Question about light inside de cockpit

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by astaib »

Hi all,

As my plane is grounded now for magnetos inspection and voltage regulator issue, I want to take advantage of this period to diagnose and determine where my 3 lights issues are coming from and if I decide to repair or not:
-Flap light (they only light when the dimmer switch is ON)
-Flood is inop
-Placards light are not always working when I switch them ON.

Today I printed the electrical schematics and I will now try to locate things and try to find the issue.
-I have already found the flood inverter.
-I have also found a placard inverter (so I guess that the placards lights are like the flood in term of type of device)
-But I don’t know where to find the dimming module, do you know where it is?

If any of you had things to tell me on my 3 issues, feel free!

Thank you in advance.

Arnaud.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by Steve »

Arnaud:

If you look in the online IPC:

http://ipc.diamond-air.at:8080/ipp/app? ... 248E4C6405

and navigate to Section 31-10, Instrument Panel IFR3, it illustrates the location of the Lighting Control Module. Basically, it is on the right side of the floor of the instrument panel. I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the diagram, so I hope this helps.

Steve
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by Rich »

Steve wrote: Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:59 am Arnaud:

If you look in the online IPC:

http://ipc.diamond-air.at:8080/ipp/app? ... 248E4C6405

and navigate to Section 31-10, Instrument Panel IFR3, it illustrates the location of the Lighting Control Module. Basically, it is on the right side of the floor of the instrument panel. I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the diagram, so I hope this helps.

Steve
From the IPC (Item 150):
Dimming Module Location.jpg
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by astaib »

Hello,

Some news on that: one of the 3 issues is solved.
One of the wires was cut in the vicinity of the swinging arm...
Flood is now working ✅

Now remains this:

1/ The 3 flaps lights are only lighting when the dimmer (instrument) is ON. Usually even when this dimmer was off, these lights remain lighted.
It is like this till I had to change one of the bulb, I have to say that when I changed it there was a short circuit.
-> first please tell me what is your feeling on my issue
-> do you where the 2 diodes are located because I looked for them and I cannot find them (blue circle on the schematic enclosed)

2/ How are the placards lights working? I noticed that they were lighted when I flew during night, but I’m unable to light them in the hangar. Does the engine, position lights (etc...) has to be ON to allow the placards to be illuminated?

-> first please tell me what is your feeling on my issue
-> do you know where the dimmer is located because I looked for it and I cannot find it (green circle on the schematic enclosed)

Thanks !
AAD4F200-A08D-4531-8C3B-BB8FEDD48DB5.jpeg
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by Rich »

The unknown inner workings of the lighting control module are confounding analysis. I've been trying to find some documentation for this unit but haven't scored yet. The weird thing is it appears that terminals 1 and 24 should provide controlled grounding of the flap lights, but the presence of the diodes confuse that issue.

I do see a pair of inverters on the IPC (items 300 & 400). Presumably one is for the floodlight and the other for the placards/breakers.

As far as the floodlight leads, you might spend some time making sure you know where the flexing is as you raise and lower the canopy. It took some real work to make sure these wires wouldn't be vulnerable to breaking off any more.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by Steve »

Arnaud:

The circled item marked "Dimmer" is also an electroluminescent panel placard, which illuminates the legends for the instrument and floodlight rheostats. The 3 items which are powered by that inverter are the CB placard, the "Dimmer" placard, and the switch placard.

There is a second, separate inverter for the floodlight panel, and a third inverter (inside the VM-1000 DPU) for the VM-1000 screen and fuel gauge. They are all different assemblies.

I had the same broken wire issue as you and Rich did with the floodlight. If you ever lose the VM-1000 inverter, I have spares...

Steve
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by astaib »

Rich wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:56 pm The unknown inner workings of the lighting control module are confounding analysis. I've been trying to find some documentation for this unit but haven't scored yet. The weird thing is it appears that terminals 1 and 24 should provide controlled grounding of the flap lights, but the presence of the diodes confuse that issue.

I do see a pair of inverters on the IPC (items 300 & 400). Presumably one is for the floodlight and the other for the placards/breakers.

As far as the floodlight leads, you might spend some time making sure you know where the flexing is as you raise and lower the canopy. It took some real work to make sure these wires wouldn't be vulnerable to breaking off any more.
Hi Rich,

1/ Don't you think that the diodes are there to allow the flap lights to be lighted when the dimmer is clicked off? And If one or 2 are broken (due to the short circuit that I had) might be a reason? I removed and openned this dimming module and checked the 3 internal fuses (they are OK).

2/ I located the inverters for both the flood (not problematic anymore) and the one for the placards. To be sure that I have a problem, I think that I have to once again fly the airplane at night to check if they are working or not. I don't know if I was clear enough, but I noticed that they are lighting only during the 2 only night flights that I did and now I'm unable to light them in the hangar; maybe they need a combination of things (engine running, contact ON, alt charging, position lights, strobe...) OR there is a problem somewhere. Can you light them on your plane when the plane is in the hangar?

3/ You are right, I have to make sure that the cinematic of the canopy won't harm again these wires.

Thank you again.

Arnaud.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by astaib »

Steve wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:33 am Arnaud:

The circled item marked "Dimmer" is also an electroluminescent panel placard, which illuminates the legends for the instrument and floodlight rheostats. The 3 items which are powered by that inverter are the CB placard, the "Dimmer" placard, and the switch placard.

There is a second, separate inverter for the floodlight panel, and a third inverter (inside the VM-1000 DPU) for the VM-1000 screen and fuel gauge. They are all different assemblies.

I had the same broken wire issue as you and Rich did with the floodlight. If you ever lose the VM-1000 inverter, I have spares...

Steve
Hi Steve,

Got it for the dimmer placards, it make sense of course...
My placard for the 2 dimmers button is not lighted, this is why I didn't get it !

I located the inverter of both flood and placards on the left.
I guess that the inverter for the VM1000 is on the right, maybe it is the "device" below the unit of the VM1000 where all the cables from the sensors are connected? I saw a "device" device at the bottom with looped wires on the edges, but I wasn't able to look closely as it is below the DPU unit.

Thank you.

Arnaud.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by astaib »

Sorry, the small placard for the dimming button is lighted on my plane. My mistake.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: Question about light inside de cockpit

Post by Steve »

astaib wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:03 am I guess that the inverter for the VM1000 is on the right, maybe it is the "device" below the unit of the VM1000 where all the cables from the sensors are connected? I saw a "device" device at the bottom with looped wires on the edges, but I wasn't able to look closely as it is below the DPU unit.

Thank you.

Arnaud.
No, the inverter for the VM-1000 lighting is actually inside the DPU:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3854&p=40646&hilit= ... ter#p40646

the board with all of the sensor connections is an interface module of some sort. I vaguely remember performing a Service Instruction on this board way back when...

http://support.diamond-air.at/fileadmin ... mplete.pdf

Steve
Post Reply