Center Panel - Fwd Overhead

 Strategies
Kit Bashing
All plates need to be trimmed a little to allow easier fitting.



Simulator Supplier Parts
Hispa Panels564 x 65 mm
Sismo Soluciones491 + reading light panel x 68 mm
CockpitSimParts(480 + 95) x 80 mm
PC Flights490 + reading light panel x 67 mm (measured)


December 2016 prices
Suppliermain
panel		flood
panel		annunpartstotalnotes
Hispa Panels 55incl2176€uses small toggles
Sismo Soluciones-Module 19914inclincl213 €Assembled
Sismo Soluciones-Panel 3714----51 €Panel only
Open Cockpits 3825incl~ 2487 €
CockpitSimParts 25??~ 24£ ??need flood panel
PC Flights5710~ 26$ 93
STRATEGIES
To Do:
Shown is the panel as supplied by PC Flights assembled with PC Flights supplied annunciators and toggle switches
This panel is used to replace the pre-stamped portion of the forward overhead frame.
The challenge is to backlight this panel as well as to provide connection to simulator hardware.
KIT BASHING
Isometric view of completed unit.

  • Fabricate 4 new circuit boards:
    2 Circuit boards for lighting the CENTER FORWARD plate. These boards will use surface mount LEDs and mount within the acrylic backing panel.
    2 Circuit boards for external connections including for lights, annunciators, and toggle switches.
  • Add caps to switch handles (see note below).
  • Solder LED's and resistors to LED boards. You may need to use a probe with 12V in series with a 1K resistor to determine the polarity of the LED's prior to soldering.
  • Solder the Connectors to the connector boards.
  • Drill and countersink holes in backplate for attachment of the rear connector circuit boards.



    Post Script files for the surface mount LED & Connector circuit boards

    Upper LED and Connector
    circuit boards
    Upper LED and Connector
    circuit boards
    Mirrored
    Lower LED and Connector
    circuit boards
    Lower LED and Connector
    circuit boards
    Mirrored


    Here is the end result
    Upper and Lower circuit boards with LED's and resistors mounted. The parts are not perfectly lined up, but it's what you get when hand-soldering SMD parts.
    The toggle switches are first mounted on the upper and lower LED circuit boards.

    Mount the circuit board and switches to the Center clear acrylic backplate.
    NOTE the countersunk bolt.
    Side view of assembled unit. Note the circuit boards and led's between the toggle switches and Center Forward panels.
    Rear view


    Switch Caps
    Lowes has a product called "White Screw Protectors" for a 1/4" screw (Hillman # 881038). These protectors fit nicely on the handle of a toggle switch although you will need to add a small cylinder of heat-shrink tubing to the narrow part of the switch shaft.

    Surface Mounting
    Most of the units use CREE CLM1C-WKW-CWBXA453. I wanted 2400mcd brightness, 4500-5650K color temperature, 20ma.
    For a 12V supply, I use 2200 ohm resistors when driving 3 LEDs in a string or 3600 ohm for 2 LEDs