Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 Want to have a PS Engineering Stereo intercom installed in my plane. Plane has an old simple KA124 push button Audio panel that works fantastic, but no intercom. How many hours is reasonable to install the intercom? How many wires actually go to the KA124 if any? Currently there is only a pilot jack. I want to put in a Lemo plug too. Quote
LANCECASPER Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 Here's what it was 7 years ago https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/audio-panel-install-cost.99010/#:~:text=Pre-Flight&text=They want almost %244%2C000 just,unit is going to cost. Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 1 hour ago, LANCECASPER said: Here's what it was 7 years ago https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/audio-panel-install-cost.99010/#:~:text=Pre-Flight&text=They want almost %244%2C000 just,unit is going to cost. I don't need a whole audio panel. Just the intercom Lance. Quote
carusoam Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 Find our PSEngineering guy around here… @Mscheuer He loves to answer questions like this. Trying to add a ‘stereo’ intercom to a non-stereo audio panel… may add to the complexity Best regards, -a- Quote
LANCECASPER Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 9 minutes ago, Echo said: I don't need a whole audio panel. Just the intercom Lance. The labor is just for the audio panel. Shops estimate it at least a 40 hour job. 1 Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 I had a KMA24 in first plane and had a ps engineering intercom in. It was not a big job. What I am being told is that the intercom will NOT work with my existing audio panel and it will be $4 grand to install? Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 10 hours ago, LANCECASPER said: The labor is just for the audio panel. Shops estimate it at least a 40 hour job. I don't want to remove my existing audio panel. I am just adding a stereo intercom to it. Quote
Pinecone Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 For just the intercom, the big thing will be wiring all the jacks for all the seating positions. Or rewiring if you are going from Mono to Stereo. The intercom to audio panel will not be much. 1 Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 2 hours ago, Pinecone said: For just the intercom, the big thing will be wiring all the jacks for all the seating positions. Or rewiring if you are going from Mono to Stereo. The intercom to audio panel will not be much. No intercom in plane now. Only doing pilot and co-pilot. I have housings and lemo plug install kit. Quote
LANCECASPER Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 4 hours ago, Echo said: I don't want to remove my existing audio panel. I am just adding a stereo intercom to it. Ah ok I understand. I would just use a portable intercom rather than spending the labor cost. If your headsets are already lemo, lemo adaptors and AA batteries are pretty inexpensive in comparison https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/acs_skycom.php?clickkey=9832 2 Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 2 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said: Ah ok I understand. I would just use a portable intercom rather than spending the labor cost. If your headsets are already lemo, lemo adaptors and AA batteries are pretty inexpensive in comparison https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/acs_skycom.php?clickkey=9832 I hear you Lance. I like to listen to music when I fly. The PS has a nice fade in feature that I value. I had the intercom (stereo) set-up installed in first plane and it was NOT a big deal. Not sure what happened...as 20 year old tech is seeming insurmountable to install? I would prefer to NOT have cords of a portable intercom to deal with. Worth a few hundred in labor to have panel plugs, but NOT a few thousand...Scott Quote
carusoam Posted October 21, 2023 Report Posted October 21, 2023 1 hour ago, Echo said: I hear you Lance. I like to listen to music when I fly. The PS has a nice fade in feature that I value. I had the intercom (stereo) set-up installed in first plane and it was NOT a big deal. Not sure what happened...as 20 year old tech is seeming insurmountable to install? I would prefer to NOT have cords of a portable intercom to deal with. Worth a few hundred in labor to have panel plugs, but NOT a few thousand...Scott You probably should call @Mscheuer at PSE… You know what you have, and what you want to do… Mark knows what you need and how to get it done… PS makes the best audio systems available outside the big G realm… Find Mark! Best regards, -a- Quote
Echo Posted October 21, 2023 Author Report Posted October 21, 2023 1 hour ago, carusoam said: You probably should call @Mscheuer at PSE… You know what you have, and what you want to do… Mark knows what you need and how to get it done… PS makes the best audio systems available outside the big G realm… Find Mark! Best regards, -a- I agree Anthony. I have had PS Engineering products in my first two planes and have their stereo intercom in hand ready for install. Just thought there might be some expertise/insight here in MS so threw out my situation. I rarely install new. I even more rarely install latest and greatest in avionics. I wish avionics installers didn't push so hard to install "new" and upsell so much. I know what I want AND what I want to spend. $100 an hour should be enough IMO. Recognizing ALL customers are not the same is not a thing when you have a long waiting list and it is a sellers market I guess. 1 Quote
PT20J Posted October 22, 2023 Report Posted October 22, 2023 There is no reason you cannot install a PS intercom as you desire, but if you are on a budget, I would only install pilot and copilot positions. Running the wires to the rear seats requires removing a lot of interior panels and greatly increases the cost. Quote
Echo Posted October 22, 2023 Author Report Posted October 22, 2023 1 hour ago, PT20J said: There is no reason you cannot install a PS intercom as you desire, but if you are on a budget, I would only install pilot and copilot positions. Running the wires to the rear seats requires removing a lot of interior panels and greatly increases the cost. Yes. Clarified that earlier. 1 Quote
ArtVandelay Posted October 22, 2023 Report Posted October 22, 2023 There is no reason you cannot install a PS intercom as you desire, but if you are on a budget, I would only install pilot and copilot positions. Running the wires to the rear seats requires removing a lot of interior panels and greatly increases the cost. Can you mix and match stereo jacks with mono jacks? Quote
Echo Posted October 22, 2023 Author Report Posted October 22, 2023 4 hours ago, ArtVandelay said: Can you mix and match stereo jacks with mono jacks? Good question. I don't know the answer to that. I only have a non-stereo set-up with jacks ONLY on pilot side. I want the lemo plug. I was hoping to add that and retain the dual non-stereo jacks in plane now. If that doesn't work will just have lemo on pilot side. Quote
Mscheuer Posted October 22, 2023 Report Posted October 22, 2023 Hello Mooneyspace pilots! I appreciate the confidence you have in me, I am humbled. I would be happy to talk about intercoms and audio panels. Much better via phone versus typing on my iPad. Please feel free to call me at 865-988-9800, I’m in all week. Look forward to doing my level best in offering whatever help one needs when it comes to Aircraft audio. Mark Scheuer Quote
PT20J Posted October 23, 2023 Report Posted October 23, 2023 7 hours ago, ArtVandelay said: Can you mix and match stereo jacks with mono jacks? I would look up the installation drawing to see what options are available. PS Engineering should have the documentation on its website. Quote
vik Posted October 24, 2023 Report Posted October 24, 2023 On 10/22/2023 at 10:22 AM, ArtVandelay said: Can you mix and match stereo jacks with mono jacks? Of cause you can, but ... You will listen to only one stereo channel at the mono jack. A stereo headset like lightspeed have a switch to mono, so at least you will be listening to that single channel with both ears. Mono headset should do the same by default. Wiring the intercom just takes time. I would budget the whole day at the minimum. Double that if it is a Mooney 1 Quote
PT20J Posted October 25, 2023 Report Posted October 25, 2023 30 years ago I added an intercom to a 1978 M20J with a KMA 20 audio panel. I had the interior out for rehab, so it wasn't difficult to wire the rear seat jacks. Because the audio panel is at the top of the stack and less deep than standard rack mount radios, it wasn't hard to get to the connections. The hard part was getting another breaker in the circuit breaker panel. 1 Quote
Echo Posted October 27, 2023 Author Report Posted October 27, 2023 Found a LOCAL tech that is willing to take on job of installing my intercom, EDM830 engine monitorand relocation of my Com 2. Both "professional" avionics installers within 60 miles of me really didn't want to do the work. I understand, but I DO NOT appreciate it. I prefer to support local. This guy, as some here suggested I find, works full time and the avionics work is a side gig. He knows Mooney's having flown them as well as worked on them so looking forward to getting my panel where I WANT IT over the winter. Just purchased a kerosene heater too (yes I have a CO monitor) so spending time in hanger over winter won't be awful. Thanks again for all the input. Scott 2 Quote
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