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VP-X Installation and Operating Manual
Rev. D (August 5, 2020)
4. Planning
It is a good idea to spend time on the planning stage whether you are
installing a simple or a complex aircraft electrical system. This section
discusses many items and considerations that should be incorporated into
your planning. At the end of the section, you will use the Vertical Power
Online Planner tool to document the design of your electrical system.
4.1 EFIS
We recommend purchasing the EFIS with its backup battery option. This
way, if there is a fault on the power circuit to the EFIS, the EFIS can still
communicate with the VP-X and reset the circuit breaker. Further, the battery
backup keeps the EFIS from rebooting during engine start.
4.2
How Switches Are Wired
Switches are wired a bit differently on the VP-X than they are using traditional
wiring. The main difference is that the switch does not carry the current of
the device or devices that are being switched. This means longer life for the
switch, and the ability to use almost any switch that you want since it does
not have to be rated to carry the current from the device. Further, the EFIS
can be used as a backup to turn devices on and off if the switch itself fails.
There are 10 switch inputs that can be used for things like avionics, boost
pump, lights, and other items on the aircraft. There are an additional 4
dedicated inputs for pitch and roll trim switch inputs and 2 more for flap
switch inputs.
Switch Input 1
Switch Input 2
Switch Input 3
Switch Input 4
Switch Input 5
Switch Input 6
Flap Up Switch
J2-1
VP-X
J2-14
J2-15
J2-16
J2-17
J2-18
J2-19
J2-2
J2-3
J2-4
J2-5
J2-6
J2-7
J2-8
J2-9
J2-10
Flap Down Switch
Roll Left Switch
Roll Right Switch
Pitch Up Switch
Pitch Down Switch
Switch Input 7
Switch Input 8
Switch Input 9
Switch Input 10
VP-X Switch Inputs
(J2-1, for example, means connector J2 pin 1)
Each switch is wired to ground on one side, and the other side is wired to
one of the switch inputs as shown in the diagram below. You can use 20 or
22 AWG wire.
VP-X
SPST
Switch
To Gnd
Switches do not carry loads, they simply provide a ground to the
switch input pin, which then enables the VP-X to turn devices on and off.
Later on you will configure each power pin using the Online Planner, and
later, your laptop connected to the VP-X. Each pin can be configured for
a specific circuit breaker value, name and switch assignment. When the
specified switch input is grounded, the device or devices assigned to that
switch input turn on. When the specified switch input is not grounded, the
device or devices are off.
VP-X
SPST
Switch
(OFF)
To Gnd
Power
In
Above, switch is open so lamp is off.