Push Button M-Series Light Switch

In April of 2002, TACOM and the Defense Supply Center in Columbus, Ohio began a retrofit program to replace the standard three lever light switch on American M-Series military vehicles with a new design based on electronic push buttons. The new switch was required due to maintenance problems with the old, mechanical switch plus the fact that it had no illumination at night.

Push Button M-series light Switch Assembly
M-Series push button replacement for the 3-lever light switch.

Today in WW II: 23 May 1943 Adm. Döntiz, commander of the German Navy, calls off the Battle of the Atlantic, recognizing that the U-boat is no longer an effective weapon. More ↓

23 May 1944 Allied breakout from Anzio beachhead.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

Replacing the M-Series 3-Lever Light Switch

The revised M-series light switch pushbutton design, pictured above, is a direct plug-in replacement that can be installed in any existing MV that used the 3-lever unit. The coupling on the back of the push button switch is the same MIL-C-28-51 connector as on the 3-lever switch.

Here is a photo of the new and old switches side by side:

Push Button M-series light Switch Assembly

The NSN and description for the push button switch is 5930-01-491-9893, Blackout Switch. The manufacturer is Advanced Input Devices (CAGE code 59666) P/N 9375-00117. In some documents the switch is not called "Blackout Switch" but rather is just "Switch Assembly".

There were reports that early production of the pushbutton switch had problems and those units were not reliable. Get a guarantee from any vendor that you will receive a unit from newer production. By 2005 those problems seemed to be solved.

Download the Pushbutton Light Switch Instruction Sheets

The switch comes packed with two pages of instructions and drawings. Click to download:

Links for More Information

Note: This page compiled with the assistance of Franks Surplus.