Stupid C-172 Light Dimmer Rheostat.

[johnt1969]

I toasted one of those stupid rheostats that are for the panel light dimming and the overhead light dimming in a late 70's C-172. It's one of the 2 in 1 rheostats that are mounted in the panel right near the carb heat, mixture and throttle. Anyway. It's a standard electrical part so there's no reason to spend $85 bucks to get it from Cessna. The thing is.... I don't know where to get it.

Does anyone here know where I can get it?

Thanks,
John

 

[Hold West]

Try Digikey or Jameco

 

[Vector4fun]

It's not quite that simple. Ohmite makes a hundred different, but similar rheostats. Do you know the exact model number and rated load? Do you know the A&P is going to sign this off for you?

Another option is a solid state STC'd replacement from Tanis for (gasp) $375, but it's highly recommended on the CPA web board. You'll probably never replace it again.....

http://www.tanisaircraft.com/accessories.html#ILD

 

[johnt1969]

Unfortunately I don't know exactly what it is yet. We're gonna yank it out tomorrow and see. We already replaced it with a Cessna part and it fried up again after a short in the mag compass light. I was thinking that we had to get it from Cessna but I think this part falls under the 21.303(b)(4) exception. So.... why pay 80 bucks for a 2 dollar rheostat?

I just figured there might be someone here who has had to replace the thing and might know.

j

 

[Vector4fun]

The one site I looked at had Ohmite rheostats going for around $24-$50 apiece. Don't know if that site was the cheapest though. Still that's not a lot less than your $80 Cessna part. Might be more since the rheostat on my 172 controls two separate circuits. Sorry, can't help more.

 

[johnt1969]

Thanks for your help. Turns out, after they dug in to it, that it was an inline fuse that blew. Whew. That's much better.

j