182q post lights intermittently working

jddecker

Any advice on trouble shooting our post lights. My partner and I have noticed that the post lights won't consistently turn-on when actuating the switch/dial. We haven't been able to identify a pattern.

Thank you for your time and efforts.

James Decker

Scott Sherer

Hi Jim,

Check the wiring from the circuit breaker through the switch to the lights and to ground. It's loose, broken or corroded somewhere! This is tedious but this is the only way to find the problem. Good luck!

jddecker

Thanks Scott

sonec@msn.com

I have seen many times where one of the pins in a Molex connector has migrated out. The pin just barely makes a connection and it works sometimes. Other times it won’t be touching the mating pin and it won’t work. Look for the plastic Molex connectors at the dimmer assembly (the place where the transistors are mounted) and trace the wires to find other connectors. You must disconnect (unplug the Molex connector from its mate) the Molex connector to see the dislodged pin. Push it back in until you feel it click…

Best

David

jerrykjb

I had a similar problem with the master power switch. Do the lights still flicker when the engine isn’t running? The Cessna power switch is made up of two switches, power and alternator. Since the alternator switch has such small amount of current going through it, it gets corroded a little and causes the alternator to vary its output voltage. I only noticed my post lights flickering at night, the rest of the avionics did not show the problem, they all have voltage regulators in them. I was told to just change the switch since everything else seemed to check out ok. It fixed the flicker.

good luck, little problems like that aren’t easy