Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #68610
From: Dave Saylor <dave.saylor.aircrafters@gmail.com>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: [LML] Shielded Wiring Best Practices
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2013 20:41:50 -0500
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
For terminating shields, the basic principle is to route any stray voltage to a single point, ideally the main avionics ground point.  I usually see most manufacturers call out to ground only one end of the shield.  The other end remains open, which makes sense if I think about the previous statement--only one path to ground so fewer opportunities for ground loops.

That said, I don't really think it's necessary to use TSP for power feeds through breakers, switches, and other DC devices.  It wouldn't hurt for the things you mentioned but if you shielded every DC wire you'd have a lot of extra complexity, and a lot more room for error and for a stray strand to mess up your day.  If you really want to go through all that effort, make a jumper from the shield, around the switch, back to the shield.  That covers the great majority of wire length without having to use a metal box for the components.  Lots of work and maybe not much reward.  I'd be more likely to of course shield the audio lines, then serial wires and anything else with an audible frequency.  That way you're taking the biggest swipe at keeping the audio quiet.

If you haven't used solder sleeves, they're a great way to terminate shields and install a jumper.  Quick, clean, cheap, small, easy.

Also, get metallic DB housings if your device doesn't provide them.  Lots of things seem to come with plastic housings these days.

Dave Saylor
831-750-0284 CL


On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 12:45 PM, Valin & Allyson Thorn <thorn@starflight.aero> wrote:

Hey LML gang,

 

We’re not sure how best to implement shielded wiring out to components in our airplane.  We’re wanting to ensure we don’t have a bunch of electromagnetic interference (EMI) that might mess with sensitive components like the ADHARS magnetometer.  Examples of EMI sources would be power lines running to motors (flaps, hydraulic pump, AC fans, AC compressor) and components with rapidly changing electrical current (strobe lights, HID lights).

 

My understanding is that Twisted Shielded Pair (TSP) cables are ideal for DC power transmission since the magnetic fields mostly cancel each other out and shield absorbs what’s left.  I’m not sure, though, how best to implement their termination at the ground/negative bus  and positive bus -- at the switch in most cases, then line running to the circuit breakers or fuse.  At some point, the separate conductors have to leave the shielded jacket and run to these separate connections which seems to defeat the benefits of the TSP.

 

Considering this, would it be better to use two individually shielded Tefzel jacketed wires and twist them together for the part of the path where they run together and then they each have their individual shields as they separate and run to their connections?

 

What are the best practices on actually implementing shielded wiring for power and signal transmission in our airplanes…?

 

Thanks,

 

Valin Thorn

Legacy Project

Boulder, Colorado

 

 

 

 


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