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Timer on interior lighting

Jamie

Jamie

Well Known Member
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!
 
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!
 
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.
 
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Perhaps a small self-contained....

...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.

65734m.jpg


http://www.ledlight.com/easylight-square-6-led-light.aspx
 
f1rocket said:
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.
Click to expand...


IF IT'S DARK..... it would be hard to ignore or miss the light that you left on...............:D
 
f1rocket said:
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.
Click to expand...

Hi Randy:

That is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

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


bob burns
N82RB RV-4
 
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