PS Engineering

Audio System Installations

Theory and Practices

Disclaimer

Your PS Engineering Dealer is responsible for the product installation.

Refer specific interface questions and procure any special tools or additional
installation supplies from the PS Engineering retail dealer.
All PS Engineering dealers have an FAA Certified Repair Station with at least a
Limited Radio Rating, and are qualified to make these installations.
If the installation is not performed by a PS Engineering dealer or a custom wire
harness is not purchased, the warranty is VOID.
VOID

Installation of an intercom in a certified aircraft in accordance with

regulations may require specific knowledge, experience and tools.
FAR 65.81 (b) A certificated mechanic may not exercise the privileges of his
certificate and rating unless he understands the current instructions of the
manufacturer, and the maintenance manuals, for the specific operation
concerned.
This presentation does not contain basic information about crimping,
soldering, or fundamental assembly techniques. These skills are required
to fabricate a wiring harness.
Either the PS Engineering authorized dealer or PS Engineering can make a
custom harness for you for products made by PS Engineering.

Why cant we help with installation

questions?
We dont have the expertise. We have never
performed an installation, so we must rely on
avionics shops that have the knowledge and
tools to perform installs.
We dont have the necessary resources to
provide the technical support necessary to aid in
installations.
To assure proper installation, we have trained our
dealers about the specifics about our products.
This assures that we will not have warranty costs
associated with improperly installed products

Applicability
This presentation applies to:
Intercom Installation
The intercom portion of audio panel
installation

This does not apply to:

Radio Interface to Audio Panels
Any other avionics installation
Any wiring practice not specifically addressed

Topics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Overview
Tools and Hardware Required
Theory of shielding and overall harnesses
The interface for the intercom
Building the Harness for the intercom
How to properly make shield terminations
The Intercom Installation
How to ground the harnesses
Entertainment interface
Troubleshooting

Overview
Build Harness for Installation
Create Wire Harness per the Wiring Diagram located in
the Installation Manual
Route cables to the mounted mic and headphone jacks
throughout aircraft
Route cables to the music and telephone inputs as
necessary
Connect audio panel/intercom to power and ground
Verify power and ground continuity

Mechanically Install Audio Panel/Intercom in panel

Note: If installing Intercom, Install Auxiliary Microphone and
Headphone Jacks
These are the jacks that will connect directly to either the
single radio or to the audio panel.
Test these jacks using a headset and in-line PTT switch to
assure you can hear and transmit over the radio

Tools and Hardware Required

Tools

Wire Strippers (Ideal Strip Master)

Wire Cutters
Crimping Tool (Palatine PA1440)
Soldering Station (WTCPT)
Drill
Philips Screwdriver #1

Molex
Crimping tool
(PMA6000/70
00 Series)
Use A

Strip 18-24
AWG

Crimping tool for

PMA8000/9000series (High Density)

Hardware
Jacks
Three types
Microphone, Headphone (mono and stereo)

Mono Phones (1/4)

2 Conductor

Stereo Phones (1/4)

3 Conductor

Microphone (mic) jacks

Note, the mic jack has a smaller opening than the headphone jacks

3 conductor
Smaller inside diameter

Wire
All wire must be aircraft grade
Tefzel insulation for flammability requirements
Single conductor must meet MIL-STD 22759
Multiple Conductor must be shielded, and meet
MIL-STD 27500
Microphone and stereo headphones must be 3conductor with shield.
Mono headphone must be 2-conductor with
shield
Never use the shield to carry signals or grounds

Wire Marking
Identification markings should be placed
at each end of the wire and at 15-inch
maximum intervals along the length of the
wire.
Wires less than 3 inches long need not be
identified.
Wires 3 to 7 inches in length should be
identified approximately at the center.

Raychem Solder Sleeves

Heat evenly until the
blue and white rings
melt, and provide a
plug on each end.
avoid overheating the
wire.
Watch the wire/braid
connection to see the
solder fully wetting the
connection.

Theory of shielding and overall harnesses

Shielding

Shield grounded at one end keeps RF out

because undesired currents cant flow.
Braided shields grounded at one end
create a Faraday RF shield.
Stray signals seek a low impedance (Z)
path to ground. The properly terminated
braid shield provides that path.

Schematic Representation
Typical Audio Installation
3-conductor w/shield
1
2
3

Mic Audio Low

4
5

Phones Audio Low

Mic Audio Hi
Mic Key

Phones Audio Hi

2-conductor with shield

Shield Termination

Floating Shields

PS Engineering Wiring Schematic

3-conductor w/shield

Mic Audio Hi
Mic Key
Phones Audio Low

5
6

Phones Audio Hi

2-conductor with shield

Shield Termination

Notice how in the top

schematic the low is
connected to a unit pin. In
some PS Engineering
installations, to save space,
the low side is connected to
the shield ground AT THE
UNIT.
This is NOT the same as
using the shield as the audio
low.

Mic Audio Low

2
3

This shows some typical

shielding schematics.

Floating Shields

The number of solid wires

that pass trough the
ungrounded end of the shield
signifies the number of
conductors in the cable.

The Aircraft RFI/EMI Jungle

Countless sources of RFI/EMI Energy

Comm radios
Electric motors (flaps, trim, blower)
Switches
Alternators & generators
Strobes & beacons
Other audio systems

Any and all will create noise in the audio

system
Unless you follow manufacturers installation
instructions

Audio Low
Return path for audio signals
Older avionics may not have a dedicated audio
low use chassis ground at radio/audio panel

Never use a shield as current carrying wire.

All shields must remain un-terminated at the
jack end.
Never use airframe ground as audio return
path

Ground Do and Ground Dont

DO ground shields at one end ONLY
DO tie shields together at ONE (1) end
Almost always the signal SOURCE

Dont ground the jacks mechanically

Dont ground both ends of shield set
even for different systems

Dont use the shield as an audio return wire

Dont EVER run mic and headphone audio in
same shield (it will squeal!).

Single-point Grounding
A designated ground on the unit or
system for connecting all shield and
circuit grounds.
Designed to accept RFI and EMI and
pass safely around the signal paths.
Any change in ground potential is
felt identically by all subsystems,
and ignored.

Block Diagram
COM radio or
Audio Panel

Aircraft Radio Headphone ,

Microphone, & PTT

PHONE
PHONE

MIC

MIC
PHONE

MIC

AUX Jacks
Pass 2 Jacks
PHONE

Copilot Jacks

Pass 1 Jacks
MIC

PHONE

MIC

Pilot Jacks

Circuit Breaker

Music Jack

Power
Aircraft
Ground

11-33 VDC

For the Intercom installs, Auxiliary Jacks

These are a REQUIRED part of any

intercom installation. It where the
Intercom is connected to the radio(s)
Mechanical and Electrically interface
assures failsafe operation.
Bypass intercom
Use if intercom is removed
Essential part of troubleshooting

AUX Jacks Schematic (for intercom installations)

Building the Harness

Strip outer jacket
Comb out braid and fold back over jacket
Create a drain wire for the shield:
Using heat activated LC-3 Raychem sleeves,
insert a stripped drain wire between ring and
braid.

Connect drain wire of the shielded cable to

appropriate ground point:
If necessary, daisy-chain to other drain
wires, or connect to designated ground pin

Wire
Shield

Orange
Tracer

Blue
Tracer
White

PS Engineering Harness Conventions

Microphone
White Ring Mic Audio
Blue Barrel Mic Audio Low
Orange Tip Radio P-T-T
Headphone or Music
White Tip Audio (Rt)
Blue Barrel Audio Low
Orange Tip Audio (Lt)

Terminating Wire

Termination Complete
Solder melted and flowed

Seals melted
Heat Shrink conforms

Crimp
Strip 1/16 (depth of middle band)

Verify good crimp by pulling on the wire.

Insert and Close

Jack Wiring
Mono Headphone
Connect Audio Hi to tip
Connect Audio Low to barrel
Do NOT connect shield

Stereo Headphone

Connect Audio Right Hi to tip

Connect Audio Left Hi to ring
Connect Audio Low to barrel
Do NOT connect shield

Microphone

Connect Push-to-Talk (Radio P-T-T) to tip

Connect mic audio to ring
Connect mic low to barrel
Connect low side of P-T-T to barrel
Do NOT connect shield

Pilot Phones

Anatomy of a Jack
Tip

Mic Jack

Phones Jack

0.205 ID

0.250 ID

Ring

Stereo Jack or
Mic Jack Layout

Schematic View (3 conductor)

Tip

Ground
(Barrel)

Tip

Ring
Ground
(Barrel)
Ring
Shield

Jack/Plug Contacts
Barrel

Ring

Tip

Hardware Installation
Connect pilot, copilot and passenger
jacks.
Verify correct intercom operation, talk
between all seats and test all modes.

Make connection between intercom

and existing (AUX) headphone and
microphone jacks connected to
radio/audio panel

Checkout Procedure
With audio panel/intercom off, test FailSafe system by transmitting and receiving
on radio from Pilot Headset positon
Turn intercom on
Verify that the radio is not keyed

Test radio receive and transmit on pilot

and copilot. Test intercom ISO and Crew
function (if present).
Secure unit, harness and jacks.

Fail-Safe
Connects pilot headphone and microphone
to radio through a relay contact in closed
position
In fail safe when off, or power removed at
breaker.
In stereo installation, radio audio will be in
one ear only
Verify fail-safe on initial installation
If it doesnt work, the installation is wired
incorrectly

Intercom Installation
Drill 6 holes
2 knobs
Switch
LED (if equipped)
2 mounting screws

PM1000II Template
0.125

0.25

0.375

122-102-0001

0.265

Jack Installation
Drill 15/32 (0.450) hole for each jack
Place flat insulating washer on jack and
insert from rear.
Place shoulder washer on jack so
shoulder fits into the hole.
Add nut and tighten.
Be sure that the jack barrel does not contact
the metal airframe.
Be sure that no part of a headphone jack
touches a microphone jack

Sidetone
Audio signal from COM radio of
transmission
Designed to help person regulate voice
In PS System it is passed through from the COM

Where did it go?

Not present in some Cessna systems
Separate sidetone output on some radios

Can be lost through Radio Frequency

Interference (RFI) caused by improper shielding

Entertainment Inputs
One input on standard intercoms
Two inputs on units with crew mode
Second input active only in crew mode

Requires a minimum audio level 1 V p-p

(Line Level) compatible with portable
devices
Do NOT USE speaker levels from automotive
units

Input jacks should not be grounded

Install in plastic panel

Unswitched Inputs
Only Available in PM3000, P/N
11931A
Two inputs for alert audio, warnings etc.

NO unswitched inputs on other

models
Kluge installations are unapproved
Some COM receivers have aux inputs

Installation
Troubleshooting
Symptom

Possible Cause

Excessive electrical Noise in intercom

Mic and or headphone jacks touching ground.

Incorrect shield connection

Intercom partially keys when turned on

Mic jack miswired

Failsafe doesnt provide headphone audio

Stereo headphone jack miswired

No sidetone

Not provided on com phones output

Mic and or headphone jacks touching ground.
Incorrect shield connection

Audio squeal when volume on intercom turned

up

Mic and headphone signals crossed, or

running in same shield

Noise in system that goes away when radio or

intercom active

Music source introducing noise

Music jack is grounded

Intercom audio in one ear only

Stereo headset set to stereo in mono

installation