Certification: The
VP-X is for use only with experimental and light sport aircraft.
Note: Either a wiring harness kit or connector-only kit is required with the VP-X system.
The VP-X
integrates with many popular EFIS products enabling you to monitor and control
your entire electrical system on the EFIS display. In addition using the EFIS
for attitude, navigation, and engine information, you now can use the EFIS
display to monitor the health of your electrical system, view and control the
status of individual circuits, and respond to circuit faults.
Vertical
Power offers these capabilities through the use of a patented electronic
circuit breaker (ECB) technology that is at the core of all of our products. Of
course, ECBs provide circuit protection like old-fashion thermal circuit
breakers, but ECBs do a lot more than just detect circuit faults. ECBs are
intelligent, configurable, and offer capabilities not otherwise available with
old-style breakers. For example, ECBs can detect a burned-out landing light or
disable the starter circuit while the engine is running.
The VP-X
supports a single bus electrical architecture with a single or dual alternator
configuration. It additionally supports the ability to measure the voltage on
an aux battery. There are enough circuits to wire a typical RV (including the
RV-10), Glastar, Lancair Legacy, Velocity, Cozy, or other 2 to 4 place
aircraft.
Wiring With the VP-X
Wiring your airplane is a serious project. No one can make it easy, but we can
make it a lot easier. We provide complete instructions, how-to guides, tool
rentals, wiring harnesses and wiring diagrams to assist with your project.
Rather
than a mess of wiring behind the panel, you wire from the VP-X directly to each
electrical device. Run a power wire from the VP-X to the landing light. Run a
power wire to the EFIS. Run a power wire to the transponder. Run a bundle of five
wires to a trim servo. Run two wires to the flap motor. And so on. Run a small
wire from each trim switch, the flap switch, and panel switch to the VP-X.
Then use the setup menus in the EFIS to configure your system. You specify
which power pin each device is connected to, what the circuit breaker values
are, and which switch should turn each device (or group of devices) on or off.
You can use any type of switch you like to match your panel.
DualBuss™ Technology The VP-X Pro
includes Vertical Power’s new DualBuss™ technology that has two independent
power busses in a single system, delivering unprecedented levels of redundancy
and safety. Builders can now easily divide avionics and other electrical loads
between two power busses, and should one bus controller fail the other bus will
continue to operate independently and be able to provide power to the starter
contactor. Each bus controller is powered by an independent power supply and
microprocessor.
Cost Analysis
Below is a table showing the cost of various components for
your aircraft to achieve a basic level of functionality to the VP-X. As you
look at each component, consider the added complexity for the wiring, learning,
troubleshooting, and mounting requirements for each one. We think you’ll find
the cost and simplicity of the VP-X is very competitive.
Item
“
Old Way”
VP-X
Circuit breakers
$600
Included
Landing light wig-wag module
$100
Included
Trim controller w/ harness
$430
Included
Flap positioning system
$225
Included
Flap controller w/ harness
$290
Included
Flap over-speed warning module
$65
Included
Over-voltage module
$35
Included
Shunts
$50
Not
needed
Relays
$40
Not
needed
E-bus diode
$20
Not
needed
Airspeed switch
$49
Not
needed
What you will need VP-X System
What you won't need "
Old Way"
EFIS (see list of supported
Circuit breakers/fuses
models further down the page)
(except for backup circuits)
Panel switches, including master, mag and starter
Shunt/hall effect sensor
Trim switch(es), on panel or stick
Over-voltage module
Flap switch, on panel or stick
Low-voltage alarm
Battery contactor
Flap positioning system
Starter contactor
Flap controller
VP-X Wiring Harness or Connector-Only Kit,
Flap over-speed module
(sold separately)
Mechanical airspeed switch
Flap position sensor (optional)
Trim controller
Big wires between battery, starter, and VP-X
Trim speed controller
Wig-wag module
Trim or flap position indicators
Trim relays
Trim voltage regulator
Avionics relay
E-bus diode
VP-X System Capabilities
Type
VP-X
Sport
VP-X
Pro
2A circuits*
2
2
3A circuit*
1
1
5A circuits*
8
15
10A circuits*
5
6
15A circuits*
3
3
Starter contactor circuit
Yes
Yes
Pitch trim motor controller
Yes
Yes
Roll trim motor controller
Yes
Yes
Reversible flap motor control with braking
Yes
Yes
Flap and trim position sensor inputs
Yes
Yes
Processors
1
2
Power supplies
1
2
Flap and trim switch inputs
6
6
Panel switch inputs
10
10
Aux battery voltage measurement
No
Yes
Starter annunciator
Yes
Yes
Volts
14v
14v
or 28v
Main power input from battery contactor
Yes
Yes
RS-232 interface to EFIS
Yes
Yes
Ethernet interface to PC
Yes
Yes
* Circuit breaker value can be set anywhere
between 1 amp and the maximum value shown.
Interfaces
The VP-X requires an EFIS for alarm and status display. The currently supported systems include:
• Advanced Flight Systems 3400s, 3500s, 4500s, 5500s, 5600s
•
Grand Rapids
Technologies HX and Sport SX
• MGL Avionics Voyager/Odyssey Gen II/MGL Avionics Xtreme
• Garmin G3X
• Dynon Skyview
Software Updates
and Setup Software updating and system configuration are performed
using a PC application that runs on Windows and connects to the VP-X via an
Ethernet cable.
Weight Analysis The VP-X weighs 1.9 pounds. Depending on the aircraft and
the way it is outfitted, the VP-X comes in about net-neutral or a few pounds of
weight savings.
Electrical - Power Panels
