Help me find dashboard lights

[FSAddon_boss]

I have been searching the forum (and Amazon) for many hours, but cannot find it. Apologies if I am blind.

I want to mount warning lights in my bottom panel, like for flaps, gear down, etc.
I run them through Arduino (i.e. 5 V ?).

I find a lot of 12V lights for mounting in cars and boats, but other than the little light bulbs that came with my Arduino test kit, I cannot seem to find any that I can mount in a panel.

So..... what are YOU using nd where did you find them !?

[Trevor Hale]

Hey Francois,

There are many routes you can go.  Here are a couple options.

https://www.amazon.com/DaierTek-Holder-Copper-Chrome-Emitting/dp/B07WNMNS9P/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=led+bezel+3mm&qid=1641315092&sprefix=LED+Bez%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNzYwQUo2WDlLVlFIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDI2NzM5Mzc4WTUyQTlKWE82UyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODkwOTMyM0FNVENYVVVZNTBYNCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.com/outstanding-25-Pack-Copper-Emitting-Holder/dp/B07D9JL55L/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2LJPNEG2G6DG3&keywords=led+panel+mount&qid=1641315197&sprefix=led+panel+mounts%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-16

https://www.ebay.com/itm/401705923345?hash=item5d8789f311:g:dOAAAOSwZcZcYetn

Or, you can Just 3D-Print yourself something you like the look of and insert your own LED's

Best regards,

Trev

[ame]

I can post some suggestions, but do you have a photo or a link to something that looks similar to what you want to make? Or will any panel-mount indicator do?

[FSAddon_boss]

I can post some suggestions, but do you have a photo or a link to something that looks similar to what you want to make? Or will any panel-mount indicator do?

Something like this, with a ring so I can mount them in my panel

https://www.amazon.it/Pannello-Cruscotto-Indicatore-Lampadine-Direzionale/dp/B095SHDNN6/ref=sr_1_28?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=2CC76KVV6R1YV&keywords=lampada+indicatore&qid=1641323766&sprefix=lampada+indicatore%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-28

But all I can find are 12 V or 24 V (for cars and boats). Arduino only has 5V output, right ?

[FSAddon_boss]

Thanks Trev, unfortunately no 3D printer yet.
Yes, those links (2nd and 3rd) are interesting..... but I'd prefer the lightbulbs included.... okay, so I am lazy.... 

[FSAddon_boss]

Actually, I think I may have found what I was looking for.
3V-8V DC should be connectable to my Arduino MEga 2460, right?

https://www.amazon.it/Gebildet-Indicatore-Segnalazione-Impermeabile-Direzionale/dp/B09L7W7HKL/ref=sr_1_2?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=1O2Y9RRJMG646&keywords=spia%2Bsegnalazione%2B5V&qid=1641325858&sprefix=spia%2Bsegnalazione%2B5v%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-2&th=1

[ame]

Yup. They should be fine.

The specification states that the indicators draw about 20mA. There is a limit of 40mA from a single GPIO pin on an Arduino (that's fine), but a total limit of 200mA for all GPIO pins, which is 10 LEDs.

To get around this limitation you have two options. First, you could add a resistor to each LED to limit the current even further- some LEDs are still quite bright at 5mA, for example. Or use an external driver. The driver will be controlled by a small current from the Arduino, but can allow much larger currents to be drawn from the supply.

Whatever you do, as you start adding hardware you should start adding up the power requirements. The total can get quite high quite quickly.

There are other tricks you can do, such as multiplexing LEDs, but there are practical limits to all of these techniques that you should at least be aware of before you hit them.

[RayS]

Thought I'd throw this out there...

https://pcflights.com/boeing-indicator-custom-engraved-assembledkorry-318-replica/

They do an amazing job and will work with you for custom designs. Each like is something like $3.80 US. I had them do my entire Beechcraft lower annunciator panel, all custom.

They will also do individual lights if you only need 3 or 4.

[ame]

There is also this design:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/33063366557.html

The 16mm square version in white can be used as the base for custom "korry-like" switches and indicators.

[FSAddon_boss]

Thank you Ame and RayS !!

Yes, I saw somewhere that adding a resistor was advisable. I think I will go that way, as it looks simpler than adding an external driver.
I DID buy an adaptor to power the Arduino board and not have it rely solely on the USB power. Didn't find the 200mA limit, so thanks for that !

The links show nice stuff, but one of the penalties of living in Italy now is that they have a criminal import tax on anything not from the EU. A friend from Texas sent me a present the other day, marked as ' gift', and with a real value of some $ 20.... The postman would not hand it over unless I paid $ 84 of import and sales tax...... 

The gift went back to the US