Tip: New Annunciator Panel

[Ironflight]

In working on some future design ideas, I decided to try and "repackage" the annunciator panel that I originally built for the Val - the one that fits up above my GRT EFIS stack.When I built it originally, I used discrete LED's, soldered in dropping resistors, and built the case from raw "U"-Channel stock.

After finding some nice 12 volt LED indicator lamps, and using them for a single-row annunciator panel in "Mikey" (Louise's RV-6) I decided to try and build a multi-row unit for something I have in the works. Since my original one was built to connect to the airframe through a nine-pin D-Sub connector, it was easy to build a drop-in replacement (all I had to do was dig through my stack of building notes to find the original pin-outs....)

Here are some pics to give people ideas of how to do their own - as they say, picture is worth a thousand words! (it is just an aluminum bezel, the lights, and some wiring - cost was almost nothing)







Paul

[rv9aviator]

Nice looking. Check your Pvt Msg.

[Kenny Gene]

Paul,
Ditto,, looks nice. I would like to install something similiar as I forgot to turn off my boost pump the other day on a night flight and it wasn't until I started to lean out and watch my EIS fuel flow did I realize that I had not turned off the boost. Where did you get these and would they be too bright at night or would you run them through the dash dimmer?
Thanks.
Kenny Gene
RV 7A 118 hours
AWC issued 9-7-07

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gene

Where did you get these and would they be too bright at night or would you run them through the dash dimmer?

Kenny,

I found the indictor lights at a local electronics part store here, but someone else found them for sale on the web....I can't find th epost now....but a very easy way to do lamps.

I do run the lamps through a dimmer on my panel, and that works out very well - you want to be able to fine tune them for the conditions, but not turn them so far down that you accidently leave them so dim that they don't get your attention in daytime!

Paul

[rv8eh]

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...nciator&page=4

post #38, by Gil Alexander

https://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16971+LE

[David_Nelson]

The link that Gil posted has a 10x14mm mounting hole. They also have 10x10mm, 12x12mm, and 12x16mm and round holes - quite the selection.

The full LED selection is available at

https://www.mpja.com/products.asp?dept=485

If you're into lamps rather then LEDs, they have those too!

https://www.mpja.com/products.asp?dept=155

Pretty neat little site!

[BuckWynd]

I used the 12x16 LED lamps from MPJA. Just to add another datapoint, here's an early prototype I made:



I give full credit to Paul and Gil for the idea. These lamps are just what I was looking for in order to get a sufficiently "military/commercial" look. Sweet!

[mburch]

Hi guys,

For those of you who have these indicators already, do you know who the actual manufacturer is? I have some EAO lights and lighted pushbuttons that look very similar to the ones shown in the photos. It would be nice to have a cheaper supply of matching extras, if I need them. For reference, the ones I have are these.

thanks,
mcb

[BuckWynd]

Hi Matt,

The LED light assemblies I got from MPJA have no markings on them except a small decal that says "NEWLT" in a diamond-shaped outline. The cases are plastic, and they have solder-terminals.

Hope that helps identify them. They certainly look like the EAO lights.

[Ironflight]

Matt -

I agree with Buck - they look suspiciously like the EAO lights you referenced. Mine came from a bin at the local parts place, and had no other markign than the diamond with NEWLT in them....

Paul