Timer on interior lighting

[Jamie]

After 6 years of having my pilot's license and having a night flight restriction due to color blindness, I am finally night qualified! I broke down and went and did the light gun signal test with my local FSDO and much to my surprise I passed. I would encourage anyone to do it. I cannot identify any of the Ishihara plates, but I had no problem with the lights.

That being said, although my RV is equipped for night flight with lighting, my interior lighting is a little lacking. I would like to add some interior lights, mostly for loading / unloading in the dark, and lighting for the baggage area. I would like to put my interior lights on my battery buss and I would like a timer on them so if my braindead self forgets to shut them off I won't kill my battery. Any ideas on a simple timer device I can install that can handle about 5-6 amps, 12VDC?

Thanks in advance!

[ddurakovich]

Won't comment on the timer, but I would strongly suggest a look at some of the LED lighting options that are out there.

Very low current draw, and much longer bulb life!

[f1rocket]

Jamie,

I use a very simple timer board that is used for home alarm systems in multiple applications. It is a simple relay with an adjustable timer pot on it. It's cheap ($16) and easy to wire. I can't recall the part number off the top of my head but I can look it up when I get home.

I found it. Here's the link: http://www.altronix.com/index.php?pid=2&model_num=6030

You might just put a Red light on your panel when the baggage light is on as a reminder. If it's dark, it would be hard to ignore or miss and is a little simpler than a timer circuit.

BTW, I use the timer board as a simple reminder to switch fuel tanks. I have it set for 30 minutes and it lights up and sounds a bell tone until you push a reset button. Wiring diagram for this is on my web site.

[az_gila]

...LED unit may be better?

Running off it's own AAA cells, it will never make the aircraft battery go dead...

Since you have a tip-up, perhaps you could mount one of these on the roll bar strut?
No wiring involved, and a big investment of around $6 to try it out.



http://www.ledlight.com/easylight-sq...led-light.aspx

[gasman]

Originally Posted by f1rocket

Jamie,

You might just put a Red light on your panel when the baggage light is on as a reminder. If it's dark, it would be hard to ignore or miss and is a little simpler than a timer circuit.

IF IT'S DARK..... it would be hard to ignore or miss the light that you left on...............

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by gasman

IF IT'S DARK..... it would be hard to ignore or miss the light that you left on...............

Haha....true...but then again people do it with headlights in autos all the time.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by f1rocket

I use a very simple timer board that is used for home alarm systems in multiple applications. It is a simple relay with an adjustable timer pot on it. It's cheap ($16) and easy to wire.

Hi Randy:

That is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

Jamie

[mburch]

I have often thought about doing something related in my airplane - it would be fun to have the interior lights come on automatically for a few minutes after you open the canopy. I could probably come up with something involving magnets and reed switches, and a PCB with a microcontroller on it...

Or I could just bring a flashlight to the hangar when it's dark. People tell me I have a habit of getting carried away with clever gadgets.

mcb

[n82rb]

yea, but with the micro i could make it auto-dim like in the new cars, and........


bob burns
N82RB RV-4