4500sEE, ARINC, GNS430 (non-waas), GTX327, AFS Pilot wiring/configuration

[Shawn McGinnis]

Charlie,

Probably the most useful bit of information would be that most devices allow you to configure which devices are connected to which serial ports. The AF-4500 has 4 configurable serial ports (#1 10/22, #2 13/25, #3 4/5, and #4 on the Expansion 1/6). The same with the 430 with their RS232 In/Out (1,2,3..)

You will then configure which devices are connected to which port number in each devices setup. The easiest way to get this correct is to keep a drawing of which ports of the device connects to which port of the other device.

This is the most common setup but you may need to change your port numbers to match your install:

AHRS Port 0: Crossbow
Serial Port 1: AVTN/ARNAV to GNS430 (non-WAAS)
Serial Port 2: NMEA/ICARUS to GTX327
Serial Port 3: AF-PILOT to AFS Pilot autopilot
Serial Port 4: ARINC to AF-ARINC


GPS/NAV 1 Data Source -> Serial Port 4
GPS/NAV 2 Data Source -> None
GPS/NAV 3 Data Source -> None

[rv7charlie]

Hi Shawn,

Thanks for jumping in.

I'd love to find a tutorial on the relationship (similarities, differences, co-dependencies) between serial ports and ARINC. That might help me a bit with what seem like inconsistencies in interfacing. For instance, the ARINC hookup diagram (just downloaded the single page doc from the web site) shows the Pilot ARINC switched between the 430 ARINC out and the ARINC box OBS/AP out, which is how I wired it. It also shows the Pilot's serial input tied to the 430's RS232 #1 out (P4001 pin 56), which, again, is how I just finished wiring it. I just finished adding (previously overlooked) the pair of wires shown in the dashed box on the ARINC drawing, that tie the 430 RS232 #1 to the 4500 serial #1.

Thus:
4500 serial #1 bidirectional to 430 P4001 pins 56/57 (RS232 #1)
430's serial #1 out (pin 56, above) tapped to feed the Pilot primary serial in (pin 17)
I also made all other connections as shown on the ARINC drawing.
edit: All applicable pins on the 4500 Main connector are wired as shown on its hookup diagram, as well, including the recommended port to the 327 transponder.

I'm confused by what you show on port 3: 'AF-Pilot to AFS Pilot autopilot'. (?)
Should the Pilot primary serial input be wired to the 430 RS232 #1 output, or to some point on the ARINC module, or to an output port on the 4500 itself?

As I mentioned in the thread starting post, I had thought that ARINC carried all the data the A/P needed to function, and the serial GPS data amounted to 'backup info', in case ARINC was lost. This is apparently not the case, which begs the question: Does 'primary serial data' need to come from the same place as ARINC data? Should it be switched with ARINC, or does it not matter, or... :-)

Thanks again for the help. I've got a couple of careers under my belt doing electronic installation and troubleshooting (consumer, computer, and industrial), and a couple of decades of maintaining my own homebuilts, but ARINC-related avionics is my newest learning opportunity.

Charlie