Canopy seal - Automatic version :)

All,

While you can go to the VP website (www.verticalpower.com) and see the schematic of how to hook up the Lancair Canopy seal pump to the VP-200. Im most instanced with a Legacy, it would still require a mechanical switch that switches the seal from atmosphere to the pump and vic-a-versa. I wanted a more automated solution and worked with Marc at VP to figure out the wiring. I also needed to source an "electronic" switch which I did with Parker's Pneutronics group.

The Part number of the switch is 003-0258-900
And here is the product page - electronics switch pump at Parker
In my case, its a 3 way, 24V switch that's good to 50psi. I has two wires on it. They are simply + and -. When you power the switch, it switches, when it's unpowered it goes back to either NC or NO depending on how your connected the hoses. Also, the one listed above uses 1/8" ID barbs which mate the hose material that is used in the Lancair Canopy seal.

Wiring to the VP box is actually 3 pins. 1 to power the pump (and it's associated pressure regulator switch - the 2 are in series with one another). Another wire will go to the parker switch, and finally, You take a wire off the pressure pump and run it back to one of the Active High inputs on the CU box. This in turn senses when the pump runs and provides a mechanism for annunciation.

I'll try to draw up a version in Cad, to better show this.

What this will give me over time (may not be in first releases of VP software), is the ability to control the canopy switch based upon flight modes, specific rules, etc. For example. I can have the VP-200 system turn on the canopy seal when in Taxi and flight modes, and turn it off when in preflight, startup, or shutdown modes. Plus I don't need yet another ugly switch on the panel or hidden somewhere. :)

Aint this stuff totally cool and all brought to you by the Magicians (my new word for them) at Vertical Power.... It's better than having a Co-Pilot, you don't have to tell them, or educate them on what to do!