sub panel

[Don]

I have started on my winter project. I replaced the radio in my
thundergull. The old one could recieve ok but it finally gave up
being able to transmit. However while doing this I also decided to
build a new panel add acouple of goodies and rewire the plane
somewhat and would like to put a small subpanel along the left side
for circuit breakers and tidy up the spagetti behind the old panel.
I spoke with Mark Bierle about it and he said the earlier models had
them but for simplification and cost reduction the later ones don't.
Does anyone in the groulp have one of these with the subpanels or
have a template that I could use to make one? If all else fails I
guess I will have to make one from scratch. But I would like to not
have to redesign the wheel if I don't have to. Help please.
Thanks, Don

[Jim C]

Don,

I don't have one, but would like to see a picture of yours when you
get it done or a picture of one if someone else has one. I'm curious
as to the difference in the setup. Thanks

Jim

[Don]

Hi Jim, I just posted 4 new pictures in the photo area. There is a
picture of the new panel I just built and a picture of a subpanel
for switches & circuit breakers in a Titan. I would like to do
something similar in my gull. I put in a couple of shots of the old
panel before so you can perhaps see why I wanted to do some changing
in the wiring and layout.
Don

[Jim C]

Thanks Don,

I've seen a couple of the Titan side panels. It is an interesting
idea, but not sure it will really do that much for me. I'll keep it
in the back of my mind, though, especially for the future if I want
to add more instrumentation, automation and/or lighting, which I
would only really add if I want to fly IFR and/or nights. I would
probably try and work it on the right side in my plane since the left
side is where my door is. Would be curious also as to what you would
actually put into it - Are you running that much instrumentation in
your plane?

Something like that in a smaller size or setup may also be handy if I
go ahead and eventually break down and get a transponder and encoder,
and then maybe I would do a panel like that for a full radio setup
which I could also move my microair radio into. It surely is a
thought for the future and a pretty nifty way of doing things, but
also not sure if I would want to lose the width of the cockpit which
right now is pretty roomy in the G2K.

Thanks for the reply. It surely is food for thought.

Jim

[Don]

Hi Jim, Actually I removed the old Delcom radio that would no longer
transmit, and replaced it with a Microair760. While I was doing that
I thought I'll go ahead and add the Microair T-2000 and an ELT as
well and I decided to rewire the plane so all of the electrics were
on the right side and I put a vertical card compass on the far
right. In rewiring the the plane I decided to add a circuit breaker
side panel with two aux. power jacks for accessories. I will
probably use a piece of cardboard and make a template for a very
slim circuit breaker side panel to fit along the left side on a
slant like the one in the picture of the Titan only slimmer. I like
the idea of protecting the investment I made in the Microair comm
equipment. You can see a picture of my new panel in the photo area.
Say where are you located?
Don

[Jim C]

Hey Don,

I'm located in N Florida (Tallahassee) - I think you are on the
opposite coast from me.

How do you like the T2000 - I was looking at it a few months ago, but
don't have a regular altimeter. To use a transponder and encoder I
think you need a regular certifiable altimeter, which would be
another additional cost and why I am not real thrilled about getting
a transponder. It adds more costs and maintenance with little real
benefit unless you are always flying instruments or into very busy
commercial airports or are located in Class B airspace under the Mode
C veil, which I tend to avoid. So far, getting permission has not
been a problem for me as long as I do not penetrate the actual Class
B airspace itself. I currently use the altimeter in the EIS and
match it to my GPS (They are usually within 10-50 feet of each other).

Jim

[Don]

Hi Jim,
I haven't tried the T-2000 yet I only get a chance to work on my
plane on the weekends sooooo, it is slow. However, there are a
couple of reasons I decided to get it. One, I fly around a class B
airspace regularly and there is an incoming flight path for
commercial airplanes near by. Two, I can get flight following when I
do my crosscountries. A nice safety benefit. Also you don't have to
have a certified altimeter for it to work well enough and because
the gull isn't a certified airplane I am not required to have a
certified altimeter (aren't home builts GREAT?!). When I set the
barometer on my altimeter to what the controler is advising it is
very close.
Your right I am on the west coast in Medford, OR. Mark Bierle flies
his Odyssy to FL every year. I am trying to get him to stop by on
his way up to Arlington WA some year.