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andyhudson

Member
I bought a flying RV-7A and it has a VP-X system in it. I had to replace it with a VP-X Pro due to needing more circuits, and so far it has been fine. I'm trying to find out why it is so great. Is it great? If so, why? Does anyone know why it's "better" that regular circuit breakers?
Anyway, I'm now going to replace my nav/strobes and tail beacon with AeroLeds and I need to work through the VP-X. Anyone know how easy/difficult that's going to be?
 
andyhudson said:
I bought a flying RV-7A and it has a VP-X system in it. I had to replace it with a VP-X Pro due to needing more circuits, and so far it has been fine. I'm trying to find out why it is so great. Is it great? If so, why? Does anyone know why it's "better" that regular circuit breakers?
Anyway, I'm now going to replace my nav/strobes and tail beacon with AeroLeds and I need to work through the VP-X. Anyone know how easy/difficult that's going to be?
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I’ve built two planes with it. The simplicity is what I believe is the best selling point. The switches just complete a ground and that turns items on and off. Depending on the efis you might be able to go into the vpx menu and turn items off and on that way. If the wires are already run for your lights it should just be plug and play. If the previous lights were t LEDs you can probably lower the circuit breaker size for the lights. I would suggest going through their manuals and PDFs on their website. They aren’t very long but have tons of information for setup and operation. Reach out if you have any questions.
 
Why is the VPX better than a circuit breaker?
- Doesn't use up any panel space like 2 dozen breakers would do.
- The VPX monitors the circuit breaker so you don't have to scan all your breakers during runup or during the flight. I recall a flight on an 182RG where the gear pump failed at some point during the flight and popped the breaker. I only learned about it when I needed the gear and then had to execute a go-around. Nice to get a message on your EFIS the moment a breaker pops.
- An error condition can also be if a circuit is drawing too little current (like a broken pitot tube or bad bulb). A conventional breaker only reacts to too much current.
- Switches are just logical inputs that get configured concerning what they do. You can have one switch turn on many circuits and later change the details (like changing which avionics are essential and which you want off when the alternator fails).
- The VPX shows the power consumption of each circuit. That is a good tell tale if something is off.
- The VPX optionally ships with all the cables pre-crimped, so all you need to do is click those into the connectors and run them to the various devices. No routing to a breaker and then to the device.
 
"I'm now going to replace my nav/strobes and tail beacon with AeroLeds and I need to work through the VP-X. Anyone know how easy/difficult that's going to be?"

Andy,
Find a Windows-based laptop with an ethernet port...or find an ethernet-to-USB patch cord on the 'Zon.
Next, download the VPX Configurator software from Vertical Power (here: https://verticalpower.com/index.php/help/software) and install it on your laptop.
While you're at it, download the Configurator's release notes as your reference (on the same link).
Then, power up your airplane and the laptop, connect the cables, and use the Configurator to log into your VPX. It's there that you can make changes to your VPX, assign breaker values, use (or liberate) CB values and outputs.
Be sure and save your VPX's setup to your laptop's desktop (it saves as a config.vpx file).

Me? I love it. It does more than merely open a circuit for an over-amp condition: It tells you why it opened the circuit (short, runaway voltage, etc). I also like that I can run a system through my touchscreen Skyview HDX's VPX menu if a switch fails. Very flexible system and, after 9+ years and 1800+ Hobbs hours, very reliable.
 
As with many items of equipment there are many people who are not fans. As you have a VP-X the only aspect you you be cognisant of is a back-up power feed to your main AI and a radio to cater for the day it has a brain fart.
 
the big negative to me is it adds complexity, and therefore failure modes, and your entire electrical system is dependent on one manufacture. if one of their suppliers EOL's a part you may be rewiring your aircraft when the VPX dies.
 
n82rb said:
the big negative to me is it adds complexity, and therefore failure modes, and your entire electrical system is dependent on one manufacture. if one of their suppliers EOL's a part you may be rewiring your aircraft when the VPX dies.
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Solid state vs mechanical moving parts… mtbf (mean time between failure) favors the solid state device.
 
Pretty happy with the VP-X pro in our 14. Very flexible configuration lets you make changes more easily. No bus bars or hot leads going to the panel. Great visibility on the amp draw for each circuit. Field experience shows them to be quite reliable.
 
Pdp7427 said:
Solid state vs mechanical moving parts… mtbf (mean time between failure) favors the solid state device.
Click to expand...
Not a valid argument here. Comparing a single SS transistor to a single switch would have merit. The different levels of complexity prevents the two systems from being equated from a reliability standpoint; especially when functionality is processor controlled. Put another way, components that require serial function lowers reliability. Multiply a series of numbers with a value <1 and the resultant gets lower with every entry. Would love to see comparison FMEAs but it would require inclusion of any software/logic.

If you like your Vertical Power unit and the convenience, flexibility, etc. that it brings, great. Know any potential risks and any appropriate required actions for off-nominal operation.
 
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Freemasm said:
Not a valid argument here. Comparing a single SS transistor to a single switch would have merit. The different levels of complexity prevents the two systems from being equated from a reliability standpoint; especially when functionality is processor controlled. Put another way, components that require serial function lowers reliability. Multiply a series of numbers with a value <1 and the resultant gets lower with every entry. Would love to see comparison FMEAs but it would require inclusion of any software/logic.

If you like your Vertical Power unit and the convenience, flexibility, etc. that it brings, great. Know any potential risks and any appropriate required actions for off-nominal operation.
Click to expand...
That goes for any system...
 
My RV-14A has traditional circuit breakers while the RV-8 I purchased came with a VP-X Pro, so I can make side-by-side comparisons. So far (knock on wood) the VP-X has the upper hand with nearly 200 hours of solid operation. It plays nice with the G3X so I can monitor loads and turn them on/off on-screen or by a simple switch to ground.

I recently wanted to add pitot heat but found "all circuits are busy," so I simply combined R and L strobes (previously on two separate breakers). The factory has been very responsive, always getting back to me within a day and even offering to lend me the expensive crimper needed to modify the current configuration.

In other words, I'm happy so far. YMMV and I'll post updates as appropriate.
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback! So far, my VP-X Pro has been very reliable indeed and it is easy to open the circuit breaker screen on the Dynon (I have a dual 10" Dynon system with a GPS175 for IFR) and see how everything is doing. I will learn a lot when changing out my Whelen strobes for the AeroLeds... hopefully it'll be pretty easy.
 
scrollF4 said:
"I'm now going to replace my nav/strobes and tail beacon with AeroLeds and I need to work through the VP-X. Anyone know how easy/difficult that's going to be?"

Andy,
Find a Windows-based laptop with an ethernet port...or find an ethernet-to-USB patch cord on the 'Zon.
Next, download the VPX Configurator software from Vertical Power (here: https://verticalpower.com/index.php/help/software) and install it on your laptop.
While you're at it, download the Configurator's release notes as your reference (on the same link).
Then, power up your airplane and the laptop, connect the cables, and use the Configurator to log into your VPX. It's there that you can make changes to your VPX, assign breaker values, use (or liberate) CB values and outputs.
Be sure and save your VPX's setup to your laptop's desktop (it saves as a config.vpx file).

Me? I love it. It does more than merely open a circuit for an over-amp condition: It tells you why it opened the circuit (short, runaway voltage, etc). I also like that I can run a system through my touchscreen Skyview HDX's VPX menu if a switch fails. Very flexible system and, after 9+ years and 1800+ Hobbs hours, very reliable.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much! Great info.
 
I have a VPX in my -8. In addition to the other things mentioned, I like the speed limitation on the flaps, and I like the pre set flap positions. One click goes to 20, a second click to 40. One click up, and they come all the way up. I also like the wig wag function for the landing lights.
 
MCA said:
It's a very cool system! :cool:
Click to expand...
Mark, I enjoy the memory of sitting in the darkness at big bend ranch talking about your goals for Vertical Power in the early days. Seems like a lifetime ago. The vision lives on.
 
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I'll add that I've never been a fan of rocker switches with automotive-grade spade terminals being used for aircraft (long story short: vibration is not your friend). One time my Avionics Master switch (second from right in photo) became intermittent — and of course I couldn't just whip out the needle-nose pliers in flight and re-pinch the quick connect lug(s) behind the panel.

Enter the VP-X, where I simply went to the appropriate screen and forced the avionics on, bypassing the maverick switch until I got to the ground. One of the fringe benefits of the VP-X system.


N34PB Panel2.jpg
 
I’d like to know how you can pull individual circuits before startup if you needed to isolate a circuit for some reason. Or when doing a very first power on and not wanting to let the smoke out of all components at once if you mucked up the wiring.
 
Clayvt said:
I’d like to know how you can pull individual circuits before startup if you needed to isolate a circuit for some reason. Or when doing a very first power on and not wanting to let the smoke out of all components at once if you mucked up the wiring.
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Set your vpx configuration (done on the web interface or locally on a pc) to have any given circuit off by default. Then you can power on one circuit at a time if that’s what you want to do.
 
Pdp7427 said:
Set your vpx configuration (done on the web interface or locally on a pc) to have any given circuit off by default. Then you can power on one circuit at a time if that’s what you want to do.
Click to expand...
If you have Dynon integration you can do this right from the touch screen before engine start.
 
smithflys23 said:
If you have Dynon integration you can do this right from the touch screen before engine start.
Click to expand...
Possibly the same with Garmin but I’m not familiar enough yet to know. I do see where individual circuits can be powered on or off if tied to a switch. So all devices controlled by the avionics master through vpx can be powered up on the main efis screen one by one without the switch being on.
 
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