Wingtip lighting and landing lights

[dbdevkc]

I understand that some of the options for wingtip lighting and landing lights are no longer available. I'd be interested in learning what are the go to options available now. I'd like to have the ability to fly at night if necessary - I know that means pods on the wingtips to mount the lights on. Also would be interesting in knowing if the wiring for the tip lights should be in front or behind the spar, shielded wire, ground at the tip, vs no ground at the tip, etc. I assume tefzel wire, but conductors, shielding, etc I would thing would depend on the light requirements. Run the wire though the rib alignment holes with snap in grommets? Sorry, so many questions. But now I am in full speed ahead mode and want to get my wings riveted up and out of the way so I can move on.

[pfhoeycfi]

I understand that some of the options for wingtip lighting and landing lights are no longer available. I'd be interested in learning what are the go to options available now. I'd like to have the ability to fly at night if necessary - I know that means pods on the wingtips to mount the lights on. Also would be interesting in knowing if the wiring for the tip lights should be in front or behind the spar, shielded wire, ground at the tip, vs no ground at the tip, etc. I assume tefzel wire, but conductors, shielding, etc I would thing would depend on the light requirements. Run the wire though the rib alignment holes with snap in grommets? Sorry, so many questions. But now I am in full speed ahead mode and want to get my wings riveted up and out of the way so I can move on.

Be careful with light selection. Just because you have lights doesn't mean you'll be ok to fly at night. The AWC operating limitations will state night flight approved...if you have "approved" equip on board. Double check me on that. I used the Orion 600 wing tip lights because they are FAA/TSO. This seems to be the one piece of equipment where the FAA offers no wiggle room. I bought the "pods" from a company that makes them for experimental. They were perfect for the 600's. I ran my wires forward of the spar thru snap bushings. I wired per the manufacturer's instructions and I pulled the grounds to the firewall. I believe the company that made my landing light is no longer in biz but the few components in the kit look like they could all be found easily online for half what I paid for the kit. The kit included an LED, a reflecting surface and a clear "lens" for the leading edge. My landing light is in the most outboard bay with a handhole in the tip to get at it for maint.

Peter

[T41pilot]

If you go with Aeroled or wheelan, go to Thingverse on the internet and type Sonex in the search field. They have some free designs for 3d printing if you can find somebody to do that for you. I'm using the mounts for Aeroled and they work perfectly and look great. As far as needing TSO'd lights there seems to be a gray area there depending on which inspector you get. I got TSO'd lights for mine but the inspector did not seem concerned about that. I did certify my plane for night flying just because I could. Not certain whether I'll be doing that or not. I used some 40 watt exterior LED lights meant for pickup truck I bought on Amazon and Duckworks hardware for landing lights. Made my own Wigwag circuit. Turned out nice.

[Bryan Cotton]

I also went with Whelen Orion 600s. I understand the grey area but didn't want to worry about it.

I ran some 1/4" OD poly tubing through the tooling holes in the forward rib. You don't need very big wires.

I used Fresh Aero lights, which are no longer available. They interfere with my radio. Not sure if it is radiated or conducted noise. I'll figure it out later. That is probably a plus of a certified light, they address that before you buy them.

edit:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4500

[dbdevkc]

Do you remember where you found the mount/base? I found the 3D printer files, but would like to compare that to something that is commercially available. I assume we would use the 12v not the 24v. And Whelen calls for 18/4 - I'd probably run shielded - just because... + 1 for ground?

[pilotyoung]

http://www.gaugepods.com/aircraft.html

This is the ones I have on my Onex.

[Bryan Cotton]

Do you remember where you found the mount/base? I found the 3D printer files, but would like to compare that to something that is commercially available. I assume we would use the 12v not the 24v. And Whelen calls for 18/4 - I'd probably run shielded - just because... + 1 for ground?

Not sure if you are talking to me. These are the mounts I have:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2508987

Kevin actually printed them for me, before we had 3D printers in the family. I also have a set of gaugepods but they didn't fit the Orions.

For wire 18/4 sounds right. One for nav power, one for strobe power, one for ground, one for synch. I used shielded wire but didn't terminate the shield.

[Bryan Cotton]

Check out this page of my thread:
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=578&start=1140

[dbdevkc]

Bryan - That was helpful, thanks. The first picture was a bit confusing though. I looks like you have two tooling holes on top of each other in the back of the front ribs and you have wire running through both. Also what drives the decision on fore to aft position of the tip lights?

[Bryan Cotton]

Bryan - That was helpful, thanks. The first picture was a bit confusing though. I looks like you have two tooling holes on top of each other in the back of the front ribs and you have wire running through both. Also what drives the decision on fore to aft position of the tip lights?

Kevin,
I think one set of tooling holes carries the wires for the Whelen Orions, and the other one carries a pair of wires for my landing light. I'd have to look at my notes to be sure though.

The lights have to be seen from all angles, including straight up. If you look down at the wingtip from above, it curves from front to back. So I think I put it at the peak of that curve, and up high enough on the wingtip that you can see the whole light looking straight down.