Hi everyone- currently have a 2 place intercom and would like to add some jacks in the back. How can I do this? Can they just be wired into the current jacks? Or am I looking at replacing the whole system?
2 place intercom to 4 place?
- Thread starter aviatomar
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Tom J
Pre-Flight
Depends on what your intercom is. Some have capability for four, but for whatever reason are only wired for 2. Piggy backing the phones is easy, but not so much with the mic jacks. If your unit isn't built to support 4, you really need a new one. Or you can get a portable intercom, i.e.https://www.sportys.com/sigtronics-transcom-iii-four-way.html
Ah- so I could get a 2 place intercom for the back seat and just have plug that into the co-pilots side and that should allow me to hear that on the in the intercom?
If you did that the your copilot would have no place to plug into. If you plugged a portable 4-way into the copilot jacks then everyone that is not the left seat pilot would plug into that, leaving 1 spare.
Right- good point. Maybe get a 4 place one? Co-pilot and back seaters all share one “intercom”.
Really tough to tell from this picture- the panel is a mess. I’m going to head to the airplane tomorrow and will find out
edit- actually it looks like a sigtronics SPA-400 TSO. Anyone know if that can be expanded?
Attachments
https://www.sigtronics.com/_pdf/air_pdf/air_intercom_pdf/spa-400.pdf
Here's the installation manual for the SPA-400. It should be able to do rear passenger seats. The original installation may not have included the installation of jacks in the back due to cost.
Ahh makes sense. Is this generally a big job to do?
The interior will likely need to be at least partially removed to route and secure wiring. Labor can get expensive. I wouldn’t expect materials to be too expensive.
Understood/ can the wires be routed under the rug? Between the rug and floor board close to the door jams?
Tom J
Pre-Flight
They could, but I wouldn't. You leave the wires too exposed for potential damage. If your A&P is on your field, remove the interior yourself. Your pic looks like a Cessna, seats, carpet, floor inspection plates and side panels aren't that difficult, but add time. If you do it, then the shop only has to run a few wires.
I've done that before in a rental that had 2 jacks for 4 seats. It wasn't pretty but it worked fine.
Motor6
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Motor 6
I have the six place Sigtronics portable unit from Sportys in my PA-32. It works fine. If you route the wires under seats it’s not too hateful looking. I plug my headset into it as well and use a portable push to talk so I can be on the same intercom as everyone else. I just unplug it if I’m flying solo or 1 passenger. One wire from the unit goes into the pilot side headset jack and another to the hand-held mic jack. I also use then 12v plug so no batteries required. I’m getting a new panel next month. I’ll give you a good deal on it if you don’t have a solution worked out by mid January.