[simpits-tech] 5v AC for lighting?

[dabigboy at cox.net]

I have run into a slight dilemma.......all the lighting on the radios/instruments I've managed to get my hands on seem to require 5v AC, rather than DC. One of the units is that TA 7900 Omega CDU I mentioned a couple days ago, and it has integral lighting for the keypad, so changing bulbs/circuits really isn't an option. What's the best way to get 5v AC? Is there a simple/safe way to reduce the AC coming out of the wall? What frequency should it be at? 400hz like the instruments?

Ideally I'd like to make an inverter that runs off 12v DC.....my electronics skills are very limited, I *may* be able to modify one of the 12vdc to 120vac circuits available online to only put out 5v, but I still don't know what frequency it's supposed to be. I sure don't want to toast the lighting on my real airplane gear.

I even tried ebay for aircraft inverters...plenty of 14v, 28,, 30v, 115v, etc, but no 5v. Makes me wonder how it's actually driven in real aircraft.

Matt