Gables Audio Panel Wiring

[Polmer]

I know this subject has been brought up before ,so I will apologize in advance ( couldn't find it using the search function) but............

I just purchased a gables Audio panel ( 10$ on ebay!), and would like know what voltage is needed to activate the backlighting and which pins do I use?
Also, for the other buttons, would it be easier to tear out the wiring and re wire it myself or use the pre-existing pins? The problem is that I dont have any wiring diagrams so I dont know how to tap into the current pin configuration on the back of the unit.

Any advise?

Thanks,

Polmer



http://www.aircraftstock.com/images/newfolder/09182009/9182009%20(42).JPG

[Geremy Britton]

The person who was our resident expert in this department doesn't seem to visit us as much as he used to.

If anyone else knows the pins for connection please let us know i'd be interested myself.

[jhaverkamp]

You might try for a service manual at www.gableseng.com/audio.asp sometimes manuals can be had by downloading a pdf file.

[Hessel Oosten]

Have nearly the same.

Already tried the backlighting: 5 V DC.

Hessel

[Polmer]

Progress:

last night I have uncovered the pin combination to get the following Microphone switches to work:

PTT
Voice Only
VHF-1
VHF-2
VHF-3
HF-1
HF-2
INT
PA

I really need to get the volume (on/off) switches to work( have the arrow on them), and of course the backlighting would be nice too.

I have tried the Gables site and have request access to documentation and will see where that takes me.


will keep you posted.

~Polmer

[Geremy Britton]

Polmer, how did you manage to find the right pins for what you have found there :) Must have taken a lot of work ... theres hundreds of possible combinations for each component right? And if you get one wrong it could damage the internal components anyway. :?

Bravo to you for working so hard in finding the pins for what you listed. :)

[Polmer]

Well, yes it did take me several hours to accomplish this much.
I didnt bother to put voltage through any pins since I didn't want to short anything out.

This unit has 2 cable connections;
J1= has 55 pins
j2= 24 pins

I turned on the switches then tested pins for a short.
Once I got a short, I had to turn off each switch to find out which switch caused the short.

Not sure how far I will get decoding the wiring, but will be glad to share what what I uncover when im done.

[Polmer]

Further Progress:


I finally got the gables backlighting to work ( Thanks Udo).

It takes 12 volts, and I bypassed the pins on the back, opened up the case and found several light posts with 2 poles. Connecting to anyone of these lights up the whole circuit and the backlighting comes to life. Polarity didn't seem to matter.

I will get some pictures posted shortly.

~Polmer

[Polmer]

Gables Audio Panel Progress Continued

As mentioned in the previous post, Udo helped me to get this panel backlight working.



If you look carefully in the 1st photo, you will see the yellow arrows pointing to the points were you can connect a power 12v power source. There are several of these (nodes) available once you take off the case and look inside.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/DSC00972-1.jpg

I just soldered two wires to the 2 connections, then feed them off my PC 12V power & ground. The results show how it looks with the lights. Yes, the switches light up when selected as well........

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/DSC00974.jpg

[737NUT]

They look way to bright.. i can tell you this, in an aircraft (airliner)it is either 5Vdc 5Vac or 28Vac or 28Vdc NEVER 12Vdc.. The pnl i had that looked identical to yours was 5V and looked a very soft yellowish warm glow. Not im about to blow bright white. :))

[Hessel Oosten]

Polmer,

1. Here is a pic of my Comm box on 5V DC.

2. Please, please can you send me the extra information you got, too ?
Will send you here on mycockpit a private message. Thanks.

Hessel

[phil744]

They look way to bright.. i can tell you this, in an aircraft (airliner)it is either 5Vdc 5Vac or 28Vac or 28Vdc NEVER 12Vdc.. The pnl i had that looked identical to yours was 5V and looked a very soft yellowish warm glow. Not im about to blow bright white. :))


Yep, i had one of those in for refurb, defo 5V not 12v Boeing usually 5V back light, MD are normally 28V ive never come across a commercial airliner with 12V backlighting, normally GA aircraft uses that :)

[Polmer]

Too Bright......? Maybe thats why my face looks sunburn after I connected the 12V supply?

Anyway, I appreciate the information and will look into reducing the voltage to see if still works.

I also got the Pin configuration for the Gables Audio, but im not sure how to read it.:shock: Not sure if anyone has ( or knows) the standard pin layout but at least this is a starting point. I also referance 5V for the power supply.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/J1.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/J2.jpg

[ran56]

Take a pic of the connectors.
Also you might find on them a catalog no for them and find
the pin out.
If it's the round connector which usually you can find on AC, then 1 is in the mid, then it's spirals out bound.
Usually there is numbering of the the first pin with circle on the inner side and numbers on the outer side (where the wires connect).
Hope I remember this correctly, as it's been over 20 year since the last time I work with those type of connectors.

[Hessel Oosten]

Polmer (and Ran),

Thanks for help !

Here a pic of the audio selector panel back-side.

Ran, can you please draw the numers in it and re-upload it or send it private ?

Hessel

Pic attached.

[Polmer]

Hessel,

I can read the numbers on your left set of pins;

#1 is dead center, and you count in a clockwise fashion around the spirals.
If you look, you will see there is a road, and occasional they even put a pin number down. I colored in the path in red to show.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/P1050580.jpg
Unfortunately, the back of your audio has a slightly different pin arrangement than mine does but I will try and snap a photo and upload here for reference.

My Progress: Even with the pin wiring/arrangement handed to me, I ended up bypassing the pins for the audio on/off switches and wired them myself. If you open up the panel, each pushbutton actually has 2 micro switches attached to it, and I just tied into the available ( un-used) microswitch.

~

[Polmer]

Hessel,

here is what the back of my audio panel looks like.
For My J1 pins, the number #1 pin is in the middle and you simply follow the path as you move in a clockwise direction and ends at pin #55.

For the J2 Pins, you also start in the middle, but the path moves in a counter-clockwise fashion and ends with pin # 24.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/DSC00992.jpg

I had trouble getting the Audio On/Off switches to work using the pins because they are wired in series. To get around this, I noticed each switch actually is made up of 2 switches ( one being un-used). So I soldered my wires to pin 1 and pin 3 of the empty switch and BING ....it works. Plus I dont have to worry about voltage being sent to my I/O cards turning them into a smoky mess.

Below is a photo showing how to get access to these switches , at least on the gables that I have.


Hope this helps.......


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/Polmer/DSC01002.jpg