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Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

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jonlaury

Joined: 06 Nov 2006
Posts: 336

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:47 am Post subject: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

In wiring my HW rocker lamps, I'm pulling power off of the load side of the switch so that the lamp only lights when the switch is on. I'm daisy chaining the ground legs



I got a Perihelion dimmer to control brightness and plan to run the ground leg of the lamps into the power pin of the trim pot and run the variable output to ground.



Is there faulty logic in this plan?



How are others doing HW lamp control/wiring and why?



Thanks,

John

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
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Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:18 pm Post subject: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

At 12:47 PM 2/12/2011, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



In wiring my HW rocker lamps, I'm pulling power off of the load side 

of the switch so that the lamp only lights when the switch is on. 

I'm daisy chaining the ground legs



I got a Perihelion dimmer to control brightness and plan to run the 

ground leg of the lamps into the power pin of the trim pot and run 

the variable output to ground.



Is there faulty logic in this plan?


	


    Only if the device was not designed to include

    this mode of operation. Suggest you contact

    the guy who designed and builds the product.

    My best guess is that it will not function

    as you wish with the connection proposed.



    A ground side dimmer is a different breed of

    cat. If you want build one, I can sketch it

    out.

   Bob . . .

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jonlaury

Joined: 06 Nov 2006
Posts: 336

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

 	  Quote: 	
		  A ground side dimmer is a different breed of

cat. If you want build one, I can sketch it

out. 	




Bob,

So glad to see that you've finally run out of things to do and are spending your days whittling while waiting to solve my hare-brained ideas 



If you can find the time, I'd appreciate your sketch, as I can't see how to use the Perehelion dimmer to do what I want, if it won't dim through the ground side. 



Noodling...

If I use the dimmer as intended and hook the variable output to the lamp, with a parallel jumper from the load side of the switch to the lamp, the lamp would be governed by the dimmer when the switch was off. The lamp would brighten to full when the switch was on, giving me the differentiation of OFF/ON that I seek, but would the increased voltage cause a problem back feeding dimmer? Maybe a diode on the dimmer output would prevent that?

Probably a question for Eric.



John

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Mauledriver(at)nc.rr.com
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Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:22 pm Post subject: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

I just posted some pics of my installation here:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/category.php?user=MauleDriver&project=224&category=5253



My thinking is that I want the switches to be lit and dimmable in low 

light/night.  So the switch lighting is wired completely independent 

from any switch function.  The switches themselves are very visible in 

day light and their position clearly indicated off/or or whatever.



It does take a fair amount of wiring just for the lighting.  I too used 

1 of 3 Perihelion dimmers to control the switches.  You can see in the 

pics how I used a single D-Sub connector as a power and ground bus for 

all the lights, a design  I copied or adapted from one of Bob's notes.



I can't speak to the ground side dimming but I'm not sure why you'd want 

to try to tie the lighting to switch function.  These particular 

switches indicate function very elegantly independent from the back 

lighting.  I did use a related set of 6 Honeywell square backlit 

indicators for the usual suspects plus door pin warning.  Nice aesthetic 

match with the rockers.



Sourcing the rockers was interesting.  Aerotronics product mall is a 

good place to start but getting the right switch for autopilot switching 

and the flap switch was a bit trickier.

http://www.avionicsmall.com/



BTW, cutting square holes with a square file is surprisingly easy, even 

in thick panel stock.



I like 'em so far.  Can't wait to fly with them.

Bill "excited by the warm weather so painting can be completed" Watson





On 2/12/2011 12:47 PM, jonlaury wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 In wiring my HW rocker lamps, I'm pulling power off of the load side of the switch so that the lamp only lights when the switch is on. I'm daisy chaining the ground legs



 I got a Perihelion dimmer to control brightness and plan to run the ground leg of the lamps into the power pin of the trim pot and run the variable output to ground.



 Is there faulty logic in this plan?



 How are others doing HW lamp control/wiring and why?



 Thanks,

 John

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jonlaury

Joined: 06 Nov 2006
Posts: 336

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

Bill,

Thanks for your thoughts on wiring the AML series switches. After discussions with Perehelion, I've worked out a scheme to run the switch lamps at 12v (using http://www.semicon.panasonic.co.jp/ds4/AN7712SP_BEB_discon.pdf) for dimming, but when the switch is ON, the lamp gets the bus voltage of 13.5v making them brighter than the dimmer circuit.

I may have to adjust the max voltage of the dimmer circuit to get the bingo brightness differential. Or this whole idea may end up in the trash and I simplify to just hooking the dimmer directly to the lamps like you have done.



John

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Mauledriver(at)nc.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:05 am Post subject: Honeywell Rocker lamp wiring

You're welcome Jon.



  I'm attaching an Excel file that has both my switch and indicator 

layout (I don't know if that will post properly on the list so I'm it 

directly to you too.)  My thinking at the time went something like this:

The first block of 3 switches handles the 2 busses and the buss 

crossfeed switch.  I assume I will normally fly with first 2 switches on 

and the xfeed off so I have a backlit indicator that lights when I turn 

it on.



The 2nd block of 4 switches include fuel boost and lights.  Again, since 

the fuel boost is normally off in flight, I added a lit indicator for 

it.  The light switches just need to be set and ignored so no indicators 

for those other than switch position.



The next 2 switches are for AP navigation source switching and flaps.  

Since there really isn't an off or on, no indicator other than switch 

position.



I color coded the indicators based on the function.  Oil Pressure and 

Door are red no-go items, Master Warn (GRT) and Low voltage are yellow 

warning items, Buss Xfeed and Fuel boost are green for normal operation 

indications.



I have panel dimmers on my  panel on my Maule but the switches are unlit 

rockers.  I end up keeping everything as dim as possible but when I use 

a switch, I either do it by memory or I have to turn up the dimmer on 

the post lights so I can see the switch.  That was my original reason 

for going with the backlit Honeywell's.



Two thoughts to consider:

  - for night flight, you may not want a light to go bright and stay 

that way.  The point of dimming them is to improve your night vision so 

outside of something you want a warning for, you may not want an 

undimmed bright light that stays lit.

- I'm using LEDs in my switches and indicators.  Not sure if that's 

standard but I think there is an incandescent option.  I'm thinking the 

LEDs will last forever.  In either case, I'm not sure if the dimmer and 

voltage implications are different for each type.



Sounds like you are enjoying the electrical stuff as much as I did.  

Have fun.  Can't wait to fly mine.



Bill "back to masking and painting" Watson





On 2/20/2011 1:24 PM, jonlaury wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Bill,

 Thanks for your thoughts on wiring the AML series switches. After discussions with Perehelion, I've worked out a scheme to run the switch lamps at 12v (using http://www.semicon.panasonic.co.jp/ds4/AN7712SP_BEB_discon.pdf) for dimming, but when the switch is ON, the lamp gets the bus voltage of 13.5v making them brighter than the dimmer circuit.

 I may have to adjust the max voltage of the dimmer circuit to get the bingo brightness differential. Or this whole idea may end up in the trash and I simplify to just hooking the dimmer directly to the lamps like you have done.



 John

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