ADS/B + Engine Monitoring upgrade

pilotmax

pilotmax

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Max
Looking for feedback on my planned upgrade in a 2001 Super Decathlon. Two main objectives for the upgrade: One is to get panel-mounted ADS/B in/out (I know about tablets, but need panel mounted as space in a Decathlon is limited.) Second is a logging engine monitor to use with Savvy Analysis. An added benefit is to get the RPM and MP numbers close together - currently the gauges are on opposite parts of the panel.

25527913518_05c419e1fc_z.jpg


For the avionics I plan to follow what the factory does for new planes
  1. Garmin Aera 660 with Air Gizmo Dock
  2. Garmin GTR 225 Comm Radio
  3. Garmin GTR 345 / ADS-B in & out (with ForeFlight support for iPhone or backseater)
  4. Get a larger G-meter and replace the DG with it.
For the engine monitor I'm debating a few options.
  1. Pull the AI (no need for it in this plane!) and replace with EI CGR-30P. Since it's certified as a primary replacement, I can remote oil gauge, fuel flow, CHT/EGT. I can also remove RPM & MP, but will probably leave it in so that the back seater can see them.
  2. Find a place for the JPI EDM 900, mounted horizontally. This is a bit trickier, since while it fits into a 3-1/8 hole, the overlap makes it hard to fit. It's also a primary, so I can remove same gauges as above. I can maybe replace the MP (bottom-left) with the EDM. I'd like to avoid having to redo the panel (another $2500) or get into hacky-looking overlapping sheet-metal.
The fly-away price is around 20 AMUs from a local shop with good references.

Thoughts / comments / suggestions?

Thx!
 
Last year I did a major panel upgrade on my 79 Super D, installing the Aera 660 / GTR 225 / GTX 345 and the JPI EDM 900. New intercom and G-meter. And switched the fuse panel to the new one with breakers. This was all done at ACA. I don't have the breakdown handy, but I'm thinking 20 is high. Did you get a quote from ACA on what they'd charge?
 
@jstro, would you happen to have a photo of your panel? How do you like the EDM-900? Does it handle all of your engine primary instrumentation?

And if you do have a cost breakdown, that would be useful. The shop rate here is $125 - probably just realities of CA pricing. But how many hours did your job take at ACA?

Thx
 
Worth considering, we could build you a conversion harness from the SR-8A you already have installed to the CGR-30P, saving you labor time as you can use the existing EGT/CHT probes and cables. Additionally, we can supply you with a new SR-8A harness so you could sell that gauge on the secondhand market and recoup a few buck spent on the 30P. One extra benefit is the 30P is flush mounted and doesn't overlay the panel.
 
@Dave Arata - these are great options - thanks! Are there downsides to reusing the existing probes? Reason I'm asking is that when I spoke to someone at EI about it their recommendation was to use new probes.

Also - what instruments can I remove if I install the CGR-30P? Can I get rid of them all? Or do I need to pick a subset for the ones that CGR-30P can support and would have to leave the other ones in the panel? My understanding is that -30P can't handle *all* of these.
  • oil pressure
  • oil temp
  • volts
  • amps
  • EGT/CHT
  • fuel management
  • fuel pressure
  • tach time
  • MP
  • RPM
 
pilotmax said:
@jstro, would you happen to have a photo of your panel? How do you like the EDM-900? Does it handle all of your engine primary instrumentation?

And if you do have a cost breakdown, that would be useful. The shop rate here is $125 - probably just realities of CA pricing. But how many hours did your job take at ACA?

Thx
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can find my receipt at home and see what they charged. I love the EDM-900. It is the primary instrument for engine functions. I love having everything located right in the same spot, really helping my scan. Knowing what each cylinder is doing is obviously a good thing (found that #3 cylinder was running hot, did a slight mod to the baffling to help). If you encounter anything unusual with your engine, it's easy to download the data to a thumbdrive and look at it on your computer. There's a leaning function you can use and it works well, though after a while you kinda know what EGT you're shooting for so I don't use it much anymore. It also has a Tach and Hobbs meter.

I hear the EI engine analyzers are great too, but I've never used one so I don't have a comparison. I have made use of JPI's customer service and they were helpful enough.

I don't have a photo handy, but my panel looks exactly like this:
panel%201a(low%20res).gif
 
The only real issue with reusing older probes/cables is future troubleshooting. Using an adapter harness can create one more possible failure point. However, we've had many customers upgrade from one of our legacy style engine monitors to a CGR-30P, using an adapter harness with no issues. At roughly 45 mins per temperature channel, the installation savings is certainly worth considering.
We can absolutely monitor all of the functions you requested. Oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel pressure, manifold pressure and fuel flow (fuel management) would be selected as primary functions and volts, amps, tach time would be non-primary. You would have two additional non-primary spaces available to you. RPM, EGT and CHT are always included.
 
@Dave Arata - my flight manual says that Ammeter Gauge (amps) is required. Since it would be non-primary in the -30P, does it mean that I need to keep my existing separate primary gauge in the panel?
 
@jstro - You have the JPI EDM-930, the large one that ACA includes in all new aircraft. I was thinking of the EDM-900, which is the smaller one, better as a retrofit.
 
pilotmax said:
@Dave Arata - my flight manual says that Ammeter Gauge (amps) is required. Since it would be non-primary in the -30P, does it mean that I need to keep my existing separate primary gauge in the panel?
Click to expand...
If the gauge is required, but does not have limits, I believe by monitoring amps as a non-primary function on the 30P satisfies that requirement. Primary functions are those with limits/redlines.
 
Dave Arata said:
If the gauge is required, but does not have limits, I believe by monitoring amps as a non-primary function on the 30P satisfies that requirement. Primary functions are those with limits/redlines.
Click to expand...

Thanks @Dave Arata - how can I confirm this for my case?
 
Thanks. I'll start with my avionics shop. We're meeting next week to finalize the plan.
 
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