jtpitkin06
05-25-2011, 09:02 PM
Here's my $25 trim indicator.
The cockpit display is a 2" marine I/O motor trim gauge from Faria. I found it on eBay for $10 plus $6 shipping. I liked the vertical scale but the up/down labeling was backwards for aviation use. I pulled off the glass and added "nose UP" and "nose DN" with homemade computer printed labels. There are lots of trim gauges available in many styles.
The sender is a 500 Ohm linear taper rheostat from my junk box, but you could get one from Radio Shack for under $6. The gauge uses about 100 ohms for full scale deflection but the shaft in this set up only turns about 90 degrees.
I fabricated a scissor bracket out of scrap aluminum. It clamps on the stab leading edge and I bolted a bracket on the wood bulkhead for the rheostat mount. When the stab moves up or down the scissor turns the rheostat shaft.
In the photo you can see the shaft of the rheostat on the left. I pinned the arm to the shaft with a cotter pin.
The gauge will fit nicely just above the console mounted trim switch.
John Pitkin
Greenville, TX
The cockpit display is a 2" marine I/O motor trim gauge from Faria. I found it on eBay for $10 plus $6 shipping. I liked the vertical scale but the up/down labeling was backwards for aviation use. I pulled off the glass and added "nose UP" and "nose DN" with homemade computer printed labels. There are lots of trim gauges available in many styles.
The sender is a 500 Ohm linear taper rheostat from my junk box, but you could get one from Radio Shack for under $6. The gauge uses about 100 ohms for full scale deflection but the shaft in this set up only turns about 90 degrees.
I fabricated a scissor bracket out of scrap aluminum. It clamps on the stab leading edge and I bolted a bracket on the wood bulkhead for the rheostat mount. When the stab moves up or down the scissor turns the rheostat shaft.
In the photo you can see the shaft of the rheostat on the left. I pinned the arm to the shaft with a cotter pin.
The gauge will fit nicely just above the console mounted trim switch.
John Pitkin
Greenville, TX