by Skippydiesel » Fri Feb 23, 2024 9:05 pm
On my last aircraft (composite airframe) I installed a length of aluminium angle (from faulty memory 25 x 25 x 2mm) behind the instrument panel, from one side of the fuselage to the other.
I pop riveted a top/bottom row of male spade connectors (with a dab of electrolytic grease) ie two connectors per rivet, at strategic points, corresponding to instruments in the panel.
Both ends of the angle were securely connected into the aircrafts earth/ground (-) return ring circuit (including external anti static fuel terminal).
The aluminium angle earth buss facilitated short cable runs from each instrument and provided an excellent low resistance earth return.
It also acted as a handy support for the cable loom & other loose "stuff" behind the panel.
Some may frown on the use of spade connectors however I have always found they work well, when correctly installed. They are a low weight, much less fiddly solution, compared with a screw/nut fixing (I always drop either the nut and or washers, into the depths of the aircraft, taking much time consuming/frustrated searching to find).
Last edited by
Skippydiesel on Mon Feb 26, 2024 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.