Panel Lights

mandm

mandm

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I have a couple panel lights that just aren’t lighting up to my desired level, most of them are great but there’s 2 of them that I want to improve. Does anyone know how the instrument panel lights work and if there is an easy fix?

Also, the ceiling red dome light likes to work when it wants to work. Once it comes on, it’s usually good for the duration of flight but I don’t think I have any control over turning it on/off as needed.
 
mandm said:
I have a couple panel lights that just aren’t lighting up to my desired level, most of them are great but there’s 2 of them that I want to improve. Does anyone know how the instrument panel lights work and if there is an easy fix?

Also, the ceiling red dome light likes to work when it wants to work. Once it comes on, it’s usually good for the duration of flight but I don’t think I have any control over turning it on/off as needed.
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What make/model airplane?
 
Piper has a rheostat that controls the red dome light on/off and brightness. They tend to fail after a while. An old school A&P might be able to fix it. For just a couple dim instruments, likely electrical connection to the bulb or socket. A cleaning might fix it. There are also drop-in LED replacements, but you need to make sure they are compatible with a rheostat dimmer.
 
I replaced all the panel lights in my Warrior with LED lamps from SuperbrightLED. Great improvemnet!
 
Check to make sure they are the proper bulb if it’s a setup like mine they are just bulbs behind the cover plate…
 
Your photo was of a Cessna and I did not realize that you have a Piper. Piper uses a lousy way to ground the overhead lights and uses a terminal over one of the machine screws that holds the console up. If your lights are not working or intermittent, try tightening all screws that hold the console up. That ground usually is used for both the red overhead light and white flood light so a bad ground can make both of the lights go out. The red light does not have an on/off switch but uses the dimmer control on the console. Your front panel uses GE53 lamps. You need to replace them with BA9S-W-120-12VAC-20PK from SuperbrightLEDs. Also consider replacing the overhead white light with 67-W15 Natural White. The lamps for the fuel and oil pressure, etc. have to be replaced from the rear of the panel. All of the others can be replaced from the front after removing the plastic overlays. Be very careful when replacing them because it is very easy to push the light sockets through the socket hole and they are a pain to push then back in. You will be very pleased with the LED lighting.
 
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kshaw said:
I replaced all the panel lights in my Warrior with LED lamps from SuperbrightLED. Great improvemnet!
Click to expand...

Did you do this yourself or have a mechanic do it and how much did it cost you?
 
Huckster79 said:
Check to make sure they are the proper bulb if it’s a setup like mine they are just bulbs behind the cover plate…
Click to expand...

I have not seen behind the panel yet, so unscrew it and remove it to see what’s going on behind the panel?
 
kshaw said:
Your photo was of a Cessna and I did not realize that you have a Piper. Piper uses a lousy way to ground the overhead lights and uses a terminal over one of the machine screws that holds the console up. If your lights are not working or intermittent, try tightening all screws that hold the console up. That ground usually is used for both the red overhead light and white flood light so a bad ground can make both of the lights go out. The red light does not have an on/off switch but uses the dimmer control on the console. Your front panel uses GE53 lamps. You need to replace them with BA9S-W-120-12VAC-20PK from SuperbrightLEDs. Also consider replacing the overhead white light with 67-W15 Natural White. The lamps for the fuel and oil pressure, etc. have to be replaced from the rear of the panel. All of the others can be replaced from the front after removing the plastic overlays. Be very careful when replacing them because it is very easy to push the light sockets through the socket hole and they are a pain to push then back in. You will be very pleased with the LED lighting.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I’ll look into this. I trained mostly in a Cessna 172 and just recently picked up a Piper Arrow.
 
mandm said:
I have not seen behind the panel yet, so unscrew it and remove it to see what’s going on behind the panel?
Click to expand...

possibly depending on your set up. I’m no a&p but very active in the maintenance of my own- so my advice may be myopic and not applicable to your bird, idk… but that’s how mine were- granted I’m in the vintage era of a 1947- mine had a mix of bulbs in it when I got mine.
 
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