Epi 800
Epi 800
INSTALLATION NOTICE
The conditions and tests required for TSO approval of this article are
minimum performance standards. It is the responsibility of those
installing this article either on or within a specific type or class of aircraft
to determine that the aircraft installation conditions are within the TSO
standards. TSO articles must have separate approval for installation in
an aircraft. The article may be installed only if performed under 14CFR
part 43 or the applicable airworthiness requirements.
REFERENCE INFORMATION:
FIGURE 1: EPI 800 IND. & SWITCH MOUNTING ............................... 44
FIGURE 2: C.A.T. PROBE MOUNTING .............................................. 45
FIGURE 3: DPU MOUNTING................................................................ 46
FIGURE 4: FUEL PROBE INST. DRAWING ........................................ 47
FIGURE 5: DPU P1 Cable Preparation ............................................... 48
FIGURE 6: RPM Transducer Placement ............................................ 50
FIGURE 7: Fuel Flow Transducer Orientation .................................. 51
FIGURE 8: Amps Transducer Orientation ......................................... 52
FIGURE 9: Display Cable Shield Installation .................................... 62
IMPORTANT NOTES:
REVIEW: ‘Connector Wiring Techniques’ section prior to wiring
the connectors. Special solder flux MUST BE USED for the CHT,
EGT or TIT connections.
DO NOT: connect ‘DPU power input’ to the same aircraft circuit
breaker as ‘BACKLIGHT power input’.
DO NOT: connect ‘Volt Sense Wire’ to a point, which does not
have breaker, or fuse protection.
DO NOT: allow static electricity to contact any terminal. Always
discharge yourself to ground first !
Mounting:
Indicators are mounted to the panel from the backside. Four mounting
screws are provided for this purpose. Do not use longer screws or
damage to the instrument will result. The supplied screws will
accommodate panel thickness from 0.062 to 0.050 inches. If a panel
thickness of other than this is required, then determine the difference in
thickness and procure new screw length accordingly. Test your new
screw lengths by finger tightening them into the panel and indicator. The
screws should tighten against the panel only and should not 'bottom out'
in the indicator. Be careful not to cross thread the screws or the indicator
bezel will be permanently damaged. The cut-out and mounting space
requirement information is provided in 'FIGURE 1: EPI 800 IND. &
SWITCH MOUNTING'.
If you are uncomfortable with laying out the hole patterns, check with the
factory for availability of indicator cutout templates.
Connection:
Indicators are connected to the DPU by plugging them into any desired
connector on the Display Cable. Be careful not to press on indicator
glass surface while inserting connector.
STEP 1. Once the switch hole has been located and drilled, remove
the paper backing and vinyl front covering from the switch
plate. The switch plate has an adhesive backing to aid in
placement of the plate. Press the plate into position.
MAGNETOS:
For magnetos, the transducer is screwed into the ‘magnet vent port’
nearest the magneto mounting flange that attaches to engine. Do not
mistake the ‘rotor vent port’ nearest the spark plug harness assembly
for it. See ‘FIGURE 6: RPM Transducer Placement’. Contact the
factory if your engine is equipped with the ‘single drive dual magneto’,
as the sensor mounting is different.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION:
If you are connecting to an Electronic Ignition that does not use
magnetos, the RPM transducer is not installed. Instead, connect the
manufacturers ‘tach signal output’ in place of the RPM transducers
White signal wire. No ground connection should be needed between
the ignition and RPM cable, if the electronic ignition is very well
grounded. In case you did not originally order the instrument system
for electronic ignition, contact the factory if, as the configuration may
need to be changed. Note that we cannot guarantee compatibility with
electronic ignition systems as they are designed and revised without
our control.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
DO NOT: mount the transducer where 'upstream turbulence'
may exist, such as sharp bends or other disturbances in the
fuel line. A desired minimum straight run of 5 inches of inlet
fuel line is recommended.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Route wires away from exhaust stacks and other heat sources with
enough slack to allow for engine vibration, etc. Do not route the leads
creating stress where they exit the probe. A gradual radius away from
the probe is best.
After installation is completed, connect the probe utilizing the white and
red color-coded thermocouple extension wire and terminals as shown in
‘APPENDIX C: DPU P2 Connector Harness Fabrication’.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Drill an adequate access hole, for the probe tip, in the exhaust pipe, at a
location 3.5 to 4 inches (if possible) down from the exhaust pipe flange,
such that the lead wires will exit the probe smoothly without creating
sharp bends, while remaining away from exhaust stacks and other heat
sources. Angle the probe assembly inward and toward the back of the
engine allowing the leads to be secured as they travel back along the
side of the engine oil sump.
Install the probe by opening the clamp ring and placing the probe into
the exhaust pipe drilled hole. Close and tighten the clamp ring using a
screwdriver. Do not over tighten clamp or clamp failure may eventually
occur. Make sure the clamp is not crooked on the exhaust pipe or it will
loosen up due to vibration.
Secure the wires along their paths to the DPU, to prevent vibration and
abrasion with enough slack to allow for engine vibration, etc. Route
wires away from exhaust stacks and other high heat sources. Do not
route the leads creating stress where they exit the probe. A gradual
radius away from the probe is best.
After installation is completed, connect the probe utilizing the yellow and
red color-coded thermocouple extension wire and terminals as shown in
‘APPENDIX C: DPU P2 Connector Harness Fabrication’.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
NOTE: We DO recommend that you 'test install' the probe before the
wing is closed to check for proper fit, etc. See warning above.
However, we DO NOT recommend that you leave the probe in the wing
during closing as stray resin, etc. could drip and contaminate the probe
and bushings.
For 'final installation', prepare the pipe threads of the probe with an
aviation fuel proof thread sealant / lubricant according to sealant
manufacturers' directions. Insert the probe into the tank and through the
bushings until the threads engage. Hand tighten the probe. Now tighten
the probe with a torque wrench to a maximum of 230 INCH POUNDS.
Once the fuel level system has been installed it needs to be calibrated.
See 2.18 FUEL LEVEL SYSTEM CALIBRATION.
RPM:
The digital readout provides you with exact RPM information. The
resolution (or incremental steps) of the digital display is 10 RPM. For
example, the display might read '2400' and after you make a slight
increase in power, it would read '2410'. This is a definite advantage
over other digital tachs that read in less than 10 RPM steps. They
change so frequently that it becomes very distracting and annoying to
the pilot. We recommend using the digital display for RPM checks and
letting the engine stabilize for a minimum of three seconds during the
checks. The high accuracy of the tach will allow you to follow long-term
performance trends of your engine and prop, such as static maximum
rpm, carb heat effectiveness, and typical mag drops. These can be
important indicators of engine and accessory condition.
The full sweep graphic display resolution is 1" IN. HG. The full color
range marks provide you with a quick reference to manifold pressure
when making fast power changes.
You can, for example, in stabilized conditions, watch for small changes
in pressure that can indicate throttle creep or induction problems.
Both oil pressure and oil temperature are displayed continuously in two
separate full sweep graphic and digital areas.
Oil Pressure:
As oil pressure rises, the graph size increases proportionately. The full
color range marks let you see at a glance how close to red line oil
pressure you are.
Oil Temperature:
Oil temperature is displayed both graphically and digitally. As oil
temperature rises, the graph size increases proportionately. This is
consistent with the oil pressure display and makes it very easy to
determine relationships between the two parameters.
The full color range marks let you see at a glance how close to red line
oil temperature you are.
For new engine installations, you can take advantage of the high
accuracy and repeatability for analyzing the engine oil cooler system
efficiency. If the cooling does not seem to be effective enough, you can
make changes and repeat your tests with the confidence that the next
test data will reflect the results of your changes.
Fuel Pressure:
Fuel Pressure is displayed both digitally and graphically. As fuel
pressure rises, the graph rises proportionately. Full color operating
range marks are provided that indicates the normal operating range of
fuel pressure for your engine at a glance. The digital display allows you
to see small variations and make notations of typical fuel pressure
behavior.
Fuel Flow:
Fuel Flow is displayed both digitally and graphically. As fuel flow
increases, the graph increases proportionately. The digital display
provides tenth gallon resolution.
An exclusive feature of our fuel flow computer is its ability to 'damp out'
the wide variations in displayed fuel flow normally seen on other fuel
flow digital readouts. Our system will smooth these short term flow
variations to give you a steady flow indication with NO sacrifice in
accuracy.
STEP 4. With power ON, move the FUEL MODE SELECTOR SWITCH
to the blank position between 'GPH' and 'OK' and wait for the
display to blank-out and shut off power.
STEP 5. Turn on power and the display should now be showing 'FULL
?', which means the computer is 'asking' you if you want to set
up the SIZE of your tank.
STEP 6. Move the switch to the 'ADD' position and wait until the digital
display equals your aircraft's tank SIZE. To reduce the SIZE,
simply move the switch to the 'SUB" position and the display
will count back down.
STEP 7. When reaching the desired SIZE, quickly move the MODE
switch back to the blank position. The display will show 'rdy'.
Wait for this message to disappear.
STEP 8. Move the switch to 'TOT' position and shut off power. This
completes the setting of the 'FULL TANK SIZE'.
STEP 1. Place the MODE switch in the 'ADD' position and wait until
the digital display shows the fuel pumped into the tank. (If the
pump showed an uneven amount such as 17.8, then go to
the next gallon higher (18.0) and select 'SUB' and wait until
the display counts down to the pumped amount.) If you want
to start over, select 'CLR' which clears the display.
STEP 2. When the display shows the amount of fuel pumped into the
tank(s), quickly move the selector to the 'OK' position. The
display will show 'AddEd'.
STEP 3. Wait for this message to disappear and 'rdy' to appear. The
fuel has now been added to the existing computer memory
total. Select any other normal mode of operation.
NOTE: To top off the computers tank, just leave the mode switch in
'ADD' until the display stops counting up which signifies the full tank
size has been reached, then proceed from STEP 2.
'GPH' - This mode displays the fuel flow in Gallons Per Hour both
digitally and graphically. The digital section provides 0.1 gallon
resolution. The graphic section provides you with a quick reference of
the current fuel flow. This is very useful during power changes. An
exclusive feature of our fuel flow computer is its ability to 'damp out'
the wide variations in displayed fuel flow normally seen on other fuel
flow digital readouts. Our system will smooth these short-term flow
variations to give you a steady flow indication with NO sacrifice in
accuracy.
'FLT' - This mode displays the gallons of fuel used in FLighT since
system power up. It is digitally displayed in 0.1 gallon increments. The
graphic display is shut off as it has no relationship to this parameter.
'TOT' - This mode displays the current fuel total remaining in gallons.
It is digitally displayed in 0.1 gallon increments. This mode is ONLY
meaningful, if you have kept the computers memory updated with fuel
information and have always had the computer operational when fuel
is being burned. The graphic display is shut off as it has no
relationship to this parameter.
STEP 5: Smoothly enrich- your mixture until the bar graph drops
one space below the highest bar (the 'peak bar') on the
graph. This signifies 50 degrees RICH of peak, where most
engines are normally leaned to in cruise (consult your
engine owners manual). Of course you can lean even closer
by using the digital portion of the display.
Additionally, you can manually select any cylinder and observe the
individual exhaust gas temp for troubleshooting purposes.
Voltage Alert: Your system has a built-in warning system that flashes
the display when system voltage is out of nominal range (either too low
or too high) .
Amps Alert: Your system has a built-in warning that flashes the display
when the alternator does not produce power for the electrical system.
Both Outside Air Temp and Carburetor Air Temp are displayed, at the
same time, in one compact indicator for complete air temperature
information at a glance.
CARBURETOR AIR TEMP 'CAT' (or 'cabin air temp' for injected
aircraft) is displayed on the right hand side of the indicator both
graphically and digitally in degrees C.
In the 'Count Down mode' the graphic display initially starts at full
scale, and as time counts down, decreases in size proportionately
(i.e. when half the initial time remains, half of the graph remains). This
is very handy for timing instrument approaches, fuel tank changes
and next fix arrival.
The following page contains easy steps for initial setup and operation
of your chronometer.
You will want to set your chronometer's universal and local time
functions. This is easily done by performing the following steps:
STEP 1. With power on, place the selector switch in the 'straight up'
position (between the 'RUN' and 'STOP' positions). The
display should go blank.
STEP 2. Turn the power off for a few seconds, then back on. After a
short period of time, the display will alternate between 'Utc ?'
or 'Loc ?'.
STEP 3. First, you should set UTC time. When the display shows
'Utc ?', quickly move the selector switch to the 'HRS'
position. When the 'hours' value gets to the correct hour,
move the switch to the 'MIN' position. Set the 'minutes' value
a few ahead of actual time to allow you to set seconds. Move
the selector to 'SEC' and set it to your desired future time.
Move the switch to the 'STOP' position.
STEP 4. When the preset time equals the current time, move the
selector switch to the 'straight up' position as before. The
display will read 'Utcrdy'. Wait for this message to
disappear, then move the selector to any desired position.
(You can now check 'UTC' for the correct universal time.)
STEP 1. With power on, place the selector switch in the 'straight up'
position (between the 'RUN' and 'STOP' positions). The
display should go blank.
STEP 2. Turn the power off for a few seconds, then back on. The
display will now alternately show 'Utc ?' and 'Loc ?'.
STEP 3. When the display shows 'Loc ?', move the selector switch to
the 'HRS' position. When the hours value gets to the correct
hour, move the switch to the 'straight up' position as before.
The display will read 'Locrdy'. Wait for this message to
disappear, then move the selector to any desired position.
(You can now check 'LOC' for the correct local time). NOTE:
Since universal and local minutes and seconds are the
same, you can only set local hours.
TIME FUNCTIONS
Simply move the selector to the 'UTC' position. The display will show
universal time in hours, minutes and seconds. A distinct graphic
pattern is also displayed to indicate that the 'time' mode is active.
Move the selector to the 'LOC' position. The display will show local
time in hours, minutes and seconds. A distinct graphic pattern is also
displayed to indicate that one of the two 'time' modes is active.
Move the selector to the 'FLT' position. The display will show the total
time in hours, minutes and seconds since the system was last
'powered-up'. This is useful for your log book entries and in-flight time
keeping. Be sure to note the 'FLT' time before shutting off the master
as it is cleared at next 'power-up'.
STEP 1. Move the selector switch to the 'STOP' position. The display
will freeze.
STEP 2. When you want to begin timing, simply move the selector to
the 'RUN' position and the display will begin counting up. An
additional feature is that other functions (such as 'UTC',
'LOC', and 'FLT') are available while the stop watch is
counting.
STEP 3. When you want to stop timing, simply select 'STOP' and the
time is frozen for you to observe and/or record.
STEP 1. First, you will 'pre-set' your timer by moving the selector to
the appropriate 'SEC' (seconds), 'MIN' (minutes) and 'HRS'
(hours) and allowing each to increment up to the desired
value, then quickly moving the selector to the next desired
position. When this is completed, move the selector to
'STOP' to hold the current value. If you made a mistake,
move to the 'RUN' position for a few seconds, then set again.
STEP 2. When you are ready to begin timing, move the selector to the
'RUN' position. The graph will fill to full scale and the timer
will begin counting down. The graph now represents the
percentage of 'pre-set' time remaining. This is very handy for
an instrument approach or for timing when to switch fuel
tanks. It relieves you of the chore of noting clock times and
calculating minutes remaining, etc.
STEP 3. When time expires, the entire display flashes alerting you to
this fact. Move the selector switch to the 'STOP' position to
clear the countdown timer mode. NOTE: You can clear the
countdown timer mode any time it is running by moving the
switch to the 'stop' position.
The fuel level system operates automatically, once the 'FUEL LEVEL
SYSTEM CALIBRATION' has been performed. The indicator displays a
left, center, and right digital read-out of the units of fuel remaining of up
to 99 units per tank. Additionally the left and right displays are also
presented graphically to show percentage of fuel remaining for quick
reference.
Fuel Level Alert: A low fuel level alarm has been incorporated into the
system which signals you when a minimum fuel level has been reached
in a given tank by displaying 'Lo' in the corresponding display area. This
value is picked at our factory but may be specified upon written request
at the time fuel calibration information is submitted to us.
TIPS:
Sloshing the tanks with fuel before performing calibration can
result in a better eventual calibration as various contaminants etc.
will be flushed from the tanks and probes.
STEP 1. Connect a selector switch to the fuel level indicator and select
desired tank. All positions are relative to switch being fully
CCW, which is considered ‘Position 1’.
- Position 2 to read LEFT TANK.
- Position 3 to read CENTER TANK.
- Position 4 to read RIGHT TANK.
STEP 2. WAIT a full 2 minutes, then find the location on the Fuel
Calibration Chart equal to the current fuel level. Select and
record the complete numerical values that appear in the display.
A value may be approx. 3800 for a 8 foot dry probe, or 19800
for a 16 inch dry probe. Values will decrease as fuel is added to
the tank(s).
STEP 3. ADD a 2 gallon fuel increment to each tank being calibrated and
go back to STEP 2. Repeat until all tanks have been filled and
recorded.
Never clamp down on the case of the pressure transducers with pliers
or similar tools or damage can occur. Do not expose transducers to
any washdown fluids.
Use caution when removing and installing the air temperature probes
as they can easily be over-torqued.
Always use a new gasket when removing and re-installing the oil
temperature transducer.
You know your aircraft history better than anyone. Gathering the
following information before contacting us will help in quickly resolving
your problem. Our goal is to insure that your problem is quickly solved
and that it does not occur again. See ‘APPENDIX J: Troubleshooting
Guide’ for helpful information in diagnosing problems.
6. Where and how did you connect the power leads to the system?
Expanded views are shown for the fuel level mounting hardware as
installed in a typical composite wing tank. See section on Fuel Level
System Component Installation.
Shield removed.
Jacket removed.
Completed harness
assembly.
TO
Alternator
Output TO
Aircraft Bus
IMPORTANT:
Wire should be stripped to 3/8 inch. 3/8 “
Notes:
1. Only use the recommended crimping tool or equivalent.
See APPENDIX G for Lug Terminal crimp tool.
2. FULLY insert wire so it goes slightly beyond metal barrel
(look inside to insure this relationship).
3. Insure wires are secure after crimping by pulling on them.
Step 2. Insert ‘Connector Plug’ into transducer. This prevents pins from
changing position during soldering.
Step 4. Solder to each wire to the proper terminal lug as dictated. Use
care to not overheat terminal lug. CAUTION: Use a low wattage
controlled temperature fine-tip soldering iron.
Assembly screw
Connector Shell Rubber Gasket
Washer
Compression Nut
Initial preparation:
The individual cables need to be cut to length and prepped from the bulk
shielded cable provided. Follow the steps below:
Repeat steps 1 through 6 until all cables are prepared. Continue with the
next procedure.
Shield interconnection:
The shields of the prepared transducer cables must now be ‘daisy-
chained’ together at the ends that will be attached to connector P1:
Step 1. Cut one 2” piece of 20 awg stranded wire for each cable you
prepared and strip both ends back ¼". Bend each piece into a ‘U’
(shaped) jumper.
Step 2. Twist and solder the ends of the jumpers together. Leave the two
outside ends of the jumper chain unattached.
Step 3. Solder each junction to the shield of each cable. You should now
have only one jumper end not connected.
Step 4. Install and shrink 1" of heat shrink tubing over each ‘shield to
jumper’ connection.
Harness Assembly
The cables wires and also individual wires are now ready for installation to
the P1 connector.
The other ends of the cable wires are now ready for attachment to the
transducer connectors. NOTE: You may need to install and route the
harness in the aircraft before doing this next procedure. Select the
type of connector that mates with the respective transducer and install
it according to the guidelines in ‘APPENDIX A: Transducer
Connector Wiring Techniques’.
The other ends of the cable wires are now ready for attachment to the
transducer connectors. NOTE: You may need to install and route the
harness in the aircraft before doing this next procedure. Install the
connectors according to the guidelines contained in ‘APPENDIX A:
Transducer Connector Wiring Techniques’.
NOTES:
1. Any position not used should be jumpered.
For example, if CHT 5 were not installed, then a jumper wire must
be installed between pins 9 and 10.
Step 1. Carefully slide the connectors into the positions required on the
flat ribbon cable for your panel layout. They may face either up
or down. MAKE SURE ALL CONNECTOR EMBOSSED
ARROWHEADS, OR POINTERS (located on the same surface
as the keying tab) POINT TO THE SAME EDGE OF THE
CABLE AS THE INSTALLED DPU CABLE CONNECTOR !
Step 3. Once all connectors are installed, trim any excess cable away by
using a new VERY SHARP pair of scissors. Inspect the cut to
insure that adjacent wires are not frayed or touching each other.
Step 4. If display cable shielding is included in your kit then continue with
the following steps. Refer to ‘FIGURE 9: Display Cable Shield
Installation’ for assembly illustrations.
Step 5. Unfold the shield material and lay it out on a flat clean surface
with black side down. Trim 4 inches of the flat shield material
away from the internal shield wire (it’s near the center of the flat
shield material). Remove the excess shield materials from the
wire and gently twist it for uniformity. This should leave you with
a clean 4-inch shield wire tail attached to the long shield material
for use later. See illustrations.
Step 6. Place completed display cable assembly on top of shield with the
DPU connector (the one with the strain relief) at the end having
the ’4 inch shield wire tail’. Adjust cable position so that it is
overhanging the flat shield material by ¾ INCH. Temporarily
tape the cable and shield in-place to hold their relationship.
Step 7. Trim notches in the small flap to allow it to fold over along side of
each mid-cable connector. These notches should ONLY be wide
enough to clear the sides of the connector. Do the same thing
with the large flap. This forms a slot in which the connector can
protrude after the shield is closed.
EPI800 Manual.doc EPI 800 MANUAL 2001 Vision Micr
SECTION 4: INSTALLATION REFERENCE 61
Step 8. With the cable and shield still lying flat, trim the other end of the
shield so that the cable extends beyond it by ¾ INCH.
Step 9. Remove the adhesive’s protective paper strip from the large flap.
First fold the small flap over the cable and next the large flap
making sure it is aligned over the small flaps metalized area.
Now press it down firmly to insure proper bonding to the small
flap.
Step 10. Install an appropriately sized ring terminal onto shield wire
tail for attachment to ground on the DPU mounting bolt.
WARNING: Be sure all loose strands of the metalized shield are
removed from ALL trimmed edges or possible damage to the
system may result.
IMPORTANT: Fill in the ‘ALARM LABEL’ field for desired ‘low fuel
tank alarm’ activation with (L=left, C=center, R=right).
12v sys:
11 to15
24v sys:
20 to 29
Fuel Level
96L x ¾ tube (internal
Transducer 21 3 -50 to +70
¾ NPT mtg.
(8 foot length) power)
Fuel Level
48L x ¾ tube (internal
Transducer 11 3 -50 to +70
¾ NPT mtg.
power)
(4 foot length)
The system checks for an open probe when the system is first
turned on. A probe that does not pass the checks is displayed as a
blank bargraph(s) on the system.
Record the above BLK to WHT value, then start the engine and
run at approximately 1300 RPM with a functioning alternator.
Subtract the difference between the recorded reading and the
next reading to determine functionality of the AMPS transducer.
Each amp of alternator output will result in an increase of 0.036
vdc on the BLK to WHT measurement.
INDICATOR TROUBLESHOOTING
2. Listen to the DPU. A faint whine can be heard inside the DPU if the
inverter is running. This test must be conducted in complete quiet
and you must be within approximately 12 inches from DPU to hear
it.
3. Shut off dimmer power and unplug the display cable from the DPU.
Re-apply dimmer power and listen again for the whining tone. If it is
not present, then the problem is in the DPU.
4. Shut off dimmer power and unplug all indicators from the display
cable. Reconnect display cable to the DPU.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
1. Send the part to VMS and we will repair or replace it under the
terms and conditions of the warranty agreement. Typically it will
only take one to two working days to analyze the suspect
components. This is what we recommend to prevent any
unnecessary expense to the customer.