Dim Gear Indicator Lights

[Mark Damschroder]

When operating my 1962 250 at night with the nav / panel lights on, the gear indicator lights are so dim that they are scarcely visible. Any ideas?

[N3322G]

My twin has a rheostat that adjusts the brightness.

[JIMICS2452]

They automatically go to the dim setting when to turn the panel light on. There is no adjustment. Comanche gear.com has a fix that changes out the stock lights with adjustable lens lights and moves the poer source to one that does not dim.

[Duane Bolin]

Try this very cheap way to solve the problem, purchase from Aircraft Spruce, LED Midget Flanged Bi-Polar Lamp T1-3/4 (5-28 volts), it has a very long bulb life. This bulb replaces many flanged mini bulbs including the 330 bulb that was installed on my aircraft. You can then switch out the green down light and it will not dim with the nav lights on.

[Clarence Beintema]

You may have the wrong light bulb installed. It should be a GE330, 12 volt, it may be a GE327, 24 volt.

Clarence

[Kelly W Kober]

I've found the little LED lights make the yellow gear up too bright for me at night. They are great for the green down light. I've thought about going with the old style for the yellow light, but I actually just use a piece of black electrical tape to cover a lot of the glass to dim it down at night.

Kelly

[Mark Damschroder]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll check the bulb type first and then move through the other options if needed.

[SLIMDREDGER]

After flying my PA30 nearly 50 years with virtually all the time flown during daylight hours I recently took off after asking the tower for closed traffic and after pulling up the gear did not see ANY lights indicating the gear position. I advised the tower and left the pattern to check things out and could not get a green light when I put the gear down or a red light when gear up. The gear showed down in my mirrors on the engine cowls and I retracted and cycled several times and finally pulled up the floor panel and checked the red tape markers I have on the gear and floor showing the down position of the gear. All looked normal so I returned to the airport, landed, and taxied to my hangar. ( As I shut down I found myself surrounded by 2 fire engines and an aid car ! I had no idea the tower considered it an emergency ) The next day I talked friend Twin Comanche owner and electrical contractor John Rabourn into looking into the situation. He quickly determined that the panel/gear light knob had been turned to the right of the detent that then controls the brightness of the instrument panel lights....rotating it back counterclockwise BEYOND the stiff detent turns on the gear position red and green lights. It's never too late to learn something new about Comanches.

Al Powers N88AP