P-Lead Length

[Skates97]

Saturday when I had the cowling off and was looking around (I make a habit of it as you never know what you'll see) I noticed that the ground from the shielding on the P-Lead for the right mag is barely hanging on. I noticed that Aircraft Spruce sells some in different lengths.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/slk-pleads.php?clickkey=6373

Does anyone happen to know the length of the RH mag P-Lead on a 1965 M-20D with an O-360?  @AGL Aviation, @M20Doc, @N201MKTurbo? 

I could always pull it out, measure it, and run over to Spruce to pick it up as it is just around the corner but it would be nice to know if it was in stock prior to pulling it out. 

[N201MKTurbo]

What do your P-leads look like? Which mags do you have? Do you have terminals on the mag or the screw in type?

[AGL Aviation]

Saturday when I had the cowling off and was looking around (I make a habit of it as you never know what you'll see) I noticed that the ground from the shielding on the P-Lead for the right mag is barely hanging on. I noticed that Aircraft Spruce sells some in different lengths.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/slk-pleads.php?clickkey=6373
Does anyone happen to know the length of the RH mag P-Lead on a 1965 M-20D with an O-360?  [mention=14357]AGL Aviation[/mention], [mention=12030]M20Doc[/mention], [mention=7464]N201MKTurbo[/mention]? 
I could always pull it out, measure it, and run over to Spruce to pick it up as it is just around the corner but it would be nice to know if it was in stock prior to pulling it out. 

Which mag do you have?
Lynn is thinking it's in the neighborhood of 48-60", if you don't know exactly, err on the side of safety... You have to make up the end that goes to the switch anyway, so shoot for longer.


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[Skates97]

10 minutes ago, AGL Aviation said:

Which mag do you have?
Lynn is thinking it's in the neighborhood of 48-60", if you don't know exactly, err on the side of safety... You have to make up the end that goes to the switch anyway, so shoot for longer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

My appliance list has them as a Slick 4370 and 4347. I suppose the longer advice goes along the same lines of when getting a hair cut, you can always make it shorter...

[David Lloyd]

I have made and have seen an A&P make new pleads.  Actually the A&P did not do as classy a job as this: nuts, why can't I copy & paste a link.  Go to eaavideo.org and search p lead fabrication.  Watch the video.  Oh, and there are about a 1000 other videos on that site you ought to watch.

Edited June 19, 2018 by David Lloyd

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, David Lloyd said:

I have made and have seen an A&P make new pleads.  Actually the A&P did not do as classy a job as this: nuts, why can't I copy & paste a link.  Go to eaavideo.org and search p lead fabrication.  Watch the video.  Oh, and there are about a 1000 other videos on that site you ought to watch.

Great video, and I like the added heat-shrink he puts over the connectors. That is where the ground for the shielding is all frayed and falling apart on mine. His method looks like it produces a better product than purchasing the pre-made bogert one that Aircraft Spruce sells. (Not to mention that it's a lot cheaper to buy 5' of wire and make it than buy the pre-made version...)

[David Lloyd]

Don't know if ACS or the video mentioned, use 18 shielded, anything smaller is difficult to pull the center through the braid.  

[Skates97]

9 minutes ago, David Lloyd said:

Don't know if ACS or the video mentioned, use 18 shielded, anything smaller is difficult to pull the center through the braid.  

He didn't mention it but a quick search turned up that 18 shielded is the way to go. Under $1.00/ft and once I toss in the ends and heat-shrink I am a long way below the $37.50 that Spruce wants for the 60" pre-made P-Lead.

[RLCarter]

@Skates97 remember with the P-Lead disconnected the Mag is "HOT" so no turning the prop. If it were me I would replace both while I had things apart

[David Lloyd]

What Robert said.  Few years back my RV had been in the hanger for ten days while being inspected.  For some forgotten reason I wanted to turn the engine. Been sitting, no fuel pump, mixture at ICO, etc. and turned the key.  That sucker fired instantly and spun the prop four or five times.  If there is any possibility a mag is hot I am not touching a prop.  And there is always a possibility.  

[L. Trotter]

On the topic of P-Leads

I've always treated a prop like a loaded gun....I always consider them loaded until proven otherwise.

Another good habit to get into, especially for those of us with hangers (we don't need to pull the key out to lock the plane door). When you shut the engine down, pull the key completely out of the ignition. Make it part of your shut down check list.

[Bryan]

28 minutes ago, L. Trotter said:

Another good habit to get into, especially for those of us with hangers (we don't need to pull the key out to lock the plane door). When you shut the engine down, pull the key completely out of the ignition. Make it part of your shut down check list.

I always do this but put the keys on the dash. That way ppl outside the plane can see the the “gun” is supposed to be unloaded, every flight. 

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, L. Trotter said:

On the topic of P-Leads

I've always treated a prop like a loaded gun....I always consider them loaded until proven otherwise.

Another good habit to get into, especially for those of us with hangers (we don't need to pull the key out to lock the plane door). When you shut the engine down, pull the key completely out of the ignition. Make it part of your shut down check list.

 

34 minutes ago, Bryan said:

I always do this but put the keys on the dash. That way ppl outside the plane can see the the “gun” is supposed to be unloaded, every flight. 

Part of the shutdown checklist for the planes where I took my PPL lessons was to put the keys on the dash for that exact reason. I have a GoPro mount on the center post of my plne. After forgetting to remove the keys on a couple of different occasions I started making it part of my routine to hang them there so I can see that they have been removed. 

[RLCarter]

My keys hang on Baro set knob, short bodied Mooneys with original windshields have no glare shield, plus that's where my CFI use to hang them, so it's an old habit 

[Yetti]

Never be in the prop arc.  If you are in the prop arc, then act like you are hand propping.

[Hank]

15 hours ago, L. Trotter said:

Another good habit to get into, especially for those of us with hangers (we don't need to pull the key out to lock the plane door). When you shut the engine down, pull the key completely out of the ignition. Make it part of your shut down check list.

I've been doing this since I was a student pilot.

Now that I own, the hangar door key is on the same key ring. Can't lock up if the key is still in the ignition . . . But I did go off one day with the key on the panel when someone else was in the hangar and I didn't need to lock the door. Just couldn't get back in the next time—a whole different problem.

[Guest]

22 hours ago, Bryan said:

I always do this but put the keys on the dash. That way ppl outside the plane can see the the “gun” is supposed to be unloaded, every flight. 

It’s only “unloaded” if you did a live magneto check as part of your shut down checks.

Clarence

[Bryan]

Keyword “supposed” (italics). Even with the P-lead shutdown check doesn’t guarantee it is unloaded.