Nihon_Ni
Well Known Member
I've been working on installing my electrical system for a couple months now, and I'm starting to feel pretty confident with what I'm doing. However, I ran into an issue this weekend that I can't figure out, and I need some help from the collective to figure this one out.
I have two pairs of red LED lights that I'm installing in the cockpit on a dimmer switch.
Gooseneck lights: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/britt-mgn-minigoose.php
Flood lights: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/intmaplight.php
Dimmer switch: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/singlechannelpwm.php
Before I installed these lights, I tested the circuit design using alligator clip jumpers I bought at the Fly Market this year at AirVenture, and they all worked in series. I soldered wires to the leads on each of the lights, according to the diagram I constructed, and crimped knife disconnects in the two locations on the drawing. But when I applied power and twisted the dimmer, nothing happened.
All my wires are labeled, and there isn't anything out of position. I removed the dimmer switch and added a jumper from the ground point to the ground lead wire (blue box #1) and another jumper from the power bus to the power lead (#2). This didn't turn the lights on.
With the power jumper still on #2, I disconnected the knife splices and moved the ground jumper to #3 and the right light came on.
I then replaced the ground jumper back to #1, and added a jumper from #3 to #6, (power still attached at #2) and both gooseneck lights came on. (I've also connected the knife disconnects at #3 and #6 and the goose neck lights work in that configuration.)
I then moved the power jumper to #4 and ground to #5 and the two flood lights came on.
The problem is, I can't seem to get the whole circuit to work at once. With ground at #1 and power at #2 I've added jumpers from #3 to #4 and #5 to #6, but none of the lights come on in that case. I can get either the two flood lights on or the two goose neck lights on, but I can't get either three or all four of them to light up.
I increased the fuse to 5 amps and that didn't solve the problem either.
I've removed the switch, so that isn't the issue. I'm stumped at what the problem might be. The lights all worked with jumpers before I soldered wires in place while drawing power from a 1A fuse, and I have triple checked to be sure I have the polarity right on each light.
Why do they work in pairs, but not all four together?
Stumped in Virginia
I have two pairs of red LED lights that I'm installing in the cockpit on a dimmer switch.
Gooseneck lights: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/britt-mgn-minigoose.php
Flood lights: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/intmaplight.php
Dimmer switch: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/singlechannelpwm.php
Before I installed these lights, I tested the circuit design using alligator clip jumpers I bought at the Fly Market this year at AirVenture, and they all worked in series. I soldered wires to the leads on each of the lights, according to the diagram I constructed, and crimped knife disconnects in the two locations on the drawing. But when I applied power and twisted the dimmer, nothing happened.
All my wires are labeled, and there isn't anything out of position. I removed the dimmer switch and added a jumper from the ground point to the ground lead wire (blue box #1) and another jumper from the power bus to the power lead (#2). This didn't turn the lights on.
With the power jumper still on #2, I disconnected the knife splices and moved the ground jumper to #3 and the right light came on.
I then replaced the ground jumper back to #1, and added a jumper from #3 to #6, (power still attached at #2) and both gooseneck lights came on. (I've also connected the knife disconnects at #3 and #6 and the goose neck lights work in that configuration.)
I then moved the power jumper to #4 and ground to #5 and the two flood lights came on.
The problem is, I can't seem to get the whole circuit to work at once. With ground at #1 and power at #2 I've added jumpers from #3 to #4 and #5 to #6, but none of the lights come on in that case. I can get either the two flood lights on or the two goose neck lights on, but I can't get either three or all four of them to light up.
I increased the fuse to 5 amps and that didn't solve the problem either.
I've removed the switch, so that isn't the issue. I'm stumped at what the problem might be. The lights all worked with jumpers before I soldered wires in place while drawing power from a 1A fuse, and I have triple checked to be sure I have the polarity right on each light.
Why do they work in pairs, but not all four together?
Stumped in Virginia
Last edited: