Breakers and switches

[pequeajim]

I am getting ready to wire up my panel Some of the people that I talk to are of the opinion that while everything has some kind of breaker on it, anything that is switched on and off could use a breaker-switch and save the breakers only for the stuff that is not switched on or off.

Here is my electrical requirements:

Breakers
MFD1 (3)
MFD2 (3)
Radio (5)
Txp (3)
Flaps/Trim (5)
Fuel Pump (5)
Intercom (2)

Switches

Master (Alt/Battery - Dual)
MFD1
MFD2
Avionics
Nav Lights
Strobes
Landing
Panel lights

How would you all do this?

 

[JMillar]

Something I read, forget where, recommended that everything with a breaker should be switchable, so you can disable it if necessary (problems that aren't enough to trip the breaker). Just make everything a breaker-switch? Unless there are things where one breaker supplies more than one switch.

 

[CESSNADON]

Potter Brumfield makes a line of bat handled breaker switches in a wide range of currents. I would use them for all of the electrical loads. You might also want to consider an avionics bus which is fed from a breaker switch. Makes it easy to shut down the avionics without turning a bunch of on/off knobs. When you are deciding on how you want to distribute your electrical loads, consider the effect of losing two devices fed by a single breaker if one of the devices fail, and what are the current draws of the devices. You wouldn't want to pair up a 15 amp device with a device drawing 1 or 2 amps.
You can find the above mentioned items at all of the major electronic parts distributors. Allied Electronics, Newark Electronics and others, they all have websites.

 

[CaptAlRice]

You might want to check out the "AeroElectric Connection" by Bob Nuckolls and the AeroElectric forum on www.forums.Matronics.com. Bob has a chapter in his manual on breakers vs. fuses & switches. There are several wiring diagrams in the "AeroElectric Connection" appendix to choose from for almost any aircraft application. I would recommend installing fuse blocks and standard single and double pole toggle switches instead of breakers or switch breakers because they are simpler, cheaper, lighter, and just as dependable.

 

[Captain_John]

I'm with AL!

Anything that already has a switch on it, put it on a fuse.

Check out www.aeroelectric.com and drink the Kool-Aid!

Bob is a really sharp guy and I think he is right on the money. His "Z" diagrams are great!

I am using a derivative of Z-13 in my RV. It looks like it will work well for you too!

Check them out!

CJ