What is involved with removing old Nav heads from panel?

[Echo]

I have a couple old Nav heads I want to remove from my panel.  How big a deal is this to complete?  How about an Inoperative Brittain Nav Control or an old inop King GPS?

What kind of time should this take?  What is involved?

[carusoam]

Nav displays…

1) mostly a few short wires and power, connected to the associated radio…

2) Filling the hole nicely may cost a bit more…

3) Ask your favorite radio shop for their suggestion…

Expect small hours and small additional bits and pieces… to nicely fill the holes left behind…

4) research: Find the install book for the actual device to see how many wires are attached…  or if lucky, remove the screws and have a look…

Some displays near the bottom of the panel are easier to get out, compared to the ones near the top of the panel….

5) Sounds like they might not be attached to anything already…?

Probably one of the easier removal projects around…

The ADF display may have only one cable going to it…. 
 

6) Removing all of the dead wires of a com radio and GPS… take a few extra hours… chasing all the way to the tail and into the ceiling… best done at annual time where the interior may be out already….

7) Doing all of the work all at one time… will minimize the time spent planning and executing…

8) whole radios come with lots of wires going long distances… compared to a VOR display or ADF head…

9) use caution with old BK stuff… these can be fully integrated systems… where the GPS is connected to the HSI, AI, and static system at the same time… much more planning is better…. 

 

PP thoughts only, not an avionics technician…

Best regards,

-a-

[tmo]

Just removing the device is no work; but you probably also want to remove the rack it was installed in, which is more work. Which leads to wanting to remove all the wiring that is terminated at the rack, and this is where the cost lies, as there could be really lots of it, going to many other units in the panel and elsewhere (antenna, etc). Do it right, don't defer...

[Echo]

3 hours ago, tmo said:

Just removing the device is no work; but you probably also want to remove the rack it was installed in, which is more work. Which leads to wanting to remove all the wiring that is terminated at the rack, and this is where the cost lies, as there could be really lots of it, going to many other units in the panel and elsewhere (antenna, etc). Do it right, don't defer...

Kinda meh to that? (cleaning up old wiring) I just want it out of the way and to NOT mess up existing coms that are working great.  Of course belly antenna's will be removed.

[Echo]

I am looking for function.  Clearly I am not an electronics engineer and the "perfection" of what is in a wiring bundle doesn't keep me up at night.  I am glad that there are electronics perfectionists/wizards in the wild, but I am not one of them.  Just looking for function, space and elinination of dated non-functional equipment.

[tmo]

Some would argue that there are quite a few pounds of useful load to be gained by removing old, unused stuff, including wiring. But in principle one can leave the disconnected wiring tucked away behind the panel.

[carusoam]

The cool thing about the old wiring…

The UL improvement can be quite large!

especially when removing the entire ancient systems…

there are a few records and pics of what has been removed around here…

Best regards,

-a-

[Echo]

8 hours ago, carusoam said:

The cool thing about the old wiring…

The UL improvement can be quite large!

especially when removing the entire ancient systems…

there are a few records and pics of what has been removed around here…

Best regards,

-a-

Down ten with Carnivore.  I can spare a bit of wire.   

[PT20J]

You can buy blank covers to fit instrument panel holes and radio stack openings after you remove the equipment and tie up any loose wires so they aren’t flopping around behind the panel. 

EDIT: I should mention that removing equipment requires a logbook entry and a weight and balance update and you should update the equipment list.

Edited October 22, 2023 by PT20J

[bcg]

On 10/21/2023 at 12:58 PM, Echo said:

I am looking for function.  Clearly I am not an electronics engineer and the "perfection" of what is in a wiring bundle doesn't keep me up at night.  I am glad that there are electronics perfectionists/wizards in the wild, but I am not one of them.  Just looking for function, space and elinination of dated non-functional equipment.

Old wiring is a pay now or pay later deal, at some point you (or someone) is going to pay to have it pulled out.  In the meantime, every time you have work done on the panel, it's going to cost more because of the difficulty and complexity of working around all the abandoned wiring.  I just pulled all the abandoned wiring out of my plane, it took me 30 hours to trace it all out and figure out what could be safely removed and what needed to stay behind.  It was 35 - 40 pounds of wiring and avionics, 28 of which was the old avionics.  I know you don't care what it looks like and are trying to save money but, in this case it's false economy.  What you save now will be spent later, and then some, to work around the mess you're leaving behind.

Just the opinion of a guy that's recently been down this road...

[Echo]

1 hour ago, bcg said:

Old wiring is a pay now or pay later deal, at some point you (or someone) is going to pay to have it pulled out.  In the meantime, every time you have work done on the panel, it's going to cost more because of the difficulty and complexity of working around all the abandoned wiring.  I just pulled all the abandoned wiring out of my plane, it took me 30 hours to trace it all out and figure out what could be safely removed and what needed to stay behind.  It was 35 - 40 pounds of wiring and avionics, 28 of which was the old avionics.  I know you don't care what it looks like and are trying to save money but, in this case it's false economy.  What you save now will be spent later, and then some, to work around the mess you're leaving behind.

Just the opinion of a guy that's recently been down this road...

To each their own?  Not my first rodeo.  It won't be shoddy work.  I have plenty of useful load for my mission.  Wasn't really asking for advise, but welcome the input.  I already received my answer on removing the nav heads.  I WILL be gaining useful load from the boat anchors removal.  The com 2 rack will be going to center.  The radio will either work after the move...or it won't.  This is NOT a complex procedure that is being undertaken.  Scott

[Echo]

7 hours ago, PT20J said:

You can buy blank covers to fit instrument panel holes and radio stack openings after you remove the equipment and tie up any loose wires so they aren’t flopping around behind the panel. 

EDIT: I should mention that removing equipment requires a logbook entry and a weight and balance update and you should update the equipment list.

THIS!    Thanks for this simple/direct/helpful answer.  Honesty guys the wire discussions are over the top.  Thanks again PT20J.  MUCH appreciated.  Scott

[Echo]

Removed the old Nav heads.  Hardest part was finding the correct allen wrench (tiny) to remove the knobs and get the nav heads out.  Thanks for help everyone.

Anyone know the right size allen wrench to remove an old in op King GPS from tray?  I feel like I am in, but just feels like it is turning and NOT releasing the unit.  Thanks for help.  Scott

[Fly Boomer]

40 minutes ago, Echo said:

Removed the old Nav heads.  Hardest part was finding the correct allen wrench (tiny) to remove the knobs and get the nav heads out.  Thanks for help everyone.

Anyone know the right size allen wrench to remove an old in op King GPS from tray?  I feel like I am in, but just feels like it is turning and NOT releasing the unit.  Thanks for help.  Scott

Most are 3/32.  Some are further back from the panel front, so I got this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Du-Bro-Ball-Wrench-4-40-Socket/dp/B0006O4HAY?th=1

Also, sometimes the locking mechanism is bent/damaged by ham-fisted over-tightening, and it's difficult to get it out.

[Echo]

38 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Most are 3/32.  Some are further back from the panel front, so I got this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Du-Bro-Ball-Wrench-4-40-Socket/dp/B0006O4HAY?th=1

Also, sometimes the locking mechanism is bent/damaged by ham-fisted over-tightening, and it's difficult to get it out.

Ordered.  Thanks Boomer.