New landing light lenses

[PT20J]

I installed new WAT Parmetheus G3 landing and taxi lights purchased from @OSUAV8TER. They are great! Very bright compared to the earlier Parmetheus Plus. 

I also got new lenses from GLAP and installed them without the trim ring. Someone had way over tightened the originals in the past and there were cracks radiating from all the screw holes. I always thought the trim looked like crap. This is gonna get me 5kts at least 

I’d post pictures, but system won’t let me.

Skip

 

[LANCECASPER]

I've replaced the lenses on Mooneys I've owned and it really improves the appearance. Countersunk washers help to avoid cracking the lens.

 

[glenn reynolds]

I also run with no trim. More glare at night though. 

[PT20J]

It was kind of a PITA to trim those things since the lenses come oversized. Took me four hours to fit the first one and three to do the second. Lots of fitting trimming more fitting.

[PT20J]

I deleted a bunch of stuff and now I can load the pictures. 

Original

 

New

[ArtVandelay]

I deleted a bunch of stuff and now I can load the pictures. 

Nice job.

If you remove the tie down rings, you’ll get another knot.

My AP used PRC to prevent water ingress.

[PT20J]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:21 PM, glenn reynolds said:

I also run with no trim. More glare at night though. 

I see what you mean. The lights transmit through the plastic and the top inch, which is now uncovered, glows. I think I’ll try putting some black vinyl tape on it and see how that looks. If it looks OK, I may paint the top edge black.

[Shadrach]

I think it looks much cleaner sans trim. 

[EricJ]

31 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

I think it looks much cleaner sans trim. 

Yeah, I didn't even know this was an option on my early 201, but now I see there are lots of pics of the cover done this way on the cowl, too.

[PT20J]

18 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Yeah, I didn't even know this was an option on my early 201, but now I see there are lots of pics of the cover done this way on the cowl, too.

On the last J’s, Mooney eliminated the trim. It’s an easy mod as the holes go through both the trim and the lens. On the wing-mounted installation, the lamps are accessed (somewhat painfully) through an under wing inspection cover behind the assembly.

The earlier Js with the single lamp in the cowling would be a bit more complicated to modify since the lens is only held in place by the trim and must be removed to service the lamp. But I’m sure it has been done. 

Anyone have pictures?

Skip

[LANCECASPER]

24 minutes ago, PT20J said:

On the wing-mounted installation, the lamps are accessed (somewhat painfully) through an under wing inspection cover behind the assembly.

I changed bulbs on a ‘96 Bravo that I had and I think still have scars to prove it. It used to go through bulbs often.

On the Mooneys I’ve had since then I have vowed to go in there and do it once with LED and never do it again. AT some point they got smart and used Allen head screws which made it easier. On any that I have changed out to LEDs that had other screws I have changed them out to Allen head . ..  just in case.

The Acclaim that I have now it has the Xenon lights. I do not look forward to when bulbs need to be changed.

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

I changed bulbs on a ‘96 Bravo that I had and I think still have scars to prove it. It used to go through bulbs often.

On the Mooneys I’ve had since then I have vowed to go in there and do it once with LED and never do it again. AT some point they got smart and used Allen head screws which made it easier. On any that I have changed out to LEDs that had other screws I have changed them out to Allen head . ..  just in case.

The Acclaim that I have now it has the Xenon lights. I do not look forward to when bulbs need to be changed.

 I put a XeVision 50W Xenon HID landing  light in my plane when we were offered a group by on the Mooney mail list.  This was before the FAA cracked down on field approvals for non-TSO’d landing lights.  I think that was ~15 years ago. That system has been maintenance free ever since. I haven’t noticed any deterioration in the quality of the lighting. It still lights up the water tower on the other side of the field (>.5mile) when taxiing and illuminates the insides of semi cabs when I’m on approach to 09. I would not trade it for any of the currently available technology. I doubt that you’ll need to change bulbs anytime soon.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Shadrach

[PT20J]

57 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

 I put a XeVision 50W Xenon HID landing  light in my plane when we were offered a group by on the Mooney mail list.  This was before the FAA cracked down on field approvals of landing lights.  I think that was ~15 years ago. That system has been maintenance free ever since. I haven’t noticed any deterioration in the quality of the lighting. It still lights up the water tower on the other side of the field (>.5mile) when taxiing and illuminates the insides of semi cabs when I’m on approach to 09. I would not trade it for any of the currently available technology. I doubt that you’ll need to change bulbs anytime soon.

Just don't turn it on in the hangar, or it will burn through the door 

[EricJ]

5 hours ago, PT20J said:

On the last J’s, Mooney eliminated the trim. It’s an easy mod as the holes go through both the trim and the lens. On the wing-mounted installation, the lamps are accessed (somewhat painfully) through an under wing inspection cover behind the assembly.

The earlier Js with the single lamp in the cowling would be a bit more complicated to modify since the lens is only held in place by the trim and must be removed to service the lamp. But I’m sure it has been done. 

Anyone have pictures?

Skip

I know what you mean, and I don't recall where the screw holes go on mine, but I think they're outside of the recessed area.   Nevertheless, yesterday when I looked I found several pics like this that suggests either some were made to do it or have been modified.

[PT20J]

19 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I know what you mean, and I don't recall where the screw holes go on mine, but I think they're outside of the recessed area.   Nevertheless, yesterday when I looked I found several pics like this that suggests either some were made to do it or have been modified.

I looked in the IPC and up through SN 24-1615 used the retainer and after that they did not. GLAP lists two different lenses with matching serial number ranges. For $90.36 and some work it looks like you could change yours out.

http://www.glapinc.com/Mooney/m20j.htm

 

[EricJ]

26 minutes ago, PT20J said:

I looked in the IPC and up through SN 24-1615 used the retainer and after that they did not. GLAP lists two different lenses with matching serial number ranges. For $90.36 and some work it looks like you could change yours out.

http://www.glapinc.com/Mooney/m20j.htm

 

Mine is 24-0077, so I'd have to rework the cowl to move the fasteners, which isn't practical.    i.e., the fasteners are outside the recessed area, so can't attach a recessed cover by itself.   Like this:

[PT20J]

41 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Mine is 24-0077, so I'd have to rework the cowl to move the fasteners, which isn't practical.    i.e., the fasteners are outside the recessed area, so can't attach a recessed cover by itself.   Like this:

Ah, I neglected to check the lower cowl for changes by serno and they are different at the same p/n break as the lens. 

[Brent]

12 hours ago, PT20J said:

I see what you mean. The lights transmit through the plastic and the top inch, which is now uncovered, glows. I think I’ll try putting some black vinyl tape on it and see how that looks. If it looks OK, I may paint the top edge black.

Those LEDs are slick. Be mindful of tape adhesive and solvent-laden paint on the acrylic lenses. Solvents + residual stress (e.g., around drilled holes if not carefully drilled) + temperature can lead to crazing and cracking.   

[PT20J]

38 minutes ago, Brent said:

Those LEDs are slick. Be mindful of tape adhesive and solvent-laden paint on the acrylic lenses. Solvents + residual stress (e.g., around drilled holes if not carefully drilled) + temperature can lead to crazing and cracking.   

Actually, these are polycarbonate, unlike the wingtip lenses that are acrylic. Polycarbonate is softer and more flexible and doesn’t tend to crack as easily as acrylic. It’s nice to work with because you can saw it easily without fear of cracking it. On the other hand, it was hard to make small cuts with a cutoff wheel on a Dremel as I do with acrylic because it melts easily. I don’t think polycarbonate likes strong solvents any more than acrylic.

[Brent]

On 5/21/2022 at 9:25 PM, PT20J said:

Actually, these are polycarbonate, unlike the wingtip lenses that are acrylic. Polycarbonate is softer and more flexible and doesn’t tend to crack as easily as acrylic. It’s nice to work with because you can saw it easily without fear of cracking it. On the other hand, it was hard to make small cuts with a cutoff wheel on a Dremel as I do with acrylic because it melts easily. I don’t think polycarbonate likes strong solvents any more than acrylic.

Oh! Even more care required. You're right, polycarbonate is less chemical-resistant than acrylic, less abrasion-resistant, too. But, as you experienced, more ductile and impact-resistant tan acrylic. I wonder if the lenses are clear-coated - that would be a good value-add for polycarbonate lenses. Anyway, your setup looked good in the photo. The topic caught my eye because I'm in the business of aircraft windshields and glazings/lenses (with a sister division in aerospace paint and sealants). Not that I can add more than you already figured out now.

[N201MKTurbo]

I did mine with polycarbonate 10 years ago and it is still going strong. I heated it with a heat gun and bent it over a Home Depot bucket 

[ArtVandelay]

I see what you mean. The lights transmit through the plastic and the top inch, which is now uncovered, glows. I think I’ll try putting some black vinyl tape on it and see how that looks. If it looks OK, I may paint the top edge black.

Hmmm, I never noticed any glare, I have to look carefully to see if they’re even on in clear air, the taxi lights are always left on, but I turn off landing lights on climb out. If they glow then the lens may be cracking (crazing) or the lights are not focused?

[hypertech]

On 5/20/2022 at 12:28 AM, PT20J said:

It was kind of a PITA to trim those things since the lenses come oversized. Took me four hours to fit the first one and three to do the second. Lots of fitting trimming more fitting.

If you send yours to GLAP, they will trim them for you.  I don't recall there even being a charge.  All I had to do when I got mine back was mark the screw holes and drill those.  Made it super easy.

[PT20J]

4 minutes ago, hypertech said:

If you send yours to GLAP, they will trim them for you.  I don't recall there even being a charge.  All I had to do when I got mine back was mark the screw holes and drill those.  Made it super easy.

Good point. I just didn't want t be down that long, though in retrospect, I could have done it during the winter when I wasn't flying much. Also, since mine were covered by the trim, the factory fit wasn't perfect and I though I could do a better job. I did, but it took a while.

[PT20J]

Here's my latest experiment. I purchased some 1" wide matte black 3M 471 vinyl tape on eBay. It conforms well to uneven surfaces (like screws and washers) and has a rubber adhesive that I don't think will harm the plastic. One of it's design uses is for floor markings, so it's pretty tough, but it is also easy to remove. I'll see how it holds up, but as you can see from the picture it's almost invisible when installed.