Trim/Flap Indicator Light '83 M20J

[0TreeLemur]

During a recent evening flight I noticed that our J has no trim/flap indicator light.  The wiring diagram for this S/N shows one.  Is it internal to the indicator?

[KSMooniac]

There should be a little round cap on your console by the indicator windows....that is a light socket.  Simply unscrew it and replace the bulb!  

[PT20J]

My '94 J has the cap allowing replacement from the front. My '78 J didn't have that and the bulb had to be replaced from the rear which was a PITA requiring drilling out the pop rivets attaching the plastic trim on the right side of the console, disconnecting an aileron push pull tube and then removing a belly skin to disconnect the other end of the push pull tube to drop it out of the way to access the socket. I'm not sure when the design changed.

[0TreeLemur]

44 minutes ago, PT20J said:

I'm not sure when the design changed.

Our '83J has a little cap above the indicator with four ridges arranged in a "X" that looks like it might be removable.   Is that the same as your '94?

[PT20J]

4 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Our '83J has a little cap above the indicator with four ridges arranged in a "X" that looks like it might be removable.   Is that the same as your '94?

Yes. The little ridges are there so that you can get some traction on it with your fingers and unscrew it. The bulb will come out with the cap and can be removed and swapped out. If you have a 28V system the bulb is a #327 or a #385 (both bulbs have the same specs -- no idea why there are two numbers). If you want an LED replacement, the equivalent aero-lites.com P/N is AL-327MF-WW.

Skip

[0TreeLemur]

Works now.  Replaced bulb this evening.   Used a 3/8" open end wrench to back out the socket.  Thanks @PT20J for the guidance!

[0TreeLemur]

One other thing.  I was surprised to find that the trim/flap indicator light on our J is on the glareshield light dimmer, not the panel light dimmer.   I wonder why they did that?  I'd prefer it be on the panel light circuit, because I don't ordinarily use the glareshield lights.

[ArtVandelay]

My '94 J has the cap allowing replacement from the front. My '78 J didn't have that and the bulb had to be replaced from the rear which was a PITA requiring drilling out the pop rivets attaching the plastic trim on the right side of the console, disconnecting an aileron push pull tube and then removing a belly skin to disconnect the other end of the push pull tube to drop it out of the way to access the socket. I'm not sure when the design changed.

I wonder if you could just a drill a hole and retrofit the later design on a 78?