Reverse voltage on gear down light

[Eric Middlebrook]

Is this normal? The gear down indicator light on my 260C was acting funny, it wouldn't always come on right away and when I tapped it, the breaker would pop. When I looked into it, I found that the base of the socket was wired to a ring around the base then to the +12V. The center tap went to the gear switches and eventually to ground when all 3 close. So the socket base is "hot". It is mounted with phenolic insulating washers, but the shoulder is mostly worn away making it difficult to recenter and tighten. When the socket got a little loose it grounded against the panel. The breaker that popped was not only for the indicator lights but also the gear solenoid. I have a replacement on order. Near as I can tell it was wired this way from the factory or someone went though a lot of trouble to make it that way.

[Clarence Beintema]

It is one of the stranger light socket choices. Matt Kurke has a kit to replace them with more conventional light sockets.

Clarence

[Matt Bogard]

I changed mine over to Matt's kit with LED push-to-test. Great upgrade! comanchegear.com