Dimmable cockpit lights from ESC or suggestions?

[scratchnhover]

Hey guys,

I would like to have transmitter controlled, dimmable lights within the cockpit of an airplane I am working on. I'd like to use one of the transmitter rotary switches to control the brightness of the light.

One or two bulbs would be plenty, and they need to be small ones.

Can I use a simple ESC connected to small incandescent bulbs? If not, other ideas?

Thanks for your help,

Mike

[jeffs555]

A simple ESC should work, just have to make sure you can arm the ESC(usually set pot fully off). I would probably use LED's, but small incandescent would be fine.

[phil_g]

Needs to be a brushed esc, of course...
How about using the pcb from a broken servo, connect the bulb where the motor was, & manually set the feedback pot. It does work & its free!
Cheers
Phil

[scratchnhover]

Needs to be a brushed esc, of course...
How about using the pcb from a broken servo, connect the bulb where the motor was, & manually set the feedback pot. It does work & its free!
Cheers
Phil
Phil,
Pardon my ignorance but when you say manually set the feedback pot is that a one time setting? And, will the bulb brightness be able to be changed from the Tx?
Thanks,
Mike

[jppizhere]

ESC is easy and workable, microcontroller would be a little more challenging but pretty easily done as well

[phil_g]

Phil,
Pardon my ignorance but when you say manually set the feedback pot is that a one time setting? And, will the bulb brightness be able to be changed from the Tx?
Thanks,
Mike

Just set the pot once such that the bulb is out when the stick is in the 'off' position. From that point any movement of the stick will increase the brightness. How linearly it will dim is down to the servo amp and the filament... worth a try though if you have an old servo with a trashed gearbox...
Cheers
Phil