Garmin Avionics Wiring Termination

DMC crimpers with appropriate turret

Wire strippers

Flush cuts

Razor

Fine tip sharpie, or label printer for wires

Heat gun

Wire

Shield braid

Heat shrink (2 pieces), at least one piece white

Environmental splice

Pins

Interior wires- where the signal is passed through

Outer layer of insulation

Shielding- a braid inside the wire over the interior wires. This protects the signal from interference or interfering with other signals. The shielding is terminated to a ground

Expose about 1.5" of shield by removing outer layer of wire.

Remove shielding to expose wires

Option 1: unbraid shield and the cut away from wire

Option 2: carefully cut shield away without nicking the interior wires

Cut a 0.25" long section from outer layer of the wire about 2.5" from the end of the wire.

This accomplished with a razor. A new razor will cut more easily through the insulation but can also cut through the shielding. A dull razor is harder to cut with but also more forgiving to mistakes.

If the shielding is cut through and the interior wires nicked there is a high potential for a short to ground and that section of wire must be cut off and the wire must be restarted.

Insert the environmental splice over the cut shielding block and insert the shield braid into it. The solder ring must go over both the exposed shield and the braid.

Insert a piece of heat shrink over the end of the wire where the shield and outer insulation is cut. This will protect the end of the wire

Heat the splice and heat-shrink with a heat gun. Ensure the solder flows in the splice soldering the braid to the shield.

Strip wires appropriate length - detailed in next step

Crimp terminals to wire

The wire strip length should by just barely longer than the barrel (where the wire goes) of the crimped contact

First picture shows a correct termination

Second picture shows to long of strip on wire

To make sure the wire is stripped long enough the conductor strands should be visible in the witness hole circled in the third picture

Add heat-shrink with wire number added to it to identify wire after install

Push pins into connector, the should lock into place and need a special tool for removal

Crimp ring terminal to shield braid

Install ring terminal to designated grounding location. Often the connector back-shell.

This step is done last after all wires for a connector are installed and back-shell is assembled on connector. Sometimes a separate ground lug needs to be installed onto the back-shell.