Landing gear indicator (on the floor) 78' M20J

[FlySafe]

Good evening, my floor visual gear position light is very hard to see so thought I would try and change it out for a 12v style as suggested.  I removed the forward belly skin and could see the light bracket holder. It has a retaining nut on the down side with the ground wire. However, I can not get to the top side of the bracket to remove the upper retaining nut to pull bulb out through mounting bracket.This is on a 74 C. Any ideas, not a mechanic, stuck. Thank you.

k

[EricJ]

You can get to the rest of it from inside the airplane.   Be careful, once the fasteners are out it can kind of just spontaneously disassemble itself.    If you're *very* careful you can do the whole job from inside the airplane, but if you drop *anything*, which is a high probability, you'll probably have to take the belly off to fish it out, anyway, so it's good to start from there.   I'd put a tarp or blanket or something on the floor under the airplane to catch things, but that's just me.

I replaced the bulb with an LED and it made an enormous difference.   I can actually see it now.   Even though the previous bulb was working, it was so dim that it was useless to use the floor indicator.   Now it's visible and useful.

 

[FlySafe]

27 minutes ago, EricJ said:

You can get to the rest of it from inside the airplane.   Be careful, once the fasteners are out it can kind of just spontaneously disassemble itself.    If you're *very* careful you can do the whole job from inside the airplane, but if you drop *anything*, which is a high probability, you'll probably have to take the belly off to fish it out, anyway, so it's good to start from there.   I'd put a tarp or blanket or something on the floor under the airplane to catch things, but that's just me.

I replaced the bulb with an LED and it made an enormous difference.   I can actually see it now.   Even though the previous bulb was working, it was so dim that it was useless to use the floor indicator.   Now it's visible and useful.

 

Thanks EricJ, I have another go at it from the top side this time. I had the same impression with the current light, only time i can even tell its even there is at night.    

[FlySafe]

@EricJ Do you know how this pic from earlier in the thread relates to the schematic. Assuming my C is similar would i need to remove all the labeled screws for access?

k

 

 

 

[EricJ]

16 hours ago, FlySafe said:

@EricJ Do you know how this pic from earlier in the thread relates to the schematic. Assuming my C is similar would i need to remove all the labeled screws for access?

k

 

My recollection is that the four outermost screws hold it to the floor, and the four inner ones hold the assembly together.   If you can leave the two forward or two rearward screws that hold the slide together in place it'll make it easier to reassemble.   I wound up with it completely apart, which made reassembly a lot more fiddly, but not horrible.   Once it can be pulled up from the floor a bit you can see how it is assembled and what goes where.   Pics as you go aren't a bad idea.

Edit: The "four outermost screws" are A and D the ones under the foil tape.

 

[Fly Boomer]

19 hours ago, EricJ said:

replaced the bulb with an LED and it made an enormous difference.   I can actually see it now.   Even though the previous bulb was working, it was so dim that it was useless to use the floor indicator.   Now it's visible and useful.

Do you have the specifications and source for that bulb? 

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

Do you have the specifications and source for that bulb? 

I think this is what I put in:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GKY8S7L

[FlySafe]

3 hours ago, EricJ said:

I think this is what I put in:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GKY8S7L

Affirmative on the part above, alternative style also from aero-lites (2 pack)

https://www.amazon.com/GE330-Replacement-Bulb-12VDC-BULBS/dp/B01N1UPFF6/ref=psdc_2314207011_t5_B08GKY8S7L

[EricJ]

14 minutes ago, FlySafe said:

Affirmative on the part above, alternative style also from aero-lites (2 pack)

https://www.amazon.com/GE330-Replacement-Bulb-12VDC-BULBS/dp/B01N1UPFF6/ref=psdc_2314207011_t5_B08GKY8S7L

Yes, the one I linked previously is described as a 327 replacement (should work for either 24V or 12V).

Interestingly, aero-lites shows the one FlySafe linked and this one as a 330 replacement for those that need one (says 12V):

https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-14VDC-Dimmable-Replaces-Numbers/dp/B08GH2NWV9

The 327 replacement is still plenty bright at 12V, at least mine is.   I'd think any of them would work in a 12V airplane.   The comparison lists in the product pages on amazon show all of them together.