Annunciator Panel Lights

[bnicolette]

Hi all,

Coming back in to land today after I put the gear down I did not get a "Gear Down" light on the annunciator panel.  I pushed the test button and sure enough,  that light is burned out.  Please tell me that these are individual bulbs that can be taken out and replaced simply?  Has anybody done this and if so do you have a part # or a place to order the bulb from?

Thank you!

B~

[laytonl]

I'm not sure if it is the same across all models, but for my 1978 M20J, I believe it is a Chicago Minature CM7-7330.  These are push in bulbs.  You may be able to open the annuciator panel (2 screws on the front of the panel) and just move another light over to this spot.  Yours may not be the same as my though.  In any event, it is a cheap fix, the bulbs are about $1.00.

Lee

[bnicolette]

Quote: laytonl

In any event, it is a cheap fix, the bulbs are about $1.00.

Lee

[201er]

Now are these brand new bulbs or overhaul replacements

[HopePilot]

What would the LED replacement be, I wonder.

[pjsny78]

When you have the nav lights on you will not get the green light on the annunciator panel. I do not know why this is but as soon as you turn them off you get the green light.

[jetdriven]

Nav lights on dims the gear down annunciator quite a bit, but it still should illuminate.

[pjsny78]

Thanks Jetdriven,

 but myne goes out compleatly.

[gregwatts]

Quote: Bnicolette

Lee, Holy cow. I get to fix my plane for $1.00. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will check it out tomorrow, but thanks so much for the info. I'll probably install it and it will short out my entire electrical system and therefore cause a more appropriate maintenance bill for the Mooney. Like $1K or more!

[201er]

And if the bulb isn't STC or PMAed, you're gonna have to file a 337! That's how you turn a $1 light bulb into a $1000 light bulb!

[FlyDave]

Did you check the "Gear Warn" circuit breaker (I think that's the one) ? I've had it pop and no Gear down light until I re-set the breaker. My mechanic and I are looking into it over the next 1 1/2 weeks.

[sreid]

Quote: pjsny78

Thanks Jetdriven,

 but myne goes out compleatly.

[pjsny78]

deleted

[pjsny78]

Quote: sreid

It sounds like yours might not be working correctly.  At least on the R model, and the one J model I fly, it does not turn off completely with nav lights on, but does get very dim.

There is a guy who flies out of my home airport, who was new to Mooneys.  He took off in the morning, in night conditions, with the nav lights on. Flew about six or seven hundred miles while the sun came up, and had the tower at his destination send out the emergency trucks because the gear down annunciator looked like it was off.  It was actually working fine but was very dim and the sun was bright in the cockpit.

Steve

[Vref]

Quote: sreid

It sounds like yours might not be working correctly.  At least on the R model, and the one J model I fly, it does not turn off completely with nav lights on, but does get very dim.

There is a guy who flies out of my home airport, who was new to Mooneys.  He took off in the morning, in night conditions, with the nav lights on. Flew about six or seven hundred miles while the sun came up, and had the tower at his destination send out the emergency trucks because the gear down annunciator looked like it was off.  It was actually working fine but was very dim and the sun was bright in the cockpit.

Steve

[jetdriven]

I think according to the POH the gear down indicator in the floor is primary, the light is secondary.

[Vref]

The floor is a mechanical pointer which is in fact a piece of metal that moves (rotates) with the bell crank. If the stripe is there physically your gear must be down unless there was something wrong with the rigging of the gear. The overcenter locks may still be off ..There was this video of the mooney taken off in New Zealand when the nose gear suddenly collapsed...I suspect that the nose gear overcenter was not correctly rigged causing the whole thing to fold down...After this happens I very detailed examination of the bell crank is required IMHO as this happened to the previous owner of my aircraft :

the nose gear collapsed with a secondary collapse of the right main gear on grass. during the overhaul we noticed that the bell crank was torded due to the forces of couse we replaced the whole bell crank........

I post this picture (after its removal)  indicating that this item is crucial in the whole gear mechanism ...note the torsion of the tube...which had to sustain serious stress...you can clearly see the visual pointer and attached lamp.

In addition two years ago there was in the UK a gear collapse after touchdown of a mooney after investigation the UK CAA found out that the link (metal) part of the nose gear was inverse mounted causing a bad overcenter nose wheel lock contributing to the collapse of the whole gear.(The pilot clearly selected gear down had the annunciator light coming from the gear down limit switch)....If I remember well there was a recommendation to improve the drawing in the maintenance manual....

rgds

Luc

[bnicolette]

Well, went out to the airport today and took off my glare shield (although I didn't need to), and removed the two bolts on the annunciator panel.  Pulled out the face plate and had access to the bulbs.  Picture below.

Pulled out the "landing gear down" bulb and moved the "gear unsafe" over to the left and sure enough, it worked.  Thankfully, it turned out to just be the bulb.

Now, to locate one.  Both Weber and LASAR stock them.

 

[Vref]

Quote: Bnicolette

Well, went out to the airport today and took off my glare shield (although I didn't need to), and removed the two bolts on the annunciator panel.  Pulled out the face plate and had access to the bulbs.  Picture below.

Pulled out the "landing gear down" bulb and moved the "gear unsafe" over to the left and sure enough, it worked.  Thankfully, it turned out to just be the bulb.

Now, to locate one.  Both Weber and LASAR stock them.

 

[bnicolette]

Vref,

Thank you!!!  Newark had them under the part # 7330 and got a box of 10 for $10.43.  What the heck, I'll put the rest in my fly away kit.  The MSC's wanted $6 a piece for them, which is okay, but might as well get a couple more for the road.

 

[Vref]

Quote: Bnicolette

Vref,

Thank you!!!  Newark had them under the part # 7330 and got a box of 10 for $10.43.  What the heck, I'll put the rest in my fly away kit.  The MSC's wanted $6 a piece for them, which is okay, but might as well get a couple more for the road.

 

[jwilkins]

Snip<There is a guy who flies out of my home airport, who was new to Mooneys.  He took off in the morning, in night conditions, with the nav lights on. Flew about six or seven hundred miles while the sun came up, and had the tower at his destination send out the emergency trucks because the gear down annunciator looked like it was off.  It was actually working fine but was very dim and the sun was bright in the cockpit.>

This would be really easy to do. When I was doing my 231 check out with Dav McGee he repeatedly said the 'gear down light is nice, but I want you to look at the mechanical indicator in the floor'. It only took maybe 5 or 6 times (OK, so I'm a slow learner) of his firm reproaches until I could memory train myself to look at both. I know if the light were not on I'd test the lights, but not be overly concerned. Microswitches, wires, and electricity are nice but a flag welded on the gear is pretty bulletproof. (provided gear preload is Ok, etc).

Jim