Post Lights

[outermarker]

I never really paid attention to this until now. Should the post lights be white or red? I can understand the why both are desirable. Some of my newer instruments (still very old by today's standard) have their own internal white internal light. Also, if anyone has any white or red they are not using, I'd like to have a few spare on a shelf.

thanks, albert

[carusoam]

Albert,

white is tough on the eyes for maintaining night vision...

That is why red and amber and green tints seem to be used often...

With really good dimming, and really good aiming... the light color isn’t as critical...

There may be some colored lenses available to add to your white post lights...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[outermarker]

Hi A-,

I guess I never understood why manufactures used a white light inside their instruments when is screws up your eyes at night. Most all of my post lights are red, but I do have a few white mixed in. This was done long before I owned the airplane. The overhead torpedo lights are red and everything of course is dimmer controlled...I just never really gave it any thought until a few days ago when I was checking all the lights out in the dark to see what was working and what wasn't. 

albert

 

[StevenL757]

It’s an individual choice.  You pay a penalty of sorts with both white and red.  Red tends to wash out color on anything upon which they shine but are favorable for night.  White is the opposite.

[afward]

It's been quite some time since I saw it, but the newer research indicates intensity as the controlling factor for protecting night vision.  In other words, if deciding between a dim white light and a mildly brighter red light, one should choose the dim white light because it'll be more useful AND will protect night vision better.  Of course, don't leave the emitting element in line of sight no matter what tech / hue / color temp; That's guaranteed to do Bad Things^tm to your night vision.

[0TreeLemur]

On 7/27/2020 at 7:20 AM, afward said:

It's been quite some time since I saw it, but the newer research indicates intensity as the controlling factor for protecting night vision.  In other words, if deciding between a dim white light and a mildly brighter red light, one should choose the dim white light because it'll be more useful AND will protect night vision better.  Of course, don't leave the emitting element in line of sight no matter what tech / hue / color temp; That's guaranteed to do Bad Things^tm to your night vision.

This agrees with some recent (5y) research I read.   That article said that because our eyes are so much more sensitive to green light than red, we can use of dimmer white light on panels and preserve night vision.  White is superior because it conveys color information.  Simultaneously lower intensity white helps to preserve night vision compared to having to use higher intensity red.  This because the eye is considerably less sensitive to red light, causes the night vision "rods" to be less dark adjusted by exposure to the brighter red light that we can't perceive.

When we upgraded our panel a couple of years ago we went with Whelen white LED post lights.  I bought a set of these rated 28V from a private seller.  Even at 14V they are plenty bright.  A PWM dimmer does the trick from there.  Love them.

[PT20J]

Hey, all you airline guys -- what color are your panel lights?

[philiplane]

Just now, PT20J said:

Hey, all you airline guys -- what color are your panel lights?

They always fly IFR so night vision preservation isn't as critical. The guy who flies small planes VFR at night needs red interior lighting, so he can readily see outside at night. The current craze of bright panel lighting is very bad for VFR night flight. 

[Andy95W]

12 minutes ago, PT20J said:

Hey, all you airline guys -- what color are your panel lights?

White.  Like Phil said above, night vision isn't very critical.  And we've got so many landing lights with so much candlepower even landing is almost like daytime.

But in my Mooney I still use the old red lens torpedo lights.  (But I haven't been single engine night current in years, and I'm okay with that.)

[Planegary]

most of our planes now are screens so I dim as much as the dimmer allows  (which is limited) and deal with the brightness much the same as you that have the upgraded panels

 

[outermarker]

Over the past year I have had some post lights loosen when turning the hood to adjust the illumination direction. Boy, these are a pain in the butt to get to! Is there a tool which doubles to install the nylon(?) nut which has the power lead attached? I suppose I could cut a slot in a long thin wall socket wide enough for the wire to pass through, but was hoping some cleaver person already knows where I could buy the correct tool and not reinvent the wheel so to speak. Also, if anyone has some working old post lights laying about, I’d be interested in having some spares.

thanks!

albert

 

[Fly Boomer]

On 1/30/2022 at 2:04 PM, outermarker said:

Over the past year I have had some post lights loosen when turning the hood to adjust the illumination direction. Boy, these are a pain in the butt to get to! Is there a tool which doubles to install the nylon(?) nut which has the power lead attached? I suppose I could cut a slot in a long thin wall socket wide enough for the wire to pass through, but was hoping some cleaver person already knows where I could buy the correct tool and not reinvent the wheel so to speak. Also, if anyone has some working old post lights laying about, I’d be interested in having some spares.

thanks!

albert

 

Not sure what size the nylon(?) nut is, but these might work:

https://www.amazon.com/PCS-Slotted-Socket-JTC-4536/dp/B0722ZTT5V/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=slotted+socket&qid=1674836223&sr=8-7

[Pinecone]

On 7/27/2020 at 8:20 AM, afward said:

It's been quite some time since I saw it, but the newer research indicates intensity as the controlling factor for protecting night vision.  In other words, if deciding between a dim white light and a mildly brighter red light, one should choose the dim white light because it'll be more useful AND will protect night vision better.  Of course, don't leave the emitting element in line of sight no matter what tech / hue / color temp; That's guaranteed to do Bad Things^tm to your night vision.

 

On 7/29/2020 at 3:50 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

This agrees with some recent (5y) research I read.   That article said that because our eyes are so much more sensitive to green light than red, we can use of dimmer white light on panels and preserve night vision.  White is superior because it conveys color information.  Simultaneously lower intensity white helps to preserve night vision compared to having to use higher intensity red.  This because the eye is considerably less sensitive to red light, causes the night vision "rods" to be less dark adjusted by exposure to the brighter red light that we can't perceive.

When we upgraded our panel a couple of years ago we went with Whelen white LED post lights.  I bought a set of these rated 28V from a private seller.  Even at 14V they are plenty bright.  A PWM dimmer does the trick from there.  Love them.

These.  The military did a lot of research many years ago and switched to white light in the cockpit.  The A-10 had white cockpit lighting.

The rule of thumb with white light is to match the intensity of the lights outside.  So over a major city, you would turn up the lights, over back country as low as you can.

[PT20J]

A lot of LED retrofit instrument panels are too bright for my taste. Maybe pilots are afraid of the dark.