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chuck
 Post subject: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:08 am 
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Gents,

Me again. Before noticing a hint of 100LL, I was out getting night current in my Thorp. Mine has a Grimes landing light that comes out of the belly. During preflight I checked and it does rotate out and come on as designed. However, while landing the beam seems non-existant. Anyone else have this configuration? if so, how well does it work for you? is there away to adjust the lamp for proper landing configuration alignment?

Ok, no more questions today.

Thanks.

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Chuck Kincer
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Fraser MacPhee
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:23 am 
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Sounds like a loose connection, Chuck - during preflight, jiggle it around and see if it is intermittent - toggle your switch a few times as well.....perhaps have someone watch a flyby, or a day wingman to see if it is deployed and working as advertised.
I'm practicing night landing without a landing light these days as well - am considering putting an actuator operated hinged landing light under my seat as well.....I think having it come down sideways (hinge in line with fuse) would be the way to go.


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leewwalton
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:51 am 
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Chuck I had the same setup in N22DS/N589LW. Most of those grimes landing lights are 28V so mine put a GOOD load on. Not sure how you have yours setup but mine was on a toggle and adjustable (ON-OFF-ON) so it was adjustable in flight for whatever phase of flight I needed. Incidentally I happily removed it when N22DS became N589LW.

Don

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Lee Walton
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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 7:52 pm 
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Attachment:
S18%20Landing%20Recognition%20lite%20005.jpg
S18%20Landing%20Recognition%20lite%20005.jpg [ 1.02 MiB | Viewed 14959 times ]
I went the Chuck Borden route (used his drawings) , except I used an LED landing lite that will out last me ! :o ATC likes the lite ! ;) If you are going to take the trouble to install one , install one that will work and be seen ! BOOM !

RB O0


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chuck
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:18 pm 
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Lee, the toggle is indeed an on off on set-up. I found tonight that when the light came down it went to (I'm guessing) 120 degrees or so and the beam shines just forward of the landing gear and unable to be seen while landing :( . Is there an adjustment for the amount of deflection? I'll give it a look see this weekend.
@ Frase, also found that the light was intermittent with a bad ground? when I reached under the panel and touched the wires it would turn on (or off). So.....I wanted a winter project, guess I have one....or two.

Thanks again, the wealth of knowledge and support is greatly appreciated.

It's gettin cold heya ta nite! the kilt, she's a bit drafty.

Slainte.

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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 8:23 pm 
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Please no pics of a drafty Kilt !

RB O0


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chuck
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:06 pm 
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No worries....the landing light is too dim! ;)

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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:51 pm 
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HOOT MON, HOOT MON ! Tis a bit chilly in San Diego tonite . :)) Our first Winter Storm ! Time to turn on the electric blanket and take off the Kilt ! ???

RB O0


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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:22 am 
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I make my point for a landing/recon. lite in that you may never need it for nite ops , but during the day it will make you "seen and be seen" and when ATC sez turn on your "landing lite" it will help separate you from the rest of the pack in the pattern or arriving to land . I turn on ALL my lites during taxi as I operate out of KSEE which has a great deal of "Foreign Students" that fly out of KSEE . Nothing against the students...I was one ! I just like to make my plane as visible as possible ! I built mine...they rent theirs ! :P

RB O0


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James Grahn
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:01 pm 
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It was cold there last nite. Bumpy as all get out. Glad I was in something a ill heavier than my Thorp.
Cubes


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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:26 pm 
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Another underpayed , complaining Airline Pilot ! I'll see if I can find you some smooth air and a warm bed !

RB O0


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chuck
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:43 pm 
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Lee: you mentioned your Grimes was "adjustable in flight for whatever phase of flight needed". Mine doesn't appear to be adjustable. When lifting the switch to the up or on position it deploys the Grimes Light and it only illuminates when it reaches the stop position. When switching to the down position it retracts the light, but also turns it off. Am I to understand that yours would stay on and you where able to "adjust" the beam while in landing configuration?

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Henry Beamer
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:46 pm 
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The Grimes light is adjustable for angle. It is done by moving the contact points on the side of the housing. It's a pain to get to and you'll have to iterate a bit but it can be done. I located a Grimes manual & some other info on the web when I had a problem with my unit over the summer. This is my first attempt at attaching documents. If you can't get them send me a message with your e-mail & I'll send them directly. The light can be wired a few different ways. I set mine up with a external relay so that turning on the lamp would extend the light and turning it off would retract it.

Hank


Attachments:
Grimes replacement lamp.pdf [629.62 KiB]
Downloaded 531 times
Grimes retractable landing light catalog.pdf [598.31 KiB]
Downloaded 671 times
Grimes landing light wiring diagram.pdf [64.24 KiB]
Downloaded 1012 times
Grimes_Landing_Light_Manual.pdf [5.46 MiB]
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Rich Brazell
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:10 pm 
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That is one heck of a light ! Do you get any rumble/vibration when it is extended ? ???

RB O0


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chuck
 Post subject: Re: Landing light
PostPosted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:19 pm 
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Hank,

Got the attachments and this should help tremendously. Already printed off the manual for the adjustment.

Thanks!

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Chuck Kincer
Richmond, Me
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