Grimes Retractable Landing Light

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6643
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 6643 »

8466 wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 1:43 pm So there is a limit switch that allow the bulb to come on when the light is fully down?
The limit switches stop the motor when it reaches the limit. the third switch turns the lamp on and off when it's all the way down They are all under the sort of half moon shaped cover.

Note that you can turn the lamp off without retracting it all the way.
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 8466 »

Guys I figured out why the landing light didn't work. Apparently the landing light is on the same fuse as the lighter. The fuse is 25A but someone replaced the fuse with 15A. This apparently didn't allow enough power to the landing light because when I replaced it with 25A fuse the light worked.
Thanks for all your help guys.

Thayne
Happy flying. :D
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 2066 »

...now, replace the bulb with a LED and even a 5 amp fuse will be sufficient...more importantly, you can leave the light on in high traffic ;) . Mac
LED LANDING LIGHT AERO 4522 PAR 46.jpg
LED LANDING LIGHT AERO 4522 PAR 46.jpg (105.29 KiB) Viewed 3898 times
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 6643 »

8466 wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 8:50 pmThe fuse is 25A but someone replaced the fuse with 15A. This apparently didn't allow enough power to the landing light ...
Unless the fuse was blown, its rating is not the problem. More likely, the old fuse wasn't making good contact and installing the new one corrected that problem. One thing to be aware of is the original fuse holders were designed for a now very rare fuse size, slightly larger than the common AGC fuse. If you put an AGC fuse in the holder it won't make good contact. There is an excellent treatise on the subject here:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=112
2066
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 2066 »

FWIW, this Ebay seller (https://www.ebay.com/usr/collector1711) has what appears to be a corner on the OEM/larger type fuses...plus a lot of other "older" electric stuff to sift through. (McFarlane has a few NOS also...most north of $30 each :shock: ) Mac
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 6643 »

Or, install a circuit breaker. (Or at least a newer fuse holder.)
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 8474 »

6643 wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 1:29 pm Or, install a circuit breaker. (Or at least a newer fuse holder.)
Good advice....I replaced all the old fuse holders with CB's
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 8466 »

6643 wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 7:59 am
8466 wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 8:50 pmThe fuse is 25A but someone replaced the fuse with 15A. This apparently didn't allow enough power to the landing light ...
Unless the fuse was blown, its rating is not the problem. More likely, the old fuse wasn't making good contact and installing the new one corrected that problem. One thing to be aware of is the original fuse holders were designed for a now very rare fuse size, slightly larger than the common AGC fuse. If you put an AGC fuse in the holder it won't make good contact. There is an excellent treatise on the subject here:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=112
Before I changed out the fuse it was powering the lighter which was shared with the landing light so the previous fuse was working fine except for the landing light.
Happy flying. :D
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 8466 »

2066 wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 10:01 pm ...now, replace the bulb with a LED and even a 5 amp fuse will be sufficient...more importantly, you can leave the light on in high traffic ;) . Mac

LED LANDING LIGHT AERO 4522 PAR 46.jpg
Is this a expensive bulb?
Happy flying. :D
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Re: Grimes Retractable Landing Light

Post by 2066 »

8466 wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 8:19 pm
2066 wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 10:01 pm ...now, replace the bulb with a LED and even a 5 amp fuse will be sufficient...more importantly, you can leave the light on in high traffic ;) . Mac

LED LANDING LIGHT AERO 4522 PAR 46.jpg
Is this a expensive bulb?
Yes. To me, anyhow. ...last I looked I believe the Whelen "certified" 4522 LED bulb is $328.00. Aeroleds markets one that is north of $600.00. Aero-Lites (Thomaston, GA) markets an excellent "drop in replacement" for $154.00, but the catch is that it isn't "FAA/PMA approved". Mac
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