LED overhead instrument lights

[Browncbr1]

I flew for 3 hours the other night and the LED lights and rheostat all stay cool. I recommend getting a rheostat that works with the LED current draw though because they are either on or off. When your eyes final adjust to night and you continue dimming panel lights, when you turn on the torpedoes, they blast too brightly. Without dimming ability, they are too bright to leave on continuously. I recommend not doing the LED mod unless you also deal with the rheostat so it will work with the LEDs.

[Hector]

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[Yetti]

PWM for Led dimming 

[Browncbr1]

9 minutes ago, Yetti said:

PWM for Led dimming 

 do you have a source for a resistor or rheostat to get the dimmer working with LEDs?

[Yetti]

Pulse Width Modulation.  They are on the superbright led  site or amazon

[Yetti]

See the need a pot thread

[Yetti]

Spruce has the same module.  But it costs more

[Browncbr1]

thanks

[mooniac15u]

Just make sure you get the Pulse Width Modulator and not the Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

[Andy95W]

8 hours ago, mooniac15u said:

Just make sure you get the Pulse Width Modulator and not the Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Wow, obscure Marvin the Martian quote.  Nice!

[Raptor05121]

Bumping this to the top. I'm going to attempt my own version of the torpedo LED retrofit. I've also ordered a 90* red LED for the dome light in the back. The few times I've used it, the white was too bright, its usefulness is only with loading the cargo compartment, which you can only do with the master and gyros spinning away for minutes on end to power it. So it will be back up to the torpedos.

You'll also notices the little S4S LEDs. Those are for the annunciating GEAR LOCKED/UNLOCKED lights.

[HRM]

This one should fit in the torpedo.

[Hector]

LED conversion of over shoulder torpedo lights https://www.evernote.com/shard/s518/sh/1e90bed4-1046-4dac-bd31-26b54fde0b67/2cb17d50c340b563a9430a8ca7bd0e5a


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[Raptor05121]

Excellent, thanks Hector. I received your text this morning. I'll have to find some material to make up for my lack of conduit.

[Raptor05121]

7 hours ago, HRM said:

This one should fit in the torpedo.

I think the 1156 is too big, the default torpedoes were GE89s, which were a bit smaller, I bought two 67's which are interchangeable.

[Hector]

My panel at night after the LED conversion. The dimmer still works and I can actually touch it now without burning my fingers.


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[DaV8or]

On 3/12/2017 at 9:35 AM, Hector said:

My panel at night after the LED conversion. The dimmer still works and I can actually touch it now without burning my fingers.


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Nice! So, the dimmer you have is the original rheostat, correct? Does it dim all the way down, or just a little and then shut off? Did you have to do anything, like put in a resistor or anything like that to get it to work, or is it just plug and play?

[Hector]

Nice! So, the dimmer you have is the original rheostat, correct? Does it dim all the way down, or just a little and then shut off? Did you have to do anything, like put in a resistor or anything like that to get it to work, or is it just plug and play?

 

Yes, original dimmer. Does not dim all the way down. It dims some then off. I did not add anything, just replaced the incandescent bulbs with the LEDs. Wish I could dim it down a little more but it's not a problem. If it gets too bright on a very dark night I just move one of the torpedoes away from the panel. I imagine a resistor added to the circuit may help with more dimming?

 

 

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[carusoam]

Some LEDs don't like to dim.

Some LEDs will dim with one incandescent bulb left in the circuit, properly.

Sound familiar?

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

Edited March 16, 2017 by carusoam

[N201MKTurbo]

LEDs have a band gap voltage of about 3 volts. Below this no current will flow. With incandescent bulbs current will flow down to zero volts in a nearly linear fashion. 

To properly dim LEDs you need a pulse width modulator circuit to rapidly turn them on and off with varying amounts of on time.

[cliffy]

Just asking (not pointing fingers) as I'm interested how the modification was signed off in the log book.

Do you guys sign it off with your pilot license number or did you find an A&P willing to sign it off?

Really, I'm not pointing fingers, I am interested in how it gets signed off. It is after all "maintenance" that has to be signed off. 

 

[Browncbr1]

3 hours ago, cliffy said:

Just asking (not pointing fingers) as I'm interested how the modification was signed off in the log book.

Do you guys sign it off with your pilot license number or did you find an A&P willing to sign it off?

Really, I'm not pointing fingers, I am interested in how it gets signed off. It is after all "maintenance" that has to be signed off. 

 

one would think that sense they can be removed without the use of any tools, then it is no different than plugging a hand held GPS, fan, usb charger, or light into the cigarette lighter... they are both 12v sockets, right? right??   

[Bunti]

I think for flying during the nighttime, you have to have some kind of instrument lights in the plane. The parts manual tells us, what kind of bulbs have to be in the sockets. So I would not consider it as the same like an additional light in the cigarette lighter socket or so. But on the other hand, you can just unscrew the original bulbs and put in LED bulbs yourself as owner maintenance.

I replaced the shoulder lights with the ones from Tom Anderson from Ohio. They work fine. But due to my Glasscockpit, most of the time, I keep them off. I also replaced the dome light by a standard LED bulb (I do not remember the number). It is very bright now, makes no heat, does not drain the battery and is very helpful if you load or unload your plane somewhere in the dark.

For all that, I did a logbook entry with my ATP-number. The IA who does the normal maintenance agreed also to the procedure. There was even no change in weight or function. 

Stefan

[Hector]

Just asking (not pointing fingers) as I'm interested how the modification was signed off in the log book.
Do you guys sign it off with your pilot license number or did you find an A&P willing to sign it off?
Really, I'm not pointing fingers, I am interested in how it gets signed off. It is after all "maintenance" that has to be signed off. 
 

Frankly, I logged that I replaced the bulbs with new bulbs and wrote the P/N of the new LED bulbs. I still have the old incandescent bulbs and can switch them out if it ever becomes an issue.


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[JohnB]

On 3/11/2017 at 5:38 PM, Raptor05121 said:

Bumping this to the top. I'm going to attempt my own version of the torpedo LED retrofit. I've also ordered a 90* red LED for the dome light in the back. The few times I've used it, the white was too bright, its usefulness is only with loading the cargo compartment, which you can only do with the master and gyros spinning away for minutes on end to power it. So it will be back up to the torpedos.

You'll also notices the little S4S LEDs. Those are for the annunciating GEAR LOCKED/UNLOCKED lights.

 

Alex,

I did this already, replacing my overhead incandescents with LED twist in replacement lights with ones like the ones you ordered, and although they work, they are not as bright as the incandescents were, but clearly drains hardly any current. I very rarely use them. If yours are brighter than your originals, let me know?  I did buy the pilot light pro from aircraft spruce which makes my panel lights a pleasing blue color which I like:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/pilotlightpro.php?clickkey=7760

and I mounted a "Big Larry" flashlight in the center headliner in the front and in my baggage compartment, which is way too bright for night flying but is great for on the ground when you want to make sure you have all of your things and baggage out at night.

Battery operated both, so no STC required.