"RST Engineering" wrote in message
m...

This appears to be from an older military aircraft, but there are lists
available. Two pretty good places to start are ATA Spec 2200 (which
includes ATA Spec 100) and AC 43.13 1B.

Except for the fact that neither 43.13.1B NOR 65-15 (the Airframe Handbook
from the trilogy General, Engine, and Airframe handbooks, each of them
about 600 pages long) cover the SYSTEM to be used for marking.-

I quote from page 385 of the Airframe handbook, "There is no standard
procedure for marking and identifying wiring; each manufacturer normally
develops his (sic) own identification code."

Seems to me that the homebuilt market can come up with a standard and a
method that we can all agree on, I'll publish it in Kitplanes, and then we
can simply refer the feller that asks the question a year from now to my
website, where that article will reside.

What's the big deal?

Jim

Some old Pipers, I think, and either early Falcon or Mitsubishi jets (can't
remember which) has a system that ought to work well for homebuilts. Many
avionics manufacturers have used similar systems, so most A&Ps would
recognize it. Here's how it works:

Every electrical component has a designator. This can be an abbreviation or
other appropriate alphanumeric string. Make them as intuitive as possible.
All sources, loads, switches, multiwire connectors, splices, junctions, etc.
would each have a unique designator. The builder makes a list of
designators telling what the component is and where each is located. Labels
on the component or airframe nearby (or both) are good.

Each wire is identified by a combination of two designators with pin,
socket, or terminal ID. For example, navigation light wiring could be as
follows:
NAVCB-2/NAVSW-C (Navigation circuit breaker load terminal to navigation
switch common terminal.)
NAVSW-NO/CON6-Sc (Navigation light switch NO terminal to Connector 6, socket
c. Reference to the component list tells us that Connector 6 is at the left
wing root.)
CON6-Pc/LNAV-1 (Connector 6, pin c, to left nav light, terminal 1.)

Wiring ought to be marked every 15 inches or so. I know the Brady-type
sleeves are expensive, but they sure save time. And if you buy enough
sleeves, some distributors will give you the hand-held thermal printer. An
active EAA chapter should consider getting one.

Dale