Mystery Switches

[markejackson02]

Starting problems, Boyd was checking the ignition/key switch for connection/operation.  Found these two mystery switches under the panel.  No labels, no documentation, nada.

Before I disassemble the entire panel to figure out what they are, has anyone else ever seen anything like this?   They look pretty new which adds to the puzzle.  Just had some avionics installed but the shop said they had no clue what they were.

 

[Mooneymite]

Looks like the secret "Hard to Start" switches which so many IO-360 engines are equipped with.  All those guys who have the "technique" to do hot starts know about these switches, but keep the secret to themselves.     Shhhhhh!

[EricJ]

The one on the left looks like an on-off switch in the ON position.   You could flip it and see what stops working?

 

EDIT:  Wait, never mind, it looks like a double-pole double-throw that switches between two things.  

You could still just flip 'em and see what happens if you're bold.

Edited September 22, 2017 by EricJ

[markejackson02]

Just now, EricJ said:

The one on the left looks like an on-off switch in the ON position.   You could flip it and see what stops working?

Gonna try that tonight.  The other looks like a DPDT switch which I find really odd.

[Mooneymite]

1 minute ago, EricJ said:

You could still just flip 'em and see what happens if you're bold.

"Hold my beer and watch this."

[markejackson02]

12 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

"Hold my beer and watch this."

While on the ground 

[StevenL757]

The white one is your parachute.

The black one is your ejection seat, if the parachute fails to deploy.

[jaylw314]

My panel has a couple old switches that are not functional that look like those switches

• A switch that looks like it used to control the factory fuel-flow memory
• A switch that controls the remote input to the DME from either Nav1 or Nav2

I assume both are still wired (the second switch is only connected to Nav2 and when I switch it to Nav1 the DME gets no remote signal).  If someone wanted to clean up the panel, they may have simply buried both switches instead of rewiring them?

Edited September 22, 2017 by jaylw314

[Bartman]

Maybe this will help and I have no expertise in this area, but back before Bluetooth and when we still used CD's I had a switch installed to go back and forth from panel mounted CD player to XM radio thru the audio panel.  But they put it on the panel, not under the panel.

[kortopates]

Have you tried contacting the previous owner? Another possibility is theft deterrent. You don't see these on Mooney's but some owners of C210's & C206's install hidden switches to ground P-leads and/or disable the starter to prevent theft south of the border.

Edited September 22, 2017 by kortopates

[Jerry 5TJ]

When the Malibu first became available in 1984 the Piper sales team received a half day introduction to the plane & then were sent out to sell the planes. 

One potential customer, as they climbed through 17,000' on a demo flight asked, "what does the Cabin Dump switch do?"

The salesperson honestly replied, "I don't know, push it and we'll see."

He was a good sport and bought one anyway. 

[Piloto]

The switches may be for changing the configuration for software download or/and clearing a fuel totalizer memory.

José

[carusoam]

Did the plane, at one time have a GPS and a separate nav1 feeding an HSI?

I have a simple looking toggle, that switches many wires to flip flop the HSI source... and light a blue light when the GPS is selected...

A new big G navigator does all the switching internally.

Or it could be the nitrous switch...

Happy Friday!

Best regards,

-a-

[markejackson02]

Bartman came the closest.  Turns out there is a heretofore unknown Sigtronics RES-400 music switcher under the panel.  No idea it was there.  When I had the ADS-B/GPS/intercom installed, the shop wired it up just as it had previously been installed.

 

[tony]

I think some mechanics installed them to make the annual easier.  I would be willing to one of them is a gear override switch, makes it easier to swing the gear when its up on jacks. The other one might override a squat switch.  where they are mounted looks  like they weren't meant to be used in flight.  

I'd love to know what you find.

[glenn reynolds]

I think many of the above suggestions are great ideas.  I think you really, really, really want to buy a large box of zip ties, cut your old zip ties out and start tracing those wires.  I use a super small set of really sharp diagonal cutters and be very careful that you cut no wires.  Once you have unbundled the wiring runs it should be very straight forward where these wires lead.  I have a battery powered led light that goes up under the panel (costoco) and I use two sets of the rubber matts that costco sells about a half inch thick close cell foam, about three foot square.  remove the seats of course.  put your darn cell phone in a really hand place as it will ring within about three minutes of your working yourself into an upside down position under the panel.  

[bradp]

It’s like Murphy’s law.  My wife invariably calls after I’ve wedged myself under there.