[simpits-tech] (no subject)

[Matt Bailey]

On Thu, 5 Jun 2014 07:23:42 -0700 (PDT)
geneb <geneb at deltasoft.com> wrote:

> On Wed, 4 Jun 2014, Matt Bailey wrote:
> 
> > Now this is interesting info! The Sabreliner has a lot of DC
> > lighting on its dimmers, but the edge-lit stuff and instrument
> > lighting is 400hz AC. I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking of
> > going DC on everything, which will require a replacement of the AC
> > dimmers.
> >
> Are you sure it's DC?  As it was explained to me, aircraft primarily
> use AC due to a phenomena called "DC notching" (or filament
> notching).  This can reduce the effective lifetime of a bulb by 70%
> or more.  In our sims it's not that big of a deal since they're not
> on for hundreds or thousands of hours at a time.

Positive. I put only 28vDC to the cockpit and got half my lights to
come on (the lights on the CENTER knob of my dimmers, as it happens). I
also had occasion to put a multimeter to the input-side of the dimmers
while trying to figure out the wiring, and was getting 28v DC. IIRC,
the 28v DC lighting is even labeled as such on the circuit breaker
panels.

The 5v lighting is AC, however. Again, this is for the back lit panels
and instrumentation lighting.

I still like the idea of using 400hz AC lighting, because it allows me
to keep all the dimmers and associated wiring (which is still 100%
intact) original. Come to think of it, I could probably just run some
extra wiring in the nose from the INSTRUMENT inverter (which runs just
fine off my current 50amp power supply) straight down to the #1 inverter
connection (which powers lights and a bunch of other stuff). I'm sure
most of the heavy lifting the #1 inverter would normally do is for
things like hydraulic pumps and nosewheel steering.

-- 
Matt Bailey

Keeping It Real:
Sabreliner 60 Flight Simulator
Serial # 306-61 - N1JX
http://sabrelinersim.com