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Canopy switch

wcalvert

Well Known Member
Another take here on a canopy switch that will indicate status to the Dynon EMS and display in Skyview.

I was looking for a streamlined install that hid the wires ,was stable (no chance of catching on a sleeve or whatever) and used a proven high cycle switch.

The switch is a Kidder 106F, commonly used on truck doors and the like to switch the courtesy light. It is drilled through the F705 stack on the passenger side. The material there is thick, so the switch only extends through enough to be held by the nut, no adjustment throw.

The white UHMW block is there to take up the space between the latch lever and the switch. A thin slot is cut across the face of the block to act as a spring, keeping gentle pressure on the switch when closed. Once the block is fitted (mill a slot in the forward side of the block) with the latch closed, a #6 clearance hole drilled through the block/latch allows a small bolt/nut to hold it in place.

The only drawback of having a latch indicator is that it only tells you that the latch is closed. You would not get a canopy warning if the canopy were say, fully up as you took off... guess you get what you deserve.

Hope this helps someone is their search for solutions. Cheers
 

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Dynon Canopy warning

Skyview has a specific canopy warning pin available for your switch and it is configured in the EMS SENSOR SETUP menu. You can write a simple .dfg file on a flash drive and load it using SETUP, load system files. A canopy status light will be available on the EMS screen, green if closed, red if open and Betty will sound a "Check Canopy Latch" audio warning if the engine RPM exceeds what you have specified and the canopy is unlatched.

It's explained in Section 7 of the Skyview IM.
 
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File available

I have the Canopy.dfg file you need for this from Dynon support if you need it. You can also edit the file to change what RPM the Warning and voice activate. I set mine to allow taxi and run up with the canopy partially open for hot summer operations but the warning sounds just above run up RPM so it would sound before the aircraft has moved more than a foot or two if canopy was not secure for takeoff.
 
I used a simple microswitch.

i-xKfqGw2-M.jpg


The arm on the microswitch will only hit the latch lug from the tipup, so even if you close the latch, unless the canopy is down and latched, the switch won't close. The Dynon EMS will set the red blinky light on the dash going if you unlatch the canopy while taxiing (like after landing).
 
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