[simpits-tech] EL lighting

[Fred Mahone]

I have seen the discussions about EL backlighting and would throw in a few 
words.

Back when I worked for the VA State Police as a radio tech, we had 
GE/Ericson/Ma/Com control heads with silicon rubber pushbuttons and EL 
backlighting. The first heads came with green EL and you could not read the 
legends at night. They changed to a light blue and it was a tremendous 
difference. I changed out the EL panel in mine rather than having to trade 
in heads and have to go through the programming.

In school on how to repair the heads, they warned us about the inverter 
output, which was 90 volts a.c. The inverter took 12.0 volts and upped it 
to 90. It is about .5 inch by 1.5 inch cylinder. The EL was cool to the 
touch no matter how long it was on.

 From reading about the panels, you can cut them and punch holes in them as 
long as you leave two sides at right angles to each other intact for 
powering the panel.

They do have a finite life, I believe 5000 hours, less if you run them at 
high brightness.

For more information:

	http://www.beingseen.com/

Fred Mahone