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Thread: Some questions ... replacing 4500 with 5400? Cables and AHRS...

  1. #1

    Some questions ... replacing 4500 with 5400? Cables and AHRS...

    RV-9A. The Crossbow AHRS in my 4500 recently "went West" and I plan on replacing the 4500 with a 5400. The 5400 needs an AHRS, and apparently there's a choice between an AHRS that mounts in place of the current Crossbow magnetometer, as opposed to the Dynon SV-AHRS-200 unit that requires a new/additional mount. I'm not clear on the relative possibilities, nor the merits of one vs the other. Can somebody 'splain that to me a little? I don't mind a little interior removal nor a little riveting...but what's the best way to manage the AHRS for a new 5400 replacing a 4500 with Crossbow?

    BTW...on the subject of new AHRS and magnetometers....Van's calls for steel-shanked aluminum rivets and stainless-steel screws for mounting their OP-60 bracket. Is that OK, or do I need to be strictly non-ferrous?

    Also BTW...in switching the 4500 to the 5400, do I need to make a new EFIS cable? -- change the current DB-9 to a DB-15?

  2. #2
    About the Vans bracket, I wouldn't worry about the rivets, the screws are probably fine too. There are nonmagnetic alloys of stainless steel, so ferrous and ferromagnetic are not synonymous. If you're worried, Dynon recommends using brass hardware to mount the ADAHRS.

    The SV-ADAHRS-200 is not compatible with your AF-4500, so consideration of relative merits here should really be between the quick fix of getting a replacement AFS AHRS for your AF-4500, or going down the more substantial road of upgrading to an AF-5400. If you upgrade to an AF-5400, you should absolutely use the SV-ADAHRS-200. The latter will bring many improvements that will set the aircraft up better for the future, but it will also be a more expensive and involved installation.
    Last edited by Jonathon; 11-30-2020 at 05:17 PM.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathon View Post
    About the Vans bracket, I wouldn't worry about the rivets, the screws are probably fine too. There are nonmagnetic alloys of stainless steel, so ferrous and ferromagnetic are not synonymous. If you're worried, Dynon recommends using brass hardware to mount the ADAHRS.

    The SV-ADAHRS-200 is not compatible with your AF-4500, so consideration of relative merits here should really be between the quick fix of getting a replacement AFS AHRS for your AF-4500, or going down the more substantial road of upgrading to an AF-5400. If you upgrade to an AF-4500, you should absolutely use the SV-ADAHRS-200. The latter will bring many improvements that will set the aircraft up better for the future, but it will also be a more expensive and involved installation.

    Hi Jonathon: I've pretty much already committed in my mind to the 5400. In fact, Tricia has been working on a quote for me, slowed by the Thanksgiving holiday....hoping to hear from her yet today maybe tomorrow to get a handle of the cost of this upgrade. Thanks for the advice on the Dynon AHRS...that's the way I'll likely go. I've just ordered the bracket from Van's.

    Do I need to change out the EFIS wiring harness to a DB15 connector on the 5400 end?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by MacCool View Post
    Hi Jonathon: I've pretty much already committed in my mind to the 5400. In fact, Tricia has been working on a quote for me, slowed by the Thanksgiving holiday....hoping to hear from her yet today maybe tomorrow to get a handle of the cost of this upgrade. Thanks for the advice on the Dynon AHRS...that's the way I'll likely go. I've just ordered the bracket from Van's.

    Do I need to change out the EFIS wiring harness to a DB15 connector on the 5400 end?
    Heh...that was quick. The pricing worksheet from Tricia just hit my email.

  5. #5
    You can reuse the main EFIS harness and its DB25 connector. The EFIS expansion harness will need to be repinned from the existing DB9 to a DB15. The extra pins are what allow for the SkyView network connection to your SkyView ADAHRS and possible future upgrades.

  6. #6
    ��. Very helpful, thanks.

  7. #7
    I’m leaving my 3400 in the panel. How does it connect to the new network? Ethernet directly to the 5400, or does it plug into the network hub with a network expansion cable? I’m trying to understand if I need a second network expansion cable for that old 3400.


    One other question....I have a 430W as a navigation source that was connected the 4500. The native GPS source for the 4500 is/was a 73101 AFS GPS. Upgrading to the 73102, which I presume is the same as the Dynon SV-GPS-250, seems like a reasonable upgrade for the 5400. What do you think? Real benefit or not?







    ...
    Last edited by MacCool; 12-07-2020 at 06:18 AM.

  8. #8
    The ethernet cable can between the 5400 and 3400 exactly as it does now. The 3400 will not be able to communicate on the SkyView network, however, it can receive information from SkyView avionics via ethernet through the 5400.

    the 73101 GPS is a Garmin 18x. The AFS #73102 aka SV-GPS-250 can talk to the EFIS at a faster baud rate, which will help smooth out the synthetic vision and flight path marker displays.

  9. #9
    My old 73101 just plugged into the DB9 port on the back of the 3500. I have the SV-GPS-250 and I'm beginning the install of the 5400...where would that new GPS plug into the system? Do I understand correctly that it goes in EFIS cable pins 6 and 19 for + and ground, and pins 25 and 13 for RX and TX?

    For the time being, can I just plug the old 73101 back into the 3500?

  10. #10
    Sure, you continue to run the Garmin 18x. Until you blow it up. The Garmin actually communicates on 5v ttl, not rs-232. The greater RS-232 signal voltage on the AF-5000 units will eventually burn out your 18x GPS. It is best to just get your new Dynon GPS wired up now.

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