KAS297B Lenses

[Greg_D]

Does anyone know a source for the subject lenses?  I'm trying to replace one that is very hard to see thru due to age on the unit.

[carusoam]

Greg,

you might try a search for display lenses or face plates...

Some times BK had them for sale...we have a new BK guy around here as well...

Other times LCD displays were being sold...

This search may go about half the distance to where you want to be...https://mooneyspace.com/search/?&q=Display lenses&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy

Best regards,

-a-

 

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, Greg_D said:

Does anyone know a source for the subject lenses?  I'm trying to replace one that is very hard to see thru due to age on the unit.

These aren't quite as good as a new OEM, but they are readable: https://www.ebay.com/itm/KAS-297-KAS-297-KAS297-Amber-Lens-Free-USPS-First-Class-Shipping/202711792314?hash=item2f32907aba:g:l-cAAOSwr6hdClCu

[Greg_D]

Thanks Lance.  We tried one of those off eBay and they weren’t clear enough.  I might try to find some thinner, more transparent material and cut my own.  I’ve read reports of people paying up to $9K to get these things repaired.

[LANCECASPER]

9 hours ago, Greg_D said:

Thanks Lance.  We tried one of those off eBay and they weren’t clear enough.  I might try to find some thinner, more transparent material and cut my own.  I’ve read reports of people paying up to $9K to get these things repaired.

You might give this guy a call with the dimensions. His after market lenses are much better than what I've seen elsewhere.

https://www.engravers.net/kn62-kn62a-kn64.html

[louisut]

23 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

You might give this guy a call with the dimensions. His after market lenses are much better than what I've seen elsewhere.

https://www.engravers.net/kn62-kn62a-kn64.html

I've used their lenses to replace delaminated ones on multiple devices. There's a disclosure because they're not PMA parts, but the avionics shop had no issues installing and signing off on them.

[Greg_D]

On 4/26/2020 at 9:24 AM, LANCECASPER said:

You might give this guy a call with the dimensions. His after market lenses are much better than what I've seen elsewhere.

https://www.engravers.net/kn62-kn62a-kn64.html

Thanks for the lead on this.  $15.00.  The ones on eBay were $33.00!

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, Greg_D said:

Thanks for the lead on this.  $15.00.  The ones on eBay were $33.00!

Glad to hear it - shoot us a picture of it once you get it and get it installed.

[xavierde]

Thank you! I was also looking for a new one. 

On a separate note, does anyone know how to adjust the display dimming on these? Mine is very dim and difficult to see during the day. I tried cleaning the photocell but no luck. 

Thanks

[carusoam]

If the photo cell doesn’t do an obvious change to the brightness...

Might be time to discuss getting it cleaned, or swapped out...

Probably is in the plan as designed... sensors often have a useable lifetime... easy to swap out at an avionics shop...

We can wait for our usual avionics guys to stop by... or go on the hunt to find them...
 

Alan is in S. jersey, and know a lot about these things...

Best regards,

-a-

[Cayman44]

Bought my M20M in 2015 with a KAP150. The KAS297B Altitude Selector lens has always been blurry and difficult to read.  Last year I discovered that the orange lens was two part and the outer layer was pealing off and had been peeling off for a long time.  Removing it left the inner lens completely unreadable from the embedded "glue" that remained on the inner lens.  I needed auto-pilot work from two years of very little flying because of three back surgeries.  The Attitude Indicator KG258 had died, mostly from not flying enough.  I asked the shop to repair the KAS297B lens, but they said that was impossible, and I needed to replace the whole unit.  So I started looking on eBay and found a guy in FL with replacement lenses for $39. I bought one and OMG after cleaning the micro lint off it with 91% alcohol, it was perfectly, perfectly clear.  The hard part is removing the KAS297B from the bottom of my lower left panel standing on my head under the panel.  Replacing the lens was easy.  Remove the top and bottom covers. Remove the four screws that hold the faceplate on - it slides off - no pulling knobs.  Then a tiny, tiny drop of locktight top and bottom center to keep it in place (otherwise it will float and drop)  and re-assemble. Installing back into the panel was a B.   Until I realized that tightening down the instrument into its slot kept it rock solid while trying to mate the din connectors. Done tested. Yahoo.  If the 297B had been mounted above another instrument, this would have required a panel teardown - no thanks. The seller has more than 10.  This was worth its weight in gold from struggling to see the numbers in a dark corner - day or night.    https://www.ebay.com/itm/134679247690

[jamesm]

On 4/29/2020 at 7:44 PM, xavierde said:

I tried cleaning the photocell but no luck. 

I have tried hitting the photo cell with bright light and see if brightens ?  it could be that  driver or components has out lived life expectancy.

[Pinecone]

I had a similar issue with mine.  While I was having them swap out the 650 for a 650Xi, Sarasota Avionics (Sarasota location) replaced the photo cell.  Took maybe an hour total.