Interior Overhead Light Replacement GE-1818 for Aero-Lites 313 LED that Actually Dims

[Lax291]

Wanted to do a quick report as I didn't see one before, but I have a 1990 M20J MSE and had a burnt out interior overhead light.  Pulling the bulb, it was a GE-1818 and after a google search I came across Aero-Lites 313 LED bulb.  Now, on their site it says these LEDs are dimmable but I remember seeing a bunch of posts where people tried other LEDs and they did not dim.

I'm happy to report that these indeed do dim with my plane.  My setup is a rocker switch with Low-Off-High positions and the low is low with the high being high.  I tested with 1 LED and the GE-1818 bulb and then both LEDs with no issue.

I've attached 2 pictures, first is on Low and second is on High and hopefully you can see the difference.  Purchased a 2-pack on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083ZKD76K?ref_=pe_386300_442618370_TE_sc_as_ri_0&th=1 and because they worked so great I am going to swap out the pilot side with the Red LEDs so that I can have red light for night and warm white when protecting night vision is not needed.

[Tim-37419]

I’m sorry to report I ordered the last 2 packs from the link above.

[Lax291]

Here's a link directly to Aero-Lites site where you can buy them individually or in 10-packs.  https://www.aero-lites.com/product-page/313F  Warm White was the color I used BTW.

[0TreeLemur]

The "dimmer" in that circuit is a resistor that cuts the voltage to the bulb.   That dimming approach doesn't work with drop-in replacement LEDs because they have their own internal circuit to provide working current from a wide range of input voltage.   One solution would involve wiring the "dim" output of the switch to one socket on each side, and the brite to the other socket on each side, then use different LED bulbs with different brightnesses in those positions.

[Lax291]

Here's a note from their website about a dimmer control. I don't believe the dimmer is PWM but all I know is when I select low the LEDs are low and when I go to high they get brighter. 

[0TreeLemur]

Aha!  That's what I get for not reading your post carefully before quick-drawing an answer!   Happens all the time here on these august pages.   Sorry.

So, the resistor is still in the circuit, reducing the voltage on the bulb and turning a little bit of electrical power into heat.  Your fancy new bulbs pick up on that reduced voltage and reduce the current to the LED.  Cool. 

Thanks for the pirep!

[Lax291]

NP, just got the red ones in today and will install sometime this weekend and take a post a picture to see how well they light up the cockpit. 

[Lax291]

Alright, ran into a roadblock with the lights as I didn't realize the front lights and rear lights are on different switches. So, I decided to put the red bulbs in the front and white ones in the rear. Pictures attached are in dark hangar with only the fronts on then only the backs on.  Red certainly lights up the front panel well in my opinion. 

Also, haven't figured out why my portrait pictures are being rotated when I upload...

[ZuluZulu]

1 hour ago, Lax291 said:

Alright, ran into a roadblock with the lights as I didn't realize the front lights and rear lights are on different switches. So, I decided to put the red bulbs in the front and white ones in the rear. Pictures attached are in dark hangar with only the fronts on then only the backs on.  Red certainly lights up the front panel well in my opinion. 

Also, haven't figured out why my portrait pictures are being rotated when I upload...

That’s exactly what I did, but I did it intentionally rather than stumbling upon it as you did: red up front and white in back. I loved the results and hopefully so do you!

[47U]

21 hours ago, Lax291 said:

Also, haven't figured out why my portrait pictures are being rotated when I upload...

It’s one of the great mysteries of MooneySpace…