wire.

1. Buy the wire.  I used about 200 feet of MIL-W-22759/16-26 on my Lancair
320.  It is not easy to find.  Most aircraft part suppliers do not stock the
smaller sizes.  I bought mine at Superflite (800-323-0611).

2.  Get striping and crimping tools if you don't already have them.  Many of
the professional wiring people will tell you that you have to have the
expensive MIL-Spec tools to do a good job.  That's probably true in general
but if you follow step 3, below, I think you can get by with the less
expensive tools.

3.  Take your tools and your wire and practice, practice, practice until you
have developed the skills necessary to produce stripped wires that are not
nicked and crimped terminals that are solid and reliable.  Examine your work
with a magnifying glass if your eyes are a little weak like mine.  Check
each wire after it is stripped and each terminal after it is crimped.  Make
a note of the stripper setting that works for each wire size and always use
that setting.

4.  In my airplane, I used crimped terminals where ever possible rather than
solder.  I did not solder the crimped terminals.  However, I installed
several switches and other panel components that  had solder terminals on
them.  In these cases, rather than soldering on a spade lug, I would solder
the wire directly to the component and reinforce the joint with shrink fit
tubing.

5.  I used  plain shirk fit, no adhesive lined, mostly just one layer but in
some cases of soldered terminals, where it looked like the terminal may be
sensitive to vibration or strain, I would double up on the heat shrink.

6.  Helpful hint -- In general use the terminal recommended for the wire
size you are using but,  when use small wire like 26 gage, that is not
always possible.  Terminals designed for 26 gage wire are hard to find and
in some cases, your avionics for example, the terminals that come with the
radio are almost always designed for a larger wire size.  You can use the
terminal with small wire if you fold the bare wire back upon itself as many
times as necessary to nearly fill the terminal in the area where it is to be
crimped.  Also, the area of the terminal that is crimped down on the
insulation can be filled with small shrink fit.  It is especially important
that you shrink fit over the back of the terminal and the wire.

7.  Wire your airplane, one wire at a time with a plan in mind as to where
the wire bundles are going to be and how the bundles are to be secured.
While you are wiring, use some temporary ties to keep the wires together,
like those little wire ties that come with the kitchen baggies.  Keep each
wire long enough to provide a little service loop at the terminal.  This
will insure that the wire is not supporting the cable bundle and there will
be negligible strain on the joint.

8.  After you have ALL the wires connected, tie up your cable bundles for
the last time and insure that the bundles are adequately supported to
something solid.  I used the plastic zip ties and few of those MIL-Spec
cable clamps.

I know this is old stuff for many on the forum but may be helpful to those
just contemplating or starting their wiring.  I have not had any problems
with my wiring so either I have done it right OR I am extremely lucky.

Bob Jude
N65BJ