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Thread Tools | Display Modes |
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Dimming the Icom A200
Greetings.... Despite a search to find the answer I'm seeking, I've
found nothing. I hope some of those who've bolding built and flown can give me a heads up on what I'm missing. To be as concise as possible, yet not mislead anyone, here goes as to my problem. I'm helping a friend put his Icom A200 into his Europa. All is well, with the exception of not being able to figure out the dimming and lighting pin. The fold out pages that act as a manual say to connect pin B to the lighting circuit. When the lights are dimmed, the panel light on the A200 is supposed to go to 1/2 brightness. If we connect nothing to the pin, there is no back light. It needs some sort of light during the day to be easily visible. Obviously the panel lights are not needed during the day, so some power to that pin is assumed by me to be necessary whenever the radio is on. If we leave the pin at 14 v. all the time, then it is too bright at night. I cannot figure out if we've missed something or not. Their instruction about connecting to the lighting circuit implies that the pin has no power during daylight operation. What WOULD make sense is that somehow the radio itself backlights the display whenever the radio power switch is on. I've checked out jumpers that are required for power and all, and we have good connections, and have connected all pins as mentioned in the diagram. Has anyone installed an A200 and got the backlight to come on during the day, and also dim at night? If so, can you remember or consult your diagrams to see how you did it. I seem to be missing something. And thank you for any help or direction or comments you might be able to give. Dale 203EC project |
#2
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Dimming the Icom A200
reid wrote:
Greetings.... Despite a search to find the answer I'm seeking, I've found nothing. I hope some of those who've bolding built and flown can give me a heads up on what I'm missing. /snip/ Dale, Speaking from experience with a King KY97A, which shares the same installation wiring diagram, you are not going to be able to do exactly what you desire internal lighting. With pin A disconnected, the lights will track whatever voltage is present on pin B. If you want it to light up during the day, you're going to have to turn up the panel lights. You've got a couple of options, here. You can install a seperate "Radio" dimmer, apart from the rest of the panel lights. Or, you can connect buss power to pin A, which will constantly power the lights at half brightness. That may be an acceptable compromise. And, I imagine there exists fancier rheostats, that possess a detent, below the "OFF" position, which could supply power to a discrete line. In any case, have fun with the project! Happy Flying! Scott Skylane N92054 |
#3
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Dimming the Icom A200
reid wrote:
If we leave [pin B] at 14 v. all the time, then it is too bright at night. If it's got a software setting (something you can adjust by pushing buttons on the front panel) for LCD contrast, have you twiddled it? Sometimes LCDs behave oddly when that control is all the way at one end of its range. I cannot figure out if we've missed something or not. Their instruction about connecting to the lighting circuit implies that the pin has no power during daylight operation. I have no specific knowledge of this radio, so at first I thought it might be doing something fancy. But Googling finds a post at http://www.opensubscriber.com/messag...m/3335471.html says that the lighting circuit inside the radio is pretty simple. Basically, there are some lamps inside the radio that have one side grounded and the other side wired to pin B - you have to provide some power to pin B to get the backlight to work at all. Another post in that thread http://www.opensubscriber.com/messag...m/3327934.html has a link to a wiring diagram at http://www.aeroelectric.com/Installa...ion_Wiring.pdf which might be useful. It doesn't take much voltage drop to substantially reduce the light output from an incandescent lamp. If you don't have a dimmer control to connect the radio to, you may need to install one for the radio, or even a "bright/dim" toggle switch that switches a resistor (voltage drop whatever you want) or diode (voltage drop 0.5-1.0 V) in and out of the radio lighting circuit. Disclaimer: This is based on experience with ground vehicles and equipment. I don't have an A&P; I don't even have a TG&Y. Your mileage may vary. Matt Roberds |
#4
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Dimming the Icom A200
On 22 Apr 2007 09:54:39 -0700, reid wrote:
Greetings.... Despite a search to find the answer I'm seeking, I've found nothing. I hope some of those who've bolding built and flown can give me a heads up on what I'm missing. To be as concise as possible, yet not mislead anyone, here goes as to my problem. I'm helping a friend put his Icom A200 into his Europa. All is well, with the exception of not being able to figure out the dimming and lighting pin. The fold out pages that act as a manual say to connect pin B to the lighting circuit. When the lights are dimmed, the panel light on the A200 is supposed to go to 1/2 brightness. If we connect nothing to the pin, there is no back light. It needs some sort of light during the day to be easily visible. Obviously the panel lights are not needed during the day, so some power to that pin is assumed by me to be necessary whenever the radio is on. If we leave the pin at 14 v. all the time, then it is too bright at night. I cannot figure out if we've missed something or not. Their instruction about connecting to the lighting circuit implies that the pin has no power during daylight operation. What WOULD make sense is that somehow the radio itself backlights the display whenever the radio power switch is on. I've checked out jumpers that are required for power and all, and we have good connections, and have connected all pins as mentioned in the diagram. Has anyone installed an A200 and got the backlight to come on during the day, and also dim at night? If so, can you remember or consult your diagrams to see how you did it. I seem to be missing something. And thank you for any help or direction or comments you might be able to give. Dale 203EC project dale I've used an icom a200 for years and it is unlit during daylight use. when you turn on the radio the lcd numerals appear as black on the background. I dont think I've ever seen my radio backlit. it certainly doesnt need backlighting in my aircraft to be visible ....ever when I fly. I'd agree that there is no lighting power during the day. Stealth Pilot |
#5
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Dimming the Icom A200
On Apr 22, 10:54 am, reid wrote:
Greetings.... Despite a search to find the answer I'm seeking, I've found nothing. I hope some of those who've bolding built and flown can give me a heads up on what I'm missing. To be as concise as possible, yet not mislead anyone, here goes as to my problem. I'm helping a friend put his Icom A200 into his Europa. All is well, with the exception of not being able to figure out the dimming and lighting pin. The fold out pages that act as a manual say to connect pin B to the lighting circuit. When the lights are dimmed, the panel light on the A200 is supposed to go to 1/2 brightness. If we connect nothing to the pin, there is no back light. It needs some sort of light during the day to be easily visible. Obviously the panel lights are not needed during the day, so some power to that pin is assumed by me to be necessary whenever the radio is on. If we leave the pin at 14 v. all the time, then it is too bright at night. I cannot figure out if we've missed something or not. Their instruction about connecting to the lighting circuit implies that the pin has no power during daylight operation. What WOULD make sense is that somehow the radio itself backlights the display whenever the radio power switch is on. I've checked out jumpers that are required for power and all, and we have good connections, and have connected all pins as mentioned in the diagram. Has anyone installed an A200 and got the backlight to come on during the day, and also dim at night? If so, can you remember or consult your diagrams to see how you did it. I seem to be missing something. And thank you for any help or direction or comments you might be able to give. Dale 203EC project I have a A200 in my experimenatl and I totally agree. You can barely see the digits during the day without the backlight on. At night it is wayyyy too bright. If I had to do it all over again, during my wiring process I would have installed a dimmer circuit in the 14v line leading the the radio light. The instructions that came with the radio are kinda misleading.. Ben www.haaspowerair.com |
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