Kev Posted October 13, 2019 Report Share Posted October 13, 2019 I'm having the interior of my 1969 M20C redone by AeroComfort (since I happen to live in San Antonio), and doing the removal and reinstallation myself to save a few bucks. While I have the interior out, I thought I'd try to track down two connectors that were in the overhead that appear to be for interior lights. With a meter, today I determined that they're powered when the nav lights are turned on; I don't know about dimming. What I'd like to do is put LEDs there to provide a bit more light on my panel, but I have no idea if there's anything out there compatible with the existing pieces or whether they'd have to be substituted out. Can anyone fill me in on what these are, whether there's anything compatible, etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 yes there is... use the search function looking for the modern light dimmer that is compatible with LEDs... You have two dimmers... one for instruments and one for interior lights... pretty simple circuits... Now read up on the new dimmers to see if they can be mixed or if all LEDs are needed... My C used the old dimmer and kept one old bulb in the circuit... Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigers2007 Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 I just bumped Alex's thread regarding the LED conversion of the Grimes "Torpedo" lights. I asked a question if the OE bulbs are "GE #89" bulbs. It appears that Aero-Lites sells a LED bulb that is indeed dimmable ($11 ea). @Kev Can you verify the part number of the lightbulb you removed from that overhead "Torpedo" map light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted October 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 9 hours ago, carusoam said: yes there is... use the search function looking for the modern light dimmer that is compatible with LEDs... You have two dimmers... one for instruments and one for interior lights... pretty simple circuits... Now read up on the new dimmers to see if they can be mixed or if all LEDs are needed... My C used the old dimmer and kept one old bulb in the circuit... Best regards, -a- I perhaps should have been more clear: the previous owner heavily modified the panel. I do have two dimmers, but one is for the engine gauges (internally lighted, EI gauges if I recall), and one is for electroluminiscent strips above all the steam gauges. There is also a separate switch for those, and that one is clearly not in series with the nav lights. I don't have an additional dimmer on the panel or in the overhead. That said, I did not try adjusting the dimmers while I had the meter on the sockets. 9 hours ago, tigers2007 said: I just bumped Alex's thread regarding the LED conversion of the Grimes "Torpedo" lights. I asked a question if the OE bulbs are "GE #89" bulbs. It appears that Aero-Lites sells a LED bulb that is indeed dimmable ($11 ea). @Kev Can you verify the part number of the lightbulb you removed from that overhead "Torpedo" map light? There was no light bulb, no torpedo, nothing; just this socket connected to a ball joint, that in turn was screwed directly in to a bracket that was attached to the overhead panel. What I'd like to do is track down something that'll fit that socket, so I can attach it when I put the interior back in; alternatively, if that's not possible, I'd like to find out now so I can investigate how to replace it with something more modern that'll do the same job but be LED. Also, for the record, the wires for these come directly out of the panel and don't go through any rheostat ; one ground wire attaches the bracket directly to the airplane, and two more wires run into the center of each of the two sockets. Also for the record: when mounted, the sockets aim out the left and right sides of the plane, not forward, and I do not have a piece that attaches to them; no torpedo or anything like that was included when I purchased the airplane 3 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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