The Avionics Bay Thread...Post your Photos!

[Voyager1]

I love this look. Well done. Can you let me know more about the wire "tips" that are inserted into the altimeters? I usually tin my wires, but it looks like you have something more cleaner. What are those?

Thanks
Andrew

Ferrules that you crimp onto the ends. You can buy a kit with a crimper.

Edit: Just beat me to it OTT!

 

[cwbullet]

AV bays are becoming a work of art. Keep them coming.

 

[AllDigital]

3D printing has made avBay sleds infinitely easier. Here is a single print six inch sled for three boards, two batteries, and an eggfinder along for the ride.

 

[Kframe]

I haven’t flown this yet but it’s a redundant 4” bay.
RRC3 with Bluetooth dongle and an RRC2.
Fully independent with separate screw switches and 9v batteries.

Not the most elegant but it’s my first electronics bay build and I think it turned out okay.

 

[Kane]

Avionics bay for a 4" airframe. Redundant Quantums and telemetry. RunCam Split 3 on board. All primary parts including the lens faring are 3D printed.

 

[DarthMuffin]

Avionics bay for a 4" airframe. Redundant Quantums and telemetry. RunCam Split 3 on board. All primary parts including the lens faring are 3D printed.

Very nice! I'm stealing your wire management method of weaving in/out. Where did you get the thumbscrews (?) on the charge terminals?

To keep somewhat OT, here's my latest. For a 38mm bay, ET Quasar and 1000mah battery.

 

[Kane]

Very nice! I'm stealing your wire management method of weaving in/out. Where did you get the thumbscrews (?) on the charge terminals?

Thanks. The terminals are made of short lengths of 4-32 aluminum threaded rod, aluminum washers, hex nuts and plastic thumb nuts all from McMaster Carr.

 

[Tractionengines]

Here is SMALL end of the range. This is for Mach1 BT55 size rockets. Currently for a Devil Ray, but will be universal for that size body tube. I really like the Additive Aerospace machined Aluminum U-bolts.
I will change it to Aluminum threaded rod. (Maybe #10 in place of the 1/4" for some weight savings.) Other parts: Eggtimer Quark, 300mAh 2S lipo, Fingertech switch.

 

[jhill9693]

Here is SMALL end of the range. This is for Mach1 BT55 size rockets. Currently for a Devil Ray, but will be universal for that size body tube. I really like the Additive Aerospace machined Aluminum U-bolts.
I will change it to Aluminum threaded rod. (Maybe #10 in place of the 1/4" for some weight savings.) Other parts: Eggtimer Quark, 300mAh 2S lipo, Fingertech switch.

View attachment 556707View attachment 556708View attachment 556709View attachment 556710

Nicely done - especially a nice touch making a hole for the balance charge connector.

However, I think the Apogee 29mm ebay still has you beat on size and weight!

 

[Tractionengines]

Nicely done - especially a nice touch making a hole for the balance charge connector.

However, I think the Apogee 29mm ebay still has you beat on size and weight!

Yeah, I have both the Apogee 29mm and BT55 kits for possible use in other projects...
Since this is a fiberglass rocket anyhow size and weight were not too critical, as long as I have sufficient speed off the rail.

 

[DarthMuffin]

Got my L3 Ultimate Wildman kit in. Good thing I took inventory because they forgot the avbay lids.

 

[spigalau]

Running out of room - might make another larger plate.

4" Airframe
18" AV coupler with 12" AV plate.
Altus Metrum Telemega on front
Altus Metrum EasyMini on rear
Battery enclosure (2 x 1S 600mAh) on rear

Bonus points to anyone that can name the device mid/upper left on the front side.

 

[cwbullet]

Great designs all. Anyone have a 3D printed AV sled for 7.5 LOC kits?

 

[DerRedMax]

Some innovative solutions for av bay layouts.

 

[kenstarr]

I've worked up an av bay for a 54mm rocket! I started with a base of SMTdesigns (smtdesigns.com) making and made some aftermarket sleds to fit the altimeters to my liking. Things are a bit crowded so I couldn't use the stock mounts. Also, there isn't one for the Eggtimer Quasar so I've been learning to use Freecad! Here are the results, not in a totally organized order but you get the idea

 

[conneryc]

Ferrules that you crimp onto the ends. You can buy a kit with a crimper.

Edit: Just beat me to it OTT!

Just an FYI....I bought a ferrule kit and the smallest one won't fit into the terminal blocks on an Eggtimer Quasar.

 

[Kane]

Just an FYI....I bought a ferrule kit and the smallest one won't fit into the terminal blocks on an Eggtimer Quasar.

What size wire are you using? I use 22 AWG and the ferrules I have just fit into the terminal blocks on my Quantums (same as the Quasar I believe).

 

[OverTheTop]

Just an FYI....I bought a ferrule kit and the smallest one won't fit into the terminal blocks on an Eggtimer Quasar.

Maybe the insulated ones provided in the generic kit are not small enough. I do have another selection of uninsulated ferrules that I use for really fine terminal blocks.

 

[Kane]

Maybe the insulated ones provided in the generic kit are not small enough. I do have another selection of uninsulated ferrules that I use for really fine terminal blocks.

Correct. I get the ones without the insulating cap. I use a short bit of heat shrink tubing to protect the "joint" between the wire insulation and the ferrules.

 

[Kane]

Just an FYI....I bought a ferrule kit and the smallest one won't fit into the terminal blocks on an Eggtimer Quasar.

Here is a shot of uninsulated ferrules with heat shrink connected to a Quantum terminal block.

 

[conneryc]

What size wire are you using? I use 22 AWG and the ferrules I have just fit into the terminal blocks on my Quantums (same as the Quasar I believe).

The ones I got came in a kit with multiple sizes. I used the smallest onesE0508 that are for 22AWG @ 0.5mm. These DO have the insulator on them and don't fit....not that the insulator has any bearing on the fit. I just need to find some that are a bit smaller

 

[DerRedMax]

Correct. I get the ones without the insulating cap. I use a short bit of heat shrink tubing to protect the "joint" between the wire insulation and the ferrules.

What's your source for these uninsulated ferrules and what size are you using? Do the ferrules require a special crimping tool?

 

[Voyager1]

Do the ferrules require a special crimping tool?

Preferably use a crimping tool because they are profiled to optimise the crimp, but I’ve occasionally just used pliers with no subsequent issues. Best to do a few test crimps to check out what ever tool you use. Don’t overdo it.

 

[Kane]

What's your source for these uninsulated ferrules and what size are you using? Do the ferrules require a special crimping tool?

I believe I got them from Digi-key but I could be mistaken. I'm sure that can be obtained there or from any of the major electronics sites.

 

[AllDigital]

What's your source for these uninsulated ferrules and what size are you using? Do the ferrules require a special crimping tool?

Here is a good kit:

https://a.co/d/0y1wHaN
Some of the tiny terminal blocks need the 26 AWG pins, here:

https://a.co/d/aVbBlbi

 

[DerRedMax]

Here is a good kit:

https://a.co/d/0y1wHaN
Some of the tiny terminal blocks need the 26 AWG pins, here:

https://a.co/d/aVbBlbi

Thx for the resource.
Do you have any experience with Missile works electronics and the ferrule size needed?
My white terminal blocks have large holes but the terminal blocks on the Missile Works electronics are small.

 

[AllDigital]

Thx for the resource.
Do you have any experience with Missile works electronics and the ferrule size needed?
My white terminal blocks have large holes but the terminal blocks on the Missile Works electronics are small.

I don't know what terminal blocks Missile Works uses, but generally there are only two sizes of screw terminals: .2" (5mm) or tiny .1" (2.54mm). The 5mm "standard" blocks I use E0508 22AWG .5mm ferrules. For the 2.54mm tiny blocks, I use a 24AWG .34mm ferrule -- updated link for those here: https://a.co/d/g4U6vU1

 

[DerRedMax]

Thx a bunch!! Perfect as these will definitely work. The uplink shows the tiny green blocks that Missile Works uses.

 

[Voyager1]

I don't know what terminal blocks Missile Works uses, but generally there are only two sizes of screw terminals: .2" (5mm) or tiny .1" (2.54mm). The 5mm "standard" blocks I use E0508 22AWG .5mm ferrules. For the 2.54mm tiny blocks, I use a 24AWG .34mm ferrule -- updated link for those here: https://a.co/d/g4U6vU1

Yes, the white 22AWG E0508 are the ferrules I use on my MW RRC3 and RRC2L.

 

[DerRedMax]

Nice kit.....