Each slim line gauge has a red line LED so any reading that is over or under is instantly brought to my notice.
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Benefits of slim line instruments
1. Instead of a big, round and chunky piece of dial that display one single piece of data
in an analog format, a slim-line instrument, displays the same data an intelligent,
backlighted LCD digital format and its physical footprint is comparatively tiny.
Ive been flying my Piper Seneca V ferrying scientists and equipment to all parts of
north Canada. This is a 2004 build
and last year, I decided to upgrade its
avionics. I however did not have the
budget to do it all in one go, so; I
decided to do it piece-meal.
I would plan for it and as and when I
accumulated enough to buy a
particular Slimline Instruments
manufactured by J.P. I, I would go
ahead and do the purchase.
To begin with, I bought the J.P.I. rack
frame (only the frame). It has 8 slots
one each for OAT, Volt Meter, Oil Temperature, RPM Tachometer, Manifold
Pressure, Fuel Pressure, Oil Pressure and TIT.
2. Prior tothat had got rid of somejunk I had installed and also replaced the entire dash
so passengers did not see a dashboard full of large gaping holes. After fitting the
J.P.I. multi-rack frame, I made only one hole to fit the OAT gauge. Naturally, I had
to also buy the OAT sensors for the gauge. These are super-fast response sensors.
The fitting and connecting to the OAT to its sensors was simple and quick.
Overtime, every few months or so, I added a new gauge or two. It took me almost the
entire year before all the slots of the rack were filled with the latest slim line
instruments.
Now I dont have towatchthe gauges like a hawk.Each slim line gauge has a red line
LED so any reading that is over or under is instantly brought to my notice. For
example, the volt amp gauge has a discharge alarm and 0.1 Volt or amp resolution.
The Oil and Fuel Pressure gauges have under pressure alarms as well as resolution
to 1.0 psi. The Oil, TIT and EGT TEMPERATURE gauges all have high limit alarms
and resolution to one degree.
Once the rack was filled, it saved panel space and also provided me with the accurate
information I needed to keep flying safely. Moreover, these slimline instruments are
all backlit so I no longer had to strain to see any individual gauge.
Another major difference is that these slim-line gauges are digital meaning, they
display the engine data in tall, red numbers. No more quivering needle on a dial.
Numbers make it more accurate. So instead of displaying one-third on a dial for fuel
in the tank, I could now just read off the numbers to know how much fuel was used.
Each of these slim line instruments was connected to the aircraft engine via fast
response sensors and wires. The wires transmit data in electrical pulses that is
interpreted by the smart electronics circuits inside the slimline gauges.
Eventually, (in another few years), I plan toreplace the rack with an aircraft Engine
Data Management so I have one small display unit instead of the rack. But until
then, the rack allows me to get the latest tech minus the fancy price of the EDM.
For options on modern slim line gauges, please visit:
https://www.jpinstruments.com/shop/slim-line-
experimentalhomebuilt/