europa-list
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Nav Lights

Subject: Re: Nav Lights
From: Gramin@aol.com
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 09:28:24
I have fitted RD Aviation's IFR-EL set and ACL100 strobe. The latter has its
power unit
integral below the lamp so fitting/wiring is easy. Just a dorsal hole above
the baggage compartment.  

Plastic conduit was installed running dead straight from root to tip just
forward of the spar. It was easy to thread the necessary wiring later when
the wings were finished, as
there are no bends.  Indeed such runs have been bored in completed wings
using 1/2" inch tubing with a drill on the end - use with a crank though, not
an electric drill , working from each end. 

The wiring gauge depends on the wattage of your bulbs and can be looked up in
an electrical manual at the library. 19 AWG is ok for 3 amps  but  If you
used 3 x 36 watt
bulbs the 9 amps would soon flatten your  battery if you left  them on for
pretty ground display 

I doubt if any reasonable power of  nav. light helps visiblity much by day,
certainly in comparison with a strobe - so zero diameter wiring would do
(:-))

Incidentally the tail light is something of a problem if it is to conform
with the polar pattern regulations for real lighting systems, due to there
being no fixed part of the 
aeroplane facing rearwards. Perhaps it doesn't have to conform to anything
when not flying at night so you could have it lit up all over like a
Christmas tree by day ? 

I have a built-in fairing in the top rear of the rudder which has aerodynamic
implications. PFA approval is necessary for all lighting systems. 

Graham C.


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>