King kx 155 screen are dim after screen replacement

mooney87n

Filing Flight Plan
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May 14, 2022
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Display name:
Mooney87n
The previous owner replaced the screens on the King Kx155 #2 nav com. Now the screen is dim and the numbers are not visible in bright light. The photo diode seems to be working because the screen gets brighter when I shine a flashlight over it, but I think the replaced screens are somehow too dark. anyone have any experience with this?
 

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Other than the nav 1 display looking crazed, the brightness looks normal.
 
Might just need to pull the radio out and turn the pot to make the screen brighter overall. Easy to do and you don't need to remove the cover of the radio, just a small piece of foil tape to access the adjustment pot.
 
Might just need to pull the radio out and turn the pot to make the screen brighter overall. Easy to do and you don't need to remove the cover of the radio, just a small piece of foil tape to access the adjustment pot.

What is this pot you speak of?
 
What is this pot you speak of?
If you pull the radio out and look on top of it you will see a few small round pieces of foil tape. One I beleive says dim by it, remove it and down through the hole you will see a small adjustment pot. I beleive it a philips head screw driver to turn it. Any other kind of pot I have no recollection of.
 
If you pull the radio out and look on top of it you will see a few small round pieces of foil tape. One I beleive says dim by it, remove it and down through the hole you will see a small adjustment pot. I beleive it a philips head screw driver to turn it. Any other kind of pot I have no recollection of.

I may give that a try but the issue I have seems to be pretty standard with the kx155….only part of the display is crapping out and only at random times. Radio works perfectly, just part of the display goes out. When not out, it’s very bright so I’m not sure a dimmer control will help but I’ll take a look. Thanks!
 
I may give that a try but the issue I have seems to be pretty standard with the kx155….only part of the display is crapping out and only at random times. Radio works perfectly, just part of the display goes out. When not out, it’s very bright so I’m not sure a dimmer control will help but I’ll take a look. Thanks!
Have you tried removing the display and burnishing the contacts, spray with some blueshower contact cleaner and reinstall? Outside of that the brightness is likely a temp fix unfortunately.
 
Have you tried removing the display and burnishing the contacts, spray with some blueshower contact cleaner and reinstall? Outside of that the brightness is likely a temp fix unfortunately.

I have not tried that yet, or anything, as the issue is so intermittent, sometimes the display is perfect, other times it's partially out and eventually comes back to like, other times it doesn't. weird. again, radio works perfectly no matter the state of the display. even if the display is completely out, if I know what freq was in there I can still tune a diff freq just fine.
 
This is out of the KX-155A/165A Manual:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/my1uia25o53faxx/KX155A.KX165A.Manual.pdf?dl=1
Pilot Configuration
This mode can be accessed by
pressing and holding the Nav Mode
Button for more than 2 seconds and then
pressing the Nav Frequency Transfer
Button for an additional 2 seconds, while
continuing to hold the Nav Mode Button.
When the Pilot Config Mode is entered
the unit will show the “SWRV” mnemonic
which is the unit software revision level.
Adjustment pages can be accessed by
MODE button presses.
The pilot may adjust two parameters
in the pilot configuration, the display minimum
brightness and sidetone volume
level.
Minimum Brightness (BRIM) will
have a range of 0 - 255. The dimmest is
0 and the brightest is 255.
Sidetone volume level is adjusted
when SIDE is displayed. Values from 0 -
255 may be selected with 0 being least
volume, 255 being the greatest.
Subsequent presses of the MODE
button sequences through SWRV, BRIM,
SIDE, and then back to SWRV.
Momentarily pressing the Nav
Transfer Button exits Pilot configuration
mode. The Nav returns to its pre-Pilot
Config state with the new brightness and
sidetone levels stored in non-volatile
memory.

And here's another note I have on KX-155 brightness:
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/need-a-kx155-display.99186/#post-3151299

rheostat is on the far right looking at the unit, you can unhinge the top and its a big blue knob.Or on top of it there is a foil sticker, un stick it and stick a screwdriver in it to adjust. Contact cleaner I would say yes but try to keep it off the glass just in case.
 
Thank you! will give it a shot.
 
Your top King radio needs a new lens. These are easy to do yourself: order a replacement from Ebay, remove the knobs, remove the small screws around the front of the radio and pull forward, push the old lens in from the front, use a very small amount of Loctite adhesive around the lens and push in with rubber gloves. Put everything back together after the glue dries. Ask your A&P to sign off if you wish.
 
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