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Cockpit lighting for night flying?

moespeeds

Well Known Member
Friend
Ideas for dimmable cockpit lighting? I've got an EFIS but my steam gauges are not backlit. Swivel is preferred, mounting in an RV8.

I did see the one Vans sells.
 
Just me

I had the same dilemma several weeks ago. I am not flying, but decided to use the dimmer on the G3x system to dim a LED strip across the underside of the glare shield. I found a LED strip at a local electronics supplier that can be cut to any length and runs off 12V. In testing my baggage lights out, I figured a 3 foot strip gave the most light I would ever need. If it is too much light even when fully dimmed, then I will just lop off some. The light is well dispersed so should really flood the cockpit and panel. If I remember right, the FAA's IFR handbook said a white light is best for IFR work due to the accurate color rendition; it just needs to be turned down to avoid completely destroying night adaptation. I think the strip is $1 per foot and comes on a roll. I thought about a spot light approach or a shorter, higher output option, but I would rather bath the panel in a soft glow, than have a hot spot on certain instruments. JMHO
 
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Steinair

I plan two strips under the glareshield. Red & white. Each on a separate dimmer.
All from Steinair.
 
LED strip under the glareshield is the way ahead. Last time I used a 12volt 4 colour LED strip (white/blue/green/red) with a dimmer from Perihelion (which seem to be no longer available). A 4 position rotary switch allowed me to select whatever colour was most appropriate at the time. The LED strip was attached with double sided tape. If the LEDs shine toward your eyes a small bead of foam directly behind the strip may be required.
Pete
 
Great Idea

LED strip under the glareshield is the way ahead. Last time I used a 12volt 4 colour LED strip (white/blue/green/red) with a dimmer from Perihelion (which seem to be no longer available). A 4 position rotary switch allowed me to select whatever colour was most appropriate at the time. The LED strip was attached with double sided tape. If the LEDs shine toward your eyes a small bead of foam directly behind the strip may be required.
Pete
What a great idea. Thanks for sharing. And yes I will add a strip of light weight alum angle as a light baffle to prevent seeing the leds directly.
 
Cockpit and baggage lighting

Here is my solution to baggage and cockpit panel lighting. Panel switch is center off, up for red cockpit light, down for baggage white lighting. Both on in picture during install checkout.
 

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Cheap LED Strip from Amazon

I got 16’ of red LED strip from Amazon, trimmed to length, and hooked it up to my vintage 1997 rheostat that also runs the backlight bulbs in a few gauges, dims fine, really lit it up. Double sticky under the glare shield, just behind the edge trim so you can’t actually see the LEDs. I made sure they were dimmable via voltage instead of PWM (no noise, and you don’t need a special dimmer).
 

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Traditional

Red is traditional, in what may be a mistaken belief that it is less harsh on your night adaption. There has been more recent research that seems to indicate there is no such thing as not ruining your night adaption, light is light.

I like the look of soft red light when flying at night, and it makes the electronic screens “pop” more in full color, but it’s whatever you like, or multiple colors like others mentioned. With modern LEDs, the possibilities are endless these days.
 
I had the same dilemma several weeks ago. I am not flying, but decided to use the dimmer on the G3x system to dim a LED strip across the underside of the glare shield. I found a LED strip at a local electronics supplier that can be cut to any length and runs off 12V. In testing my baggage lights out, I figured a 3 foot strip gave the most light I would ever need. If it is too much light even when fully dimmed, then I will just lop off some. The light is well dispersed so should really flood the cockpit and panel. If I remember right, the FAA's IFR handbook said a white light is best for IFR work due to the accurate color rendition; it just needs to be turned down to avoid completely destroying night adaptation. I think the strip is $1 per foot and comes on a roll. I thought about a spot light approach or a shorter, higher output option, but I would rather bath the panel in a soft glow, than have a hot spot on certain instruments. JMHO

This, I used the LED white strip under the glareshield on a dimmer. Love it.
 
How much light, and where?

I have a Perihelion dimmer from Steins for the intruments. Can that dimmer handle another string of LED's along the underside of the glareshield? I'd hate to have a second dimmer unless necessary.
But what about more generic cockpit lighting? Lighting my lap and my GIB's lap? I'm thinking of a string of LED's under the canopy rail on both sides for this? Then there is the need for a more focused light to read a map, perhaps? Am I at three dimmers now? Panel lighting. Ambient lighting and focused map lighting?
 
I think you will find that the Perihelion dimmer will handle all three but I would prefer to have control of them individually.
There would be times you would not need all three.
 
Cockpit lighting....

I have a Perihelion dimmer from Steins for the intruments. Can that dimmer handle another string of LED's along the underside of the glareshield? I'd hate to have a second dimmer unless necessary. But what about more generic cockpit lighting? Lighting my lap and my GIB's lap? I'm thinking of a string of LED's under the canopy rail on both sides for this? Then there is the need for a more focused light to read a map, perhaps? Am I at three dimmers now? Panel lighting. Ambient lighting and focused map lighting?

I have mostly lighted steam gauges (and one Dynon). None are on a dimmer. I have one Vans red LED swivel light off the RIGHT bulkhead in the cockpit (RV-4) that focuses well on the panel or maps; not on a dimmer. Not sure if that is still available. Store is currently closed. I have a finger tip light that usually sits on a behind-the-panel support rail (easy to find) that Velcros on to my RIGHT index finger and does a great job of directing light where I need it. I've had it for years and have no idea where I got it. FLIGHTLite sells one that I also bought but I am not as impressed with it. They also have some that attach to your microphone boom. Those you find on Amazon are more toys than anything else. If I find another source, I'll post that.

Photos: the one on the LEFT is the newer one from FLIGHTLites; the one on the RIGHT is the one I've had forever and not sure where it came from. It is the better of the two....
 

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Been flying

I have white LEDs on a dimmer and have been flying at night. I prefer white over red, green or yellow due To accurate color rendition. I can get the brightness pretty low. The G3x screens will always be full color, so I see no point in a color other than white. besides, at night, I think it should be treated as an IFR flight, so seeing the stuff inside is more important than having night adapted vision to try and see the ground from 15500’.

Although it was cool to be on the way back from Vegas, at night, at 15500’, no moon and turn the cockpit lights all down, wait 20 min for night adaption, and look at the stars.
 
I have mostly lighted steam gauges (and one Dynon).

Photos: the one on the LEFT is the newer one from FLIGHTLites; the one on the RIGHT is the one I've had forever and not sure where it came from. It is the better of the two....

I use the same finger light. I have had it for years and it works great. The lip lights that attach to a mic-boom work great for directing light to where you are looking.
 
A few thoughts ...

Know where every switch and knob is without looking, then you don't need a light.
Most displays are fully backlighted, including your tablet etc., so you don't need a light.
My biggest use for a light is when something gets dropped, those items generally don't land on the instrument panel so lighting there is of little use.
Carry a penlight, or two, so when you drop the first one you can use the second one to find it....

The only installed light I've found to be super useful is the white flood on the center rail over the cargo area, for loading and unloading, and footwell lighting for when I drop both flashlights... ;)
 
A few thoughts ...

Carry a penlight, or two, so when you drop the first one you can use the second one to find it....
…..l. ;)

I wear two small led flashlights with lanyards around my neck, so when I drop one I know right where it is. The second light is for finding the spare batteries if the first light dies….
 
I have mostly lighted steam gauges (and one Dynon). None are on a dimmer. I have one Vans red LED swivel light off the RIGHT bulkhead in the cockpit (RV-4) that focuses well on the panel or maps; not on a dimmer. Not sure if that is still available. Store is currently closed. I have a finger tip light that usually sits on a behind-the-panel support rail (easy to find) that Velcros on to my RIGHT index finger and does a great job of directing light where I need it. I've had it for years and have no idea where I got it. FLIGHTLite sells one that I also bought but I am not as impressed with it. They also have some that attach to your microphone boom. Those you find on Amazon are more toys than anything else. If I find another source, I'll post that.

Photos: the one on the LEFT is the newer one from FLIGHTLites; the one on the RIGHT is the one I've had forever and not sure where it came from. It is the better of the two....


Here is the website that has the fingerlight for sale. The first one listed is shown in the post photo. They have others as well

http://nitevis.com/SSI_Fingerlight.htm
 
Finger light...

Here is the website that has the fingerlight for sale. The first one listed is shown in the post photo. They have others as well
http://nitevis.com/SSI_Fingerlight.htm

Wow! That is the one! I don't remember paying that much for it but everything is more expensive. The difference between the two is this one has a brighter but softer red light, if that makes sense. It is also a wider light field. The other is intensity-adjustable but I always have it at maximum intensity so not a useful feature. Use the SSInc one if you are thinking about getting one. LOVE mine!

There was talk about having pen lights in the cockpit. A finger light leaves your hand(s) free to do cockpit work. You won't drop it once it is secure on your finger. And you don't have to hold a pen light in your mouth and try to answer ATC....:p
 
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