adding instrument light/backlight
 

Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex 525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I think it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of the ADF.

I would've thought that LED's would be better than bulbs.. last longer ..

Regards

"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex 525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I think it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of the
ADF.

But aren't LEDs very focused, directional light? I'm hoping for a soft
illumination - not another bright light.

"Robert Miles" wrote in message
. net...
I would've thought that LED's would be better than bulbs.. last longer ..

Regards

"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex
525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I think
it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case
so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of the
ADF.

On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 22:37:38 -0700, "William G. Andersen"
wrote:

"Robert Miles" wrote:

"William G. Andersen" wrote"

Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?

I would've thought that LED's would be better than bulbs.. last longer ..

But aren't LEDs very focused, directional light? I'm hoping for a soft
illumination - not another bright light.

Some LEDs are focused, some are defused. Worst case, you simply take
the focused LEDs and work on them a little with some sand paper (or a
sand blaster, if you have access to a small one.)

--
BRENT - The Usenet typo king. :)

An LED will disburse throughout a sheet of plastic and show up brightest at
any scratches, printing or other deformities in the surface. OTOH, if the
display is an LCD any light in front of the LCD array will make it a lot
harder to read. You have to light LCD displays from behind. That is
usually done by placing a frosted edge lit acrylic sheet or
electroluminecent panel behind the LCD array.


"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6eM7d.12872$Hz.10787@fed1read04...
But aren't LEDs very focused, directional light? I'm hoping for a soft
illumination - not another bright light.

Thanks for the information...now I need to take the time to open the case
and see what I can do.

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:wlT7d.28433$cN6.24595@lakeread02...
An LED will disburse throughout a sheet of plastic and show up brightest
at
any scratches, printing or other deformities in the surface. OTOH, if
the
display is an LCD any light in front of the LCD array will make it a lot
harder to read. You have to light LCD displays from behind. That is
usually done by placing a frosted edge lit acrylic sheet or
electroluminecent panel behind the LCD array.


"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6eM7d.12872$Hz.10787@fed1read04...
But aren't LEDs very focused, directional light? I'm hoping for a soft
illumination - not another bright light.

I had a similar issue with lighting for two fuel gauges. I rewired the bulbs
to be in series which cut the brightness considerably. Also painted bulbs
red -- used special paint for this designed to take heat. Theatrical supply
places have it as do some mail order auto supply places. If you get lucky
you may actually be able to buy the right bulbs already colored red.
Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex 525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I think it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of the
ADF.

Colored light bulbs are no problem. I painted the original bulbs in my
instrument lights with nail polish. The next week I saw colored light bulbs
in WalMart - very inexpensive.
So now I just need the time to take the display out of the boat and tinker
with it. I boat at least twice a week, so it may be a while before I have
the time...
My boat: http://members.cox.net/wgander/family_boat.htm

"Len Krauss" wrote in message
...
I had a similar issue with lighting for two fuel gauges. I rewired the
bulbs
to be in series which cut the brightness considerably. Also painted bulbs
red -- used special paint for this designed to take heat. Theatrical
supply
places have it as do some mail order auto supply places. If you get lucky
you may actually be able to buy the right bulbs already colored red.
Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex
525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I think
it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case
so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of the
ADF.

This probably won't work if your display is LCD and needs back or side
lighting. However, a trick I have seen widely used in small aircraft is an
external red lamp shining onto an instrument cluster or radio panel. Eyebrow
lights are also used for panel mounts next to the device needing light.
Aircraft supply catalogs show goose neck lamps that can be mounted overhead
or adjacent to the devices. In one airplane I owned, the over head "dome"
lamp was red and had a dimmer potentiometer so the amount of light could be
controlled. I liked that setup most of time except when I moved my head or
shoulder to a point where I had a shadow cast upon an instrument.
Doug K7ABX

"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:gDz8d.24930$Hz.9852@fed1read04...
Colored light bulbs are no problem. I painted the original bulbs in my
instrument lights with nail polish. The next week I saw colored light
bulbs
in WalMart - very inexpensive.
So now I just need the time to take the display out of the boat and tinker
with it. I boat at least twice a week, so it may be a while before I have
the time...
My boat: http://members.cox.net/wgander/family_boat.htm

"Len Krauss" wrote in message
...
I had a similar issue with lighting for two fuel gauges. I rewired the
bulbs
to be in series which cut the brightness considerably. Also painted
bulbs
red -- used special paint for this designed to take heat. Theatrical
supply
places have it as do some mail order auto supply places. If you get
lucky
you may actually be able to buy the right bulbs already colored red.
Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex
525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I
think
it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was
softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case
so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of
the
ADF.

Be careful with nail polish to color incandescent bulbs, which I assume you
have. Some get quite hot, esp the bright ones. When I was a kid I did the
nail polish thing on boat instrument bulbs, and it gave off smoke that
clouded the instrument lenses. As these were sealed, the lenses couldn't be
cleaned. Instruments were still readable, but the cloudy appearance of
lenses wasn't pleasing.

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:gDz8d.24930$Hz.9852@fed1read04...
Colored light bulbs are no problem. I painted the original bulbs in my
instrument lights with nail polish. The next week I saw colored light
bulbs
in WalMart - very inexpensive.
So now I just need the time to take the display out of the boat and tinker
with it. I boat at least twice a week, so it may be a while before I have
the time...
My boat: http://members.cox.net/wgander/family_boat.htm

"Len Krauss" wrote in message
...
I had a similar issue with lighting for two fuel gauges. I rewired the
bulbs
to be in series which cut the brightness considerably. Also painted
bulbs
red -- used special paint for this designed to take heat. Theatrical
supply
places have it as do some mail order auto supply places. If you get
lucky
you may actually be able to buy the right bulbs already colored red.
Len

--
Eliminate "ns" for email address.
"William G. Andersen" wrote in message
news:6%j7d.12517$Hz.2496@fed1read04...
Anyone have ideas about how to add a light/backlight to an instrument?
I want to add interior illumination to the display panel of my Si-Tex
525
ADF. It has three lights for operation and they're very bright: I
think
it
would be easier on my eyes at night if the face of the panel was
softly
illuminated. Si-Tex only states they don't offer an illumination mode.
I'm thinking of a small 12 volt bulb inserted in a notch on one edge -
thinking the light would be distributed through the clear panel.
An alternative would be to just mount one or two bulbs inside the case
so
that the bulbs aren't directly visible, but so that the light would be
dispersed throughout the case.
In either case, I plan on wiring the bulb(s) to the power switch of
the
ADF.