1. PS Engineering Audio System Installations Theory and Practices

2. Disclaimer Your PS Engineering Dealer is responsible for the product installation. –Refer specific interface questions and procure any special tools or additional installation supplies from the PS Engineering retail dealer. –All PS Engineering dealers have an FAA Certified Repair Station with at least a Limited Radio Rating, and are qualified to make these installations. VOIDIf the installation is not performed by a PS Engineering dealer or a custom wire harness is not purchased, the warranty is VOID. Installation of an intercom in a certified aircraft in accordance with regulations may require specific knowledge, experience and tools. –FAR 65.81 (b) A certificated mechanic may not exercise the privileges of his certificate and rating unless he understands the current instructions of the manufacturer, and the maintenance manuals, for the specific operation concerned. This presentation does not contain basic information about crimping, soldering, or fundamental assembly techniques. These skills are required to fabricate a wiring harness. Either the PS Engineering authorized dealer or PS Engineering can make a custom harness for you for products made by PS Engineering.

3. Why can’t we help with installation questions? We don’t have the expertise. We have never performed an installation, so we must rely on avionics shops that have the knowledge and tools to perform installs. We don’t have the necessary resources to provide the technical support necessary to aid in installations. To assure proper installation, we have trained our dealers about the specifics about our products. This assures that we will not have warranty costs associated with improperly installed products

4. Applicability This presentation applies to: –Intercom Installation –The intercom portion of audio panel installation This does not apply to: –Radio Interface to Audio Panels –Any other avionics installation –Any wiring practice not specifically addressed

5. Topics 1.Overview 2.Tools and Hardware Required 3.Theory of shielding and overall harnesses 4.The interface for the intercom 5.Building the Harness for the intercom 6.How to properly make shield terminations 7.The Intercom Installation 8.How to ground the harnesses 9.Entertainment interface 10.Troubleshooting

6. Overview Build Harness for Installation Create Wire Harness per the Wiring Diagram located in the Installation Manual Route cables to the mounted mic and headphone jacks throughout aircraft Route cables to the music and telephone inputs as necessary Connect audio panel/intercom to power and ground Verify power and ground continuity Mechanically Install Audio Panel/Intercom in panel –Note: If installing Intercom, Install Auxiliary Microphone and Headphone Jacks These are the jacks that will connect directly to either the single radio or to the audio panel. Test these jacks using a headset and in-line PTT switch to assure you can hear and transmit over the radio

7. Tools and Hardware Required Wire Strippers (Ideal Strip Master) Wire Cutters Crimping Tool (Palatine PA1440) Soldering Station (WTCPT) Drill Philips Screwdriver #1 Tools

8. Crimping tool for PMA8000/9000- series (High Density) Molex Crimping tool (PMA6000/70 00 Series) Use “A” Strip 18-24 AWG

9. Hardware Jacks Three types –Microphone, Headphone (mono and stereo) Mono Phones (1/4”) –2 Conductor Stereo Phones (1/4”) –3 Conductor Microphone (mic) jacks – Note, the mic jack has a smaller opening than the headphone jacks –3 conductor –Smaller inside diameter

10. Wire All wire must be aircraft grade –Tefzel insulation for flammability requirements –Single conductor must meet MIL-STD 22759 –Multiple Conductor must be shielded, and meet MIL-STD 27500 –Microphone and stereo headphones must be 3- conductor with shield. –Mono headphone must be 2-conductor with shield –Never use the shield to carry signals or grounds

11. Wire Marking Identification markings should be placed at each end of the wire and at 15-inch maximum intervals along the length of the wire. Wires less than 3 inches long need not be identified. Wires 3 to 7 inches in length should be identified approximately at the center.

12. Raychem Solder Sleeves –Heat evenly until the blue and white rings melt, and provide a plug on each end. avoid overheating the wire. –Watch the wire/braid connection to see the solder fully wetting the connection.

13. Theory of shielding and overall harnesses Shield grounded at one end keeps RF out because undesired currents can’t flow. Braided shields grounded at one end create a Faraday RF shield. Stray signals seek a low impedance (Z) path to ground. The properly terminated braid shield provides that path. Shielding

14. Schematic Representation This shows some typical shielding schematics. Notice how in the top schematic the low is connected to a unit pin. In some PS Engineering installations, to save space, the low side is connected to the shield ground AT THE UNIT. This is NOT the same as using the shield as the audio low. The number of solid wires that pass trough the ungrounded end of the shield signifies the number of conductors in the cable.

15. The Aircraft RFI/EMI Jungle Countless sources of RFI/EMI Energy –Comm radios –Electric motors (flaps, trim, blower) –Switches –Alternators & generators –Strobes & beacons –Other audio systems Any and all will create noise in the audio system –Unless you follow manufacturer’s installation instructions

16. Audio Low Return path for audio signals –Older avionics may not have a dedicated audio low – use chassis ground at radio/audio panel Never use a shield as current carrying wire. All shields must remain un-terminated at the jack end. Never use airframe ground as audio return path

17. Ground Do and Ground Don’t DO ground shields at one end ONLY DO tie shields together at ONE (1) end –Almost always the signal SOURCE Don’t ground the jacks mechanically Don’t ground both ends of shield set –even for different systems Don’t use the shield as an audio return wire Don’t EVER run mic and headphone audio in same shield (it will squeal!).

18. Single-point Grounding A designated ground on the unit or system for connecting all shield and circuit grounds. Designed to accept RFI and EMI and pass safely around the signal paths. Any change in ground potential is felt identically by all subsystems, and ignored.

19. Block Diagram COM radio or Audio Panel Aircraft Radio Headphone, Microphone, & PTT

20. These are a REQUIRED part of any intercom installation. It where the Intercom is connected to the radio(s) Mechanical and Electrically interface assures failsafe operation. –Bypass intercom –Use if intercom is removed –Essential part of troubleshooting For the Intercom installs, Auxiliary Jacks

21. AUX Jacks Schematic (for intercom installations)

22. Building the Harness Strip outer jacket Comb out braid and fold back over jacket Create a drain wire for the shield: –Using heat activated LC-3 Raychem sleeves, insert a stripped “drain” wire between ring and braid. Connect drain wire of the shielded cable to appropriate ground point: –If necessary, daisy-chain to other “drain” wires, or connect to designated ground pin

23. Wire Shield White Orange Tracer Blue Tracer PS Engineering Harness Conventions Microphone White – Ring – Mic Audio Blue – Barrel – Mic Audio Low Orange – Tip – Radio P-T-T Headphone or Music White – Tip – Audio (Rt) Blue – Barrel – Audio Low Orange – Tip – Audio (Lt)

24. Terminating Wire

25. Termination Complete Solder melted and flowed Seals melted Heat Shrink conforms

26. Crimp Strip 1/16” (depth of middle band) Verify good crimp by pulling on the wire.

27. Insert and Close

28. Jack Wiring Mono Headphone –Connect Audio Hi to tip –Connect Audio Low to barrel –Do NOT connect shield Stereo Headphone –Connect Audio Right Hi to tip –Connect Audio Left Hi to ring –Connect Audio Low to barrel –Do NOT connect shield Microphone –Connect Push-to-Talk (Radio P-T-T) to tip –Connect mic audio to ring –Connect mic low to barrel –Connect low side of P-T-T to barrel –Do NOT connect shield

29. Anatomy of a Jack Mic Jack 0.205” ID Phones Jack 0.250” ID Stereo Jack or Mic Jack Layout Ground (Barrel) Tip Ring Tip Ring Tip Ring Schematic View (3 conductor) Ground (Barrel) Shield

30. Jack/Plug Contacts Ring Tip Barrel

31. Hardware Installation Connect pilot, copilot and passenger jacks. –Verify correct intercom operation, talk between all seats and test all modes. Make connection between intercom and existing (AUX) headphone and microphone jacks connected to radio/audio panel

32. With audio panel/intercom off, test Fail- Safe system by transmitting and receiving on radio from Pilot Headset positon Turn intercom on –Verify that the radio is not keyed Test radio receive and transmit on pilot and copilot. Test intercom ISO and Crew function (if present). Secure unit, harness and jacks. Checkout Procedure

33. Fail-Safe Connects pilot headphone and microphone to radio through a relay contact in closed position In fail safe when off, or power removed at breaker. In stereo installation, radio audio will be in one ear only Verify fail-safe on initial installation –If it doesn’t work, the installation is wired incorrectly

34. Intercom Installation Drill 6 holes –2 knobs –Switch –LED (if equipped) –2 mounting screws

35. Jack Installation Drill 15/32” (0.450”) hole for each jack Place flat insulating washer on jack and insert from rear. Place shoulder washer on jack so shoulder fits into the hole. Add nut and tighten. –Be sure that the jack barrel does not contact the metal airframe. –Be sure that no part of a headphone jack touches a microphone jack

36. Sidetone Audio signal from COM radio of transmission –Designed to help person regulate voice –In PS System it is passed through from the COM Where did it go? –Not present in some Cessna systems Separate sidetone output on some radios –Can be lost through Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) caused by improper shielding

37. Entertainment Inputs One input on standard intercoms Two inputs on units with crew mode –Second input active only in crew mode Requires a minimum audio level 1 V p-p (Line Level) compatible with portable devices –Do NOT USE speaker levels from automotive units Input jacks should not be grounded –Install in plastic panel

38. Unswitched Inputs Only Available in PM3000, P/N 11931A –Two inputs for alert audio, warnings etc. NO unswitched inputs on other models –Kluge installations are unapproved –Some COM receivers have aux inputs

39. Installation Troubleshooting SymptomPossible Cause Excessive electrical Noise in intercomMic and or headphone jacks touching ground. Incorrect shield connection Intercom partially keys when turned onMic jack miswired Failsafe doesn’t provide headphone audioStereo headphone jack miswired No sidetoneNot provided on com phones output Mic and or headphone jacks touching ground. Incorrect shield connection Audio squeal when volume on intercom turned up Mic and headphone signals crossed, or running in same shield Noise in system that goes away when radio or intercom active Music source introducing noise Music jack is grounded Intercom audio in one ear onlyStereo headset set to stereo in mono installation