Interior Overhead Lights

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

Completely off topic, but I've always kept the pilot window closed even in the hangar because of spiders  There's like a never ending supply of them where we are...

Ive developed a relationship With my hangar spiders. They stay out of my work gloves, and I won’t kill them and all their babies. It has worked out well, so far.

[Z W]

Our plane's overhead light switch has always been tied to the master.  They won't come on unless the master is on.  I find it really limits their usefulness.  I never want them on while flying, it's usually loading/unloading before the master is on or trying to see inside the plane while the hangar door is closed and it's pretty dark in there.

Never knew that was an option.  I bet a previous owner got tired of bumping the switch and having a dead battery.  A timer sounds like a much better solution.

[A64Pilot]

Simple 12v timers can be bought that when a switch is turned on they allow power for an adjustable amount of time, then even with the switch turned on, they break power.

To make the light work again,I believe the switch has to be cycled.

I bet Amazon has some. I don’t know if either is usable but feel sure an inexpensive off the shelf timer exists, I am so far out of date electronics wise as to be nearly useless

https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-cycling-Cycling-Industrial-control/dp/B015Z2EQCU/ref=sr_1_24?crid=1U0SFRLMYDVST&dchild=1&keywords=12v+timer&qid=1635420609&qsid=144-9655445-7727701&sprefix=12v+timer%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-24&sres=B07CQGP6LT%2CB00WR0ELCO%2CB0090MTLFO%2CB07VLXR7Z1%2CB076XQNSDM%2CB071XNY72Q%2CB06X3YSXY9%2CB01N05TP18%2CB07CV676VH%2CB01MRWKVM0%2CB07H7L9W3T%2CB00H4XP7QS%2CB08HRY8P55%2CB01B165XZS%2CB012FSL2GK%2CB07XTBX6X4%2CB015Z2EQCU%2CB083HN673G%2CB07DFT2WDS%2CB07VL772P5&srpt=TIMER

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Controller-Delay-off-0-01s-9999mins-Switching/dp/B07DFT2WDS/ref=psdc_495340_t1_B07JC38GLS?th=1

Edited October 28, 2021 by A64Pilot

[PeteMc]

12 hours ago, PT20J said:

I used to leave the pilot’s window open until Don Maxwell told me that most of the tube corrosion damage he’s seen comes from that window.

I actually leave mine open for that very reason (covered @ tie-down).  Even on dryer days I'd open the door to find the cabin very humid, so I started leaving the window open (under the cover) to get some better airflow.  I realize when it rains or is very humid, their is going to be humidity in the plane.  But now when I open the door there is no damp humid feeling.

Guess it might be worth getting a stand-alone humidity data logger and leaving it in the plane.  After known humid days I could see how the humidity was in the cabin with the window open or with it closed.

[DonMuncy]

3 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

Simple 12v timers can be bought that when a switch is turned on they allow power for an adjustable amount of time, then even with the switch turned on, they break power.

To make the light work again,I believe the switch has to be cycled.

I bet Amazon has some. I don’t know if either is usable but feel sure an inexpensive off the shelf timer exists, I am so far out of date electronics wise as to be nearly useless

https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-cycling-Cycling-Industrial-control/dp/B015Z2EQCU/ref=sr_1_24?crid=1U0SFRLMYDVST&dchild=1&keywords=12v+timer&qid=1635420609&qsid=144-9655445-7727701&sprefix=12v+timer%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-24&sres=B07CQGP6LT%2CB00WR0ELCO%2CB0090MTLFO%2CB07VLXR7Z1%2CB076XQNSDM%2CB071XNY72Q%2CB06X3YSXY9%2CB01N05TP18%2CB07CV676VH%2CB01MRWKVM0%2CB07H7L9W3T%2CB00H4XP7QS%2CB08HRY8P55%2CB01B165XZS%2CB012FSL2GK%2CB07XTBX6X4%2CB015Z2EQCU%2CB083HN673G%2CB07DFT2WDS%2CB07VL772P5&srpt=TIMER

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Controller-Delay-off-0-01s-9999mins-Switching/dp/B07DFT2WDS/ref=psdc_495340_t1_B07JC38GLS?th=1

When I started my timer project, I did not find those. Finding timers that worked for 30 seconds or so was easy finding one that worked for 10 to 12 minutes was different.

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, PeteMc said:

I actually leave mine open for that very reason (covered @ tie-down).  Even on dryer days I'd open the door to find the cabin very humid, so I started leaving the window open (under the cover) to get some better airflow.  I realize when it rains or is very humid, their is going to be humidity in the plane.  But now when I open the door there is no damp humid feeling.

Guess it might be worth getting a stand-alone humidity data logger and leaving it in the plane.  After known humid days I could see how the humidity was in the cabin with the window open or with it closed.

Or just chuck a couple sockfulls of rechargeable silica gel in the back seat.  

[A64Pilot]

If you have your own hanger you can install a 2 ton mini split for not a whole lot of money, then get a humidistat to run it. I set mine  to turn on at 65% RH and off at 60%.

Many mini-splits are very efficient.

It will go for days and not run and then on a rainy day it will run most of the time, but it doesn’t add as much to the electric bill as you might think, and I’m in Central Fl. where it’s pretty humid.

In Winter I run a 90 pint dehumidifier.