homebuilt strobe systems
Steven & Rise Estergreen
themself?
What bulb did you use and where did you get it?
What are you using for lenses (bulb protectors)? Bulb mounts?
How did you weatherproof the bulbs?
How did you weatherproof the power supplies?
What else did you do to ruggedize the power supplies?
Are spare bulbs still available? Where from?
Are you satisfied with the output?
Are you satisfied with the reliability?
How many hours do you have on it, in the aircraft while it's flying?
How many failures have you had?
Where are the lamps mounted?
The power supplies?
Does it have one, two or more bulbs per power supply?
Did you implement anything fancy like random flash timing, alternating
between wingtips, alternating double flashes, etc. that you can get with the
commercial systems?
Are you willing to share your power supply circuit, design calculations,
summary of problems solved, etc.?
Weir's articles got me interested, but I'm not much of a sparky and can see
this turning into a career... However, I'm curious and like to try to do
everything myself at least once, and enjoy learning new things. But
sometimes that can keep me from ever finishing them...
Steven Estergreen
Mulino, OR
EAA Chapter 902 Christavia Mk1 project coordinator
Paul Lee
strobes by getting the X-Pak 904 power supply from
http://www.strobesnmore.com/
It matches the Whelen light power needs and has different optional
flash variations.
They also have the cables - plug exactly into Wheelen strobe
units.
If you mount the power supply in the fuselage it's weather proof.
"Steven & Rise Estergreen" <sle...@molalla.net> wrote in
news:anj97e$48a$1...@quark.scn.rain.com:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Lee .....
Bruce A. Frank
I have been there and done that and it was not worth the
effort....though very educational. Take Paul Lee's advise and go to
We had a discussion here a few months ago where several industrial sites
selling strobes were listed. A Google search under "strobes" may turn
them up. Most interesting was that companies like Wheelen sell EXACTLY
the same strobe setup as used in commercial aircraft as an industrial
product at HALF the price, in some cases.
--
Bruce A. Frank, Editor "Ford 3.8/4.2L Engine and V-6 STOL
BAF...@worldnet.att.net Homebuilt Aircraft Newsletter"
| Publishing interesting material|
| on all aspects of alternative |
| engines and homebuilt aircraft.|
Toks Desalu
you how to build a stobe light system under 25 bucks few days ago. I would
look for it again. If I do found it, I sure will show it to you.
Toks
"Steven & Rise Estergreen" <sle...@molalla.net> wrote in message
news:anj97e$48a$1...@quark.scn.rain.com...
Del Rawlins
> I am no expert on this issue, but I just came across a website that
> show you how to build a stobe light system under 25 bucks few days ago.
> I would look for it again. If I do found it, I sure will show it to
> you. Toks
Clearly, you did not bookmark the URL.
----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/
Ken Moffett
>
> I am no expert on this issue, but I just came across a website that show
> you how to build a stobe light system under 25 bucks few days ago. I would
> look for it again. If I do found it, I sure will show it to you.
I think you are thinking about Jin Weir's artical in Kitplanes. You can
get a copy at RTS Engineering's web site. Go directly to the PDF at:
http://www.rst-engr.com/rst/magazine/KP90MAR.pdf
Ken.
Rich S.
news:20021004153...@news.newsguy.com...
> On 04 Oct 2002 03:10 PM, Toks Desalu posted the following:
> > I am no expert on this issue, but I just came across a website that
> > show you how to build a stobe light system under 25 bucks few days ago.
> > I would look for it again. If I do found it, I sure will show it to
> > you. Toks
>
> Clearly, you did not bookmark the URL.
Where's Heathkit when you need them? I built two of the Great Plains strobe
kits (~$30 each) http://www.greatplainsas.com/pg32.html for the Emeraude and
installed them in the wing tips. They worked fine for a short time then
several of the components on the circuit boards broke their leads.
After replacing the components, I potted the heaviest parts to the board -
chiefly the power transistors and their heat sinks. This worked fine in the
winter but when summer came, I discovered a heat problem. The flash would
start off fine and as the board heated up it would slow down and finally
stop. I was thinking of devising cooling air vents, but before I did that,
one strobe quit permanently.
Thanks to Paul Lee for solving my dilemma. Yesterday, I ordered a Whelen
4-strobe system for $199 from Louis at http://www.strobesnmore.com/. This is
only ~$50/strobe, well worth the price difference, and includes power
supply, cables and pop-in strobe units. Now to make them fit my housings!
The two extra flashtubes are going to be installed in my LG fairings facing
forward.
Rich S.
Ed Wischmeyer
> The two extra flashtubes are going to be installed in my LG fairings facing
> forward.
Some collision avoidance vendor's ad mentioned that a high percentage of
events were overtaking events. Since the Emeraude is not all that fast,
and since you're already looking forward a bunch, have you considered
making the tail of the airplane real conspicuous? I remember going into
an airshow at traffic pattern altitude and getting real close to
somebody dead ahead -- a Q2 or something similar, painted white. Even
after seeing him the first time, he was hard to track.
Just my $.02 worth, hopefully useful
Ed "corrected to 20:15 or better on each side" Wischmeyer
Barnyard BOb --
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My RV-3 is small.
My RV-3 is white.
My RV-3 has strobes flashing, always.
Still, NOBODY sees me.
Not even on short final.
Kinda' like riding a motorcycle. <g>
I cannot recall all the near misses since being owner.
Only I've taken evasive action in all these near misses.
Last Sunday, was nearly a head-on at 4500 feet.
I was westbound.
The North American T-6 was east bound.
At no time did he take any evasive action.
After the incident, I made a 180 and joined him in a formation...
and he still had his head up his ass and didn't notice me.
Seems white paint makes a plane invisible....
and strobes can only do so much in broad daylight.
Barnyard BOb
Lou Parker
> On Sat, 05 Oct 2002 09:54:07 -0700, Ed Wischmeyer
> <edw...@isomedia.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >> The two extra flashtubes are going to be installed in my LG fairings facing
> >> forward.
> >
> >Some collision avoidance vendor's ad mentioned that a high percentage of
> >events were overtaking events. Since the Emeraude is not all that fast,
> >and since you're already looking forward a bunch, have you considered
> >making the tail of the airplane real conspicuous? I remember going into
> >an airshow at traffic pattern altitude and getting real close to
> >somebody dead ahead -- a Q2 or something similar, painted white. Even
> >after seeing him the first time, he was hard to track.
> >
> >Just my $.02 worth, hopefully useful
> >
> >Ed "corrected to 20:15 or better on each side" Wischmeyer
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With your attitude Bob, the guy probebly tried to take you out.
Lou
Marcus
> My RV-3 is small.
> My RV-3 is white.
> My RV-3 has strobes flashing, always.
> Still, NOBODY sees me.
> Not even on short final.
> Kinda' like riding a motorcycle. <g>
> I cannot recall all the near misses since being owner.
> Only I've taken evasive action in all these near misses.
> Seems white paint makes a plane invisible....
> and strobes can only do so much in broad daylight.
So how many incidents does it take before you repaint?
Robert Little
lots of strobes used on school buses, etc. Find one that blinks in the
speed range of civilian aircraft. Just an idea. RTL
Al
even add a few more spots at those prices.
Al - 28 years in the blue
"Paul Lee" <n...@Spam.please> wrote in message
news:Xns929D10...@207.217.77.26...
Ken Sandyeggo
> On a homebuilt, you might check with J.C. Whitney Auto Supply. They sell
> lots of strobes used on school buses, etc. Find one that blinks in the
> speed range of civilian aircraft. Just an idea. RTL
If as noted, there are a lot of close calls with even the best of
strobe systems, why bother with automotive stuff? There's a
possibility of a strobe system saving one's life, so I don't see
skimping on strobes. If you don't want to spend the bucks for
Whelen's, why not spend the money on your kids or grandkids instead?
I am almost certain ("almost" lets me slide out if I'm wrong), that
the Whelen clones have nowhere near the power output that the genuine
Whelens have. Even though the fire trucks and ambulances look like
they really have bright strobes, they don't compared to aircraft
Whelens. I was quoted the differences in output once, but of course I
don't remember the numbers.
KJ
Bruce A. Frank
but the industrial units in some cases exceed that brightness.
Bruce A. Frank
Dennis O'Connor
and it is a big but - the lights do not have to be TSO or STC, or 337, like
a certified ship, etc...
Denny
"Bryan Martin" <bryanmmar...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:B9CAAAA5.1251E%bryanmmar...@comcast.net...
> I may be mistaken but I believe that homebuilts are required to follow the
> same rules as certificated aircraft as far as anti-collision light systems
> are concerned.
>
> Bryan Martin
>
> in article 3DA517CC...@worldnet.att.net, Bruce A. Frank at
> baf...@worldnet.att.net wrote on 10/10/02 1:58 AM:
Rich S.
news:B9CAAAA5.1251E%bryanmmar...@comcast.net...
> I may be mistaken but I believe that homebuilts are required to follow the
> same rules as certificated aircraft as far as anti-collision light systems
> are concerned.
>
> Bryan Martin
The following shamelessly copied from the Whelen web site
http://www.whelen.com/:
The anti-collision lighting system is required under FAR PART 91.205(c).
There are different requirements affecting different aircraft. These
aircraft are categorized by the date of application for type certificate.
Home built aircraft are determined by the date of issuance of the
Experimental Operating Limitations. The different categories are as follows:
1. Aircraft for which type certificate was applied for after April 1, 1957
to August 10, 1971:
These anti-collision systems must produce a minimum of 100 effective candela
in aviation
Red or White (REF. FAR 23.1397), 360º around the aircraft's vertical axis,
30º above and below the horizontal plane (REF. FAR 23.1401).
2. Aircraft for which type certificate was applied for after August 11, 1971
to July 18, 1977:
These anti-collision systems must produce a minimum of 400 effective candela
in aviation
Red or White (REF. FAR 23.1397), 360º around the aircraft's vertical axis,
30º above and below the horizontal plane (REF. FAR 23.1401).
3. Aircraft for which type certificate was applied for after July 18, 1977:
These anti-collision systems must produce a minimum of 400 effective candela
in aviation
Red or White (REF. FAR 23.1397), 360º around the aircraft's vertical axis,
75º above and below the horizontal plane (REF. FAR 23.1401).
This seems pretty clear, except there is no reference for the statement
"Home built aircraft are determined by the date of issuance of the
Experimental Operating Limitations."
Rich S.