Gear down indicator only works during daylight hours

[Glen Davis]

I am referring to the gear down indicator on the floor between the seats in my J.  It is also referred to by some has a barber shop pole as it is stripped green or stripped red, depending of gear position up or down.  Well, mine is lighted but the light is so dim it is worthless.  I was told Mooney may have installed 28 volt bulbs into this 14 volt system just so it's not too bright.  Anyone know if that is true but more important, has anyone found a way to make it brighter?  Glen

[carusoam]

Yes it is true… Mooney put 24V bulbs in 12V machines for dimming purposes…

Find out what they do today for that on 24V machines…

They probably have a more dim bulb that is a better choice…

Or it is possible the one that is in there has been replaced already… with something less usable…

Best regards,

-a-

[PT20J]

The Service Manual calls for a GE 327 bulb which is a 28V bulb. If you want it brighter, you could replace it with a GE 330 which is a 14V bulb.

Skip

[kortopates]

Make sure the navigation lights aren't on during daylight hours since that will automatically dim the landing light bulb annunciator and on the on the floor - by design just like pipers.


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[TTaylor]

17 hours ago, Glen Davis said:

I am referring to the gear down indicator on the floor between the seats in my J.  It is also referred to by some has a barber shop pole as it is stripped green or stripped red, depending of gear position up or down.  Well, mine is lighted but the light is so dim it is worthless.  I was told Mooney may have installed 28 volt bulbs into this 14 volt system just so it's not too bright.  Anyone know if that is true but more important, has anyone found a way to make it brighter?  Glen

Hangar elves have been known to replace the bulb with a high brightness LED and correct resistor for the voltage, soldered and glued into the original base.  This Elf Incorporated upgrade is visible day and night.

[PT20J]

58 minutes ago, TTaylor said:

Hangar elves have been known to replace the bulb with a high brightness LED and correct resistor for the voltage, soldered and glued into the original base.  This Elf Incorporated upgrade is visible day and night.

No need to work that hard -- you can buy LED equivalent of 330 bulbs.

[TTaylor]

13 minutes ago, PT20J said:

No need to work that hard -- you can buy LED equivalent of 330 bulbs.

My 75 F had an odd base that was not standard.  I could not find a matching bulb so the elves had to get involved.

[PT20J]

19 hours ago, TTaylor said:

My 75 F had an odd base that was not standard.  I could not find a matching bulb so the elves had to get involved.

Perhaps someone else's elf got there before your elf  

[Hank]

17 hours ago, PT20J said:

Perhaps some else's elf got there before your elf  

And this is why so many disparage the hangar elf concept . . . .

[TTaylor]

18 hours ago, PT20J said:

Perhaps someone else's elf got there before your elf  

Actually it was factory, but it did not match the bulb type called out in the parts list.