Electrical Wiring

Wire
• Wire is a conductor of
electrons
• It’s purpose is to provide a
path for electrons to flow from
a source to a load with a
minimum of resistance
• It must be manufactured to
the standard defined by a
military specification to be
installed on aircraft
 Aircraft wire
• Must be stranded to
minimize fatigue breakage
due to flight vibration &
flexing
• The conductor will
normally be plated
annealed copper, though in
some cases aluminum may
be used for weight saving
 Regulations
• Where does it say that it must be stranded?
• What is the minimum number of strands that
can be used?
• How many strands will a number 000 wire
have?
• What is the copper conductor plated with?
 Plating
• Bare copper develops a
surface oxide coating that
is a poor conductor &
inhibits retermination
• Types of plating:
– Tin – good to 150°C
– Silver – good to 200°C
– Nickel – good to 260°C
 Insulation
• Wire conductor size is
determined by the
amount of current to be
carried
• The insulation is
designed to:
– Prevent the voltage from
“blowing through” &
allowing the current to
escape (short circuit)
 Insulation
• In order to accomplish
this, insulation must
have a high:
– voltage rating
– temperature rating
– Abrasion resistance
– Cut-through resistance
 Regulations
• Where does it state that aircraft wire must
exhibit abrasion & cut-through resistance?
• Some aircraft wire is designed for use in
“SWAMP” conditions.
– What does SWAMP mean?
– Where are SWAMP areas on an airplane?
• Where can you find tables for the Mil Spec’s
of wire based on temperature & voltage
requirements?
 Insulation
• Insulation is made from a wide
variety of materials to meet these
standards
– Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
– Nylon
– Glass cloth
– Teflon
– Fluorinated ethylene propylene
(FEP Fluorocarbon)
– Kapton
– And many more
 Wire size
• The wire size determines
the amount of current that
can be safely carried
• The wire size is the
diameter of the conductor,
not the outside diameter of
the insulator
• Different qualities of
insulation require different
thickness to meet the
standards
 Wire size
• There are two ways to
state wire size:
– AWG
– Circular mil area
 The American Wire Gage
• The American Wire Gage
System was developed for
quick measurement
electrical wire
• The larger the number, the
smaller the wire diameter
• To use the guage:
– Strip the insulation off of the
conductor
– Slide the conductor through
the slots until a snug fit is
found (the correct fit is found
in the slot, not in the hole at
the base of the slot)
 Determining required wire size
• The correct wire size will:
– Exhibit sufficient mechanical strength
– Not exceed allowable voltage drop between the
source & the load
– Meet the circuit current carrying requirements
Selecting the right wire size
 Selecting the right wire size
• The FAA has determined that many aircraft accidents may have been
caused by aircraft wiring chosen from a chart similar to the one
shown in your Airframe book

• The problem lies in the temperature rating of the insulation

• Even if the conductor is large enough to carry the current, the heat
produced by that current may cause the insulation to give off toxic
fumes, smoke or ignite adjacent materials

• With this in mind, the charts in AC43.13-1B have been modified to

include a temperature rating chart (table 11-9) to be used when
selecting the right Mil Spec wire for the job. Always consult this
table before choosing a particular type of wire.
AC43 Continuous Flow Chart
AC43 Intermittent Flow Chart
AC43 Temperature Chart
Wiring practices
…several wires together will be stronger than
individual wires

…installed wiring should be protected from damage

from
…mishandling
…vibration
…abrasion
…environmental factors
AC43-13.1A
Table 11-6. Tabulation chart (allowable voltage drop
between bus and utilization equipment ground).

Nominal Allowable voltage Intermittent

system drop continuous operation
voltage operation

14 0.5 1
28 1 2
115 4 8
200 7 14
 Regulations
• What is the minimum size wire that should be used in aircraft
installations?
• What percent of generated voltage can be dropped between
the generator & the distribution bus?
• How many volts may be lost between the bus & a load in a 28
volt circuit in continuous operation?
• How many volts can be dropped in a 115 volt intermittent
circuit?
• What is meant by an intermittent circuit?
• Give several examples of intermittent circuits.
 Regulations
• What is meant by open wiring?
• What is meant by protected wiring?
• When can aluminum wire be used?
• What is the minimum recommended size of
aluminum wire?
 Wire identification
• Two types of identification will be found on wire installed on
aircraft

Wire manufacturers number

and
Installers number
Wire manufacturers number

Mil – W – 22759/11 - 22 - 12
colour

AWG

Wire type
 Some common types of wire:

Mil-W-5086

The Airframe wiring cable M5086 is

offered in seven styles
with tinned copper conductors, PVC
insulation, and nylon jacketing. The
PVC/nylon constructions provide the
extra chemical resistance to fluids
such as alcohol, dilute acids, fuels,
hydraulic fluids, oil, water and many
others. In certain aircraft applications,
weight savings are extremely
important. The M5086 provides a
good alternative with lightweight walls
that help reduce the overall weight of
the material.
 Some common types of wire:

Mil-W-22759

22759 wire is a fluoropolymer–insulated

single-conductor wire that is ideal for a
wide variety of military aerospace
applications. 22759 wire is built to meet
military specifications, it is also the
premier choice for many commercial
applications. 22759 wire boasts high
performance and reliability in severe wind
and moisture prone (SWAMP) zones such
as engine nacelles as well as areas that
require overload stability, low smoke
emission and fire resistance, such as
aircraft cabins.
22759 wire can carry up to 1000 volts,
and is capable of operating in extreme
temperature ranges from -55°C to 260°C
(-67°F to 500°F)
(Mil-W-27500)

This is a Shielded wire to prevent

(or at least limit) EMI/RFI.
It has 1-7 center conductors
It is Ideal for use with Avionics Equipment

MIL - W - 27500 22 TG 3 T 14

Jacket Spec
Shield Spec
Number of center conductors
Conductor and Shield spec
AWG of the Conductor
 Boeing BMS 13-60 (TKT)
When high temperatures are required exceeding 200 degrees Celsius on
Boeing commercial aircraft, BMS 13-60 is a logical choice.
With a maximum operating potential of 600 Volts this specification establishes the
construction and performance requirements for different types of arc-resistant
wire and cable that covers four categories: 6 mil, 8 mil, 10 mil and 19 mil
nominal insulation thickness and is similar to the MIL-W-22759/80 and
SAE-AS22759/80 constructions.

The temperature rating for each type is

determined on the conductor or shield coating:

(1) 260 C rated wire has a nickel coated copper conductor

(2) 260 C rated cable has a nickel coated copper conductor and nickel coated shield
(3) 175 C rated wire has an aluminum conductor
(4) 150 C rated wire has a tin coated copper conductor
(5) 150 C rated cable has a tin coated shield.
 Mil-W-7072
Aluminum Conductor
This specification covers 600 volt insulated single aluminum conductors capable of
continuous operation at a maximum conductor temperature of 105c. This wire is
suitable for use in aircraft using any combination of electrical loading and ambient
temperatures providing that the maximum conductor temperature is not exceeded.
It has It has PVC Insulation

Advantages: Light weight

Disadvantage: Increased resistance, requires larger AWG for equal

copper resistance wire. Minimum AWG is 8.
 Wire identification
Instalers Number
• Installers number

AF pg 7-55 & 7-56

 Wire marking methods
• Two methods can be
used:
– Direct marking
– Indirect marking
 Direct Marking
• Printing the number directly on the outer insulation
of the wire
• Methods:
– Laser printing
– Ink jet
– Dot matrix printing
– Hot stamping
• Laser marking is preferred but equipment is
expensive, so hot stamping is most common
• Care must be taken to not perforate the insulation
during the hot stamping process
Indirect wire marking
• Accomplished by printing
the number on sleeving that
is installed on the wire at
intervals along its length
• The number can be hot
stamped or applied by
other types of printers
• The printer shown is the
Kroy printer used in our
Avionics shop
 Sleeving
• Heat shrinkable sleeving
is normally used for the
indirect method, so that
the sleeves will stay in
the required positions
on the wire
• Make sure that you use
the correct size or it may
not tighten enough
when heated if its too
large or it may split if its
too small
 Regulations
• Where does it say that direct & indirect marking are both
allowed?
• Is heat stamping actually an approved method?
• Can heat stamping of ultra-thin walled insulated wire lead to
catastrophic failure of the harness?
• How frequently does the number have to be stamped on the
wire?
• How about a 3 inch wire?
• How about a 6 inch wire?
• What is the allowable distance between numbers when using
the indirect method?
• Can coaxial cable be directly heat stamped?
 Forming a bundle
• After the wires have all been stamped with their
numbers they should be lined up parallel to one
another & tied together to form a bundle
• A comb is sometimes helpful in making them parallel
 The proper knot
• Individual ties should be spaced at intervals along the
bundles entire length using Mil Spec lacing chord
• The correct method of tying starts with a clove hitch
& ends with a square knot on top
 Continuous lacing
• The continuous lacing method, where the cord continues from
one knot to the next without cutting the cord, is allowed
under some circumstances, but not recommended.
• If the cord is cut at any point, all knots will unravel
 Plastic ties
• Ratcheting, self-locking tie straps can used in some
locations on the aircraft
• Only approved ties straps & tie strap installation tools
may be used
 Identifying the bundle
• After fabricating the bundle, it
often needs to have its own
identity number attached to it
• Often it is stored in inventory &
can be ordered as an aircraft part
 Regulations
• How close together should ties be on a bundle?
• What is the Mil Spec number for lacing cord?
• Can a small bundle of wires remain tied together within a
larger bundle?
• Where can I find the detail on how to tie the proper knots?
• Where can continuous lacing be used?
• Are plastic tie straps allowed?
• What is the Mil spec for the one’s that are allowed?
• Where can they be used?
• Where can I find the correct tension for each size of tie strap?
 Installing & routing bundles
• The fabricated bundle
will be routed through
holes & along stringers
in the aircraft
• Care must be taken to
protect the bundle
throughout its route

AF pg 7-58
 Clamping
• Clamps should be lined with
a cushion material to avoid
damaging the bundle
• They also must be the
correct size:
– Too large
• allows movement which will
wear through the insulation
– Too small
• will pinch individual wires
near the attachment screw
perforating the insulation
 Clamp positioning
• Clamps should be
installed such that the
weight of the bundle
will not fold the clamp
over the attachment
hardware
 Attachment hardware
• The attachment hardware “build standard” is described in
regulations
• Note that there is no washer under the screw head, so the
screw is not intended to be turned
 Regulations
• How frequently should a bundle be clamped?
• When is a clamp tight enough?
• Can I build up a bundle’s diameter with tape if
the clamp is slightly too large?
• How much slack or movement is allowed
between clamps?
• Can plastic clamps or plastic tie straps with
screw attachment be used?
 Routing through holes
• A bundle should always be
clamped when passing
through a hole, to ensure
that it cannot chafe against
the metal edge
• If the bundle is going to be
closer than 3/8 inches to
the edge, grommet material
must cover the metal edge
 Other clearances
• Bundles must always be
routed a safe distance
from:
– Moveable mechanical
joints
– Control cables
– Fluid lines
– High temperature
equipment
 Regulations
• How close can a bundle be to structure before a grommet is
required?
• What is the Mil Spec number for a rubber grommet?
• How can a grommet be installed after the bundle has already
been installed?
• What is the Mil Spec number for “caterpillar” tubing?
• Can a wire bundle be installed below a fluid line?
• What is the minimum clearance from a fluid line?
• What is the minimum clearance from controls & control
cables?
 Bundle bend radius
• Bending a wire harness too tightly could
weaken some wires leading to breakage of the
conductor
• Minimum bend radii are defined in the
regulations for:
– Bending the whole bundle
– Breaking out some wires to form a smaller bundle
leaving the larger bundle (branching)
– Exiting the bundle to attach to a terminal strip
 Regulations
• What is the minimum bend radius for:
– a bundle of normal wire?
– RF coaxial cable?
– Thermocouple wire?
– reversing direction in a bundle?
– branching from the bundle?
– leaving the bundle to join a terminal strip?
 Protection of bundles
• Insulated tubing must be kept to
a minimum & must be used to
protect wire from conditions
which could affect the cable
insulation?
• Soft insulating tubing cannot be
considered as mechanical
protection against external
abrasion, since at best, it only
provides a delaying action
– Reroute the wiring so that it does
not rub
– Install conduit or ducting as
permanent protection
 Regulations
• Where do the reg’s caution to keep tubing to a minimum?
• Where does it say that soft insulating tubing should not be
considered adequate mechanical protection?
• How do I determine the correct size of conduit to use for a
bundle?
• Are there rules for bend radius of conduit?
• Is there such a thing as flexible conduit?
• Is drainage an issue with conduit?
• Can a bundle have string ties on it inside conduit?
The End….