BigTex Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 I've decided to swapout my POS Flightcom 403 for a Sigtronics SPA-400. Looking at the wiring it's not even close to being the same. Has anyone made this swapout and if so, how did you handle the wiring? It looks like you can make an adapter cable to be able plug in the SPA into the Flightcom wiring. Let me know if anyone has any thoughts on this switch.
takair Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 Gary I'm not familiar with the Flightcom, but have installed the SPA-400 and have one myself. How you handle the grounds are critical and it depends on your audio panel. For example, isolating the jacks from airframe ground is key to getting a noise free installation. That may require running additonal ground wires. If you have a generator, it is not as important (alternators have more electrial noise). What are the bad symptoms of your current Flightcom. They are likely induced by the installation and not the intercom. The Sigtronics may not behave any better with the same wiring.
N601RX Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 Are they both a db 25 connector? If they are and the pins just need rearranging, I would get the pin extractor tool for that connector, remove the pins and put them back in the correct hole. If you cant do this then cut them off very close to the back of the connector and replace the conector. If you need any tools, connectors, or contacts try this palce. They have always had what I needed. http://www.lane-pilot.com/servlet/StoreFront www.steinair.com
jetdriven Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 I have the Sigtronics SPA-400. Its an OK intercom. The connector on the unit is at the end of a pigtail, and it is not a DB25. It looks like a 9 pin Molex. Anyways, the pinout for the SPA-400 is on their website. Find the pinout for the Flightcom. Match them up and put the correct wires in the connector for the Sigtronics.
N601RX Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 If you already own both of these intercoms and an older audio panel, you might consider selling all 3 on eBay and putting in a newer ps engineering unit. They incorporate the intercom into the audio panel and have very good noise suppression. They use a separate pin for each audio high and low circuit where some of the older stuff just has one large common terminal on the back. If you do some shopping around you can find a used none Bluetooth ps8000 for 1k.
danb35 Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 I have the PS 7000B in my plane, and it's an excellent audio panel and intercom--but replacing the audio panel is a much bigger project than replacing a standalone intercom.
BigTex Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Posted June 23, 2012 Maybe I just have a bad one but the Flightcom I'm using now every once in awhile it starts making a banging sound. It almost sounds like your setting inside a trash can during a thunderstorm. I like the idea of just building an adapter cable to go between the 9 pin and the 25 pin. If anyone has a wiring diagram, I'd love to see it.
takair Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 hard to diagnose from here, but the banging reminds me of a short to ground on either a mic wire or headphone wire. Does it go away altogether with the ICS off, inother words, can you use the audio panel with it off? If this is wiring, the SPA will give you the same problem. I would look at the audio jacks first. Frequently they turn/twist and short or the adjacent ground pin or shield touches the main wire. Of course it might be the intercom, but this sounds like an unusual failure mode for one. Sorry, I don't have a wiriing diagram for the interconnect. Both, flightcom and Sigtronics post the basic interconnect on line.
BigTex Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Posted June 23, 2012 I've already purchased the SPA so I'll give that a try first... Now I need to work of the wiring for the adapter cable.
Immelman Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 My previous planre had a 403 and I had no issues with it. I installed a sigtronics spa400 in my current plane. I found it very simple to install. I had a problem with a lot of excess noise and found out it was coming from my mechanical voltage regulator. I replaced it with a zeftronics regulator and it solved all my noise problems.
BigTex Posted August 1, 2012 Author Report Posted August 1, 2012 Just a follow-up on my 403 to SPA400 swap-out. It turned out to be a pretty easy exchange. I had a wiring adaper built that would connect the existing 403 wiring to the SPA400. It worked great. Not sure if anyone else is thinking about this swapout but if so, PM me and I'll send you the wiring diagram for the adapter.
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