MB65E Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Great looking project!! Ive always thought if I could figure out the voltage step down the d-cell LED mag light would be bright enough for me with the recognition lights. This solves that issue!! Those lights are small and cool enough to figure out a way to figure out how to slap them on my set of flat wing tips. Little angle bracket or something. Maybe on the MLG? Looks great!! -Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LANCECASPER Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 On 10/21/2018 at 7:49 PM, LANCECASPER said: My elves got the Maglite parabola reflectors and cut them down and then then paint the backs black. Then they installed the Crazed Pilot Bullet LEDs and they seem to work just fine. After I'm sure about them I might think about having the elves install new, unmelted lenses to replace the wingtip lenses . . or maybe I'll just forget about it and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Did you tie off the existing stepped down voltage for those lights? Does Mooney bring 24v down to the tip and then step it down for the light or does it bring 14v all the way down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LANCECASPER Posted October 23, 2018 Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 2 minutes ago, Bryan said: Did you tie off the existing stepped down voltage for those lights? Does Mooney bring 24v down to the tip and then step it down for the light or does it bring 14v all the way down? My elves went with the original design. The LED Bullet lights are rated for 14v so the elves left the 14 v that came through the stepdown resistor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted October 29, 2018 Report Share Posted October 29, 2018 Reflector with Cree,and ground down Cree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted October 31, 2018 Report Share Posted October 31, 2018 On 10/23/2018 at 9:45 AM, LANCECASPER said: My elves went with the original design. The LED Bullet lights are rated for 14v so the elves left the 14 v that came through the stepdown resistor. I should point out that the stepdown resistor is only going to give 14V if your new LEDs are also drawing 25W. They almost certainly aren't so you're probably seeing more like 26V or so, which most decent LEDs will handle fine. And now... math: E=IR E=Volts I=Amps, R=Resistance in ohms. P=EI P=Watts Old Light: 25W at 14V: 25=14*I: let's call it 1.8Amps Need to drop 14V at 1.8 amps: 14=1.8*R: R= about 8 Ohms So, the existing resistor is about 8 ohms and is dropping(P=I^2 * R) 25watts, basically the same as the light itself since it's cutting the voltage in half. Now, we want the voltage seen across the new light, let's assume it draws 5watts, total voltage still 28V, existing resistor 8 ohms. Mixing the formulas a bit: 28-V=I*8 5=V*I (V here is drop across the LED which depends on current since we assume it's a constant power device) After an exercise left to the reader(mostly because I broke down and used an algebra calculator for the math) we get 26.5V across the LED, 1.5V across the resistor and 0.1875 Amps. The good thing is the resistor is now wasting only about 0.28watts and so it's really not worth digging it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Oh no ..never 26.5 v across the led...they will instantly blow....pics of three...starting with original 32 watt projector bulb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 It is the original plexi melting and expensive short lived incandescent bulb...pulls about 7/8 amps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Now the original 12 v array posted first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Pretty wimpy but cheap and won't melt plastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 10 watt Cree running at 3 volts and 2.5 amps...no forward heat to melt plastic and estimated 5000 HR run time before failure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Side by side comparison... with gravity on. Great comparison pics, TW! The camera seems to be trying to close down the aperture or whatever they do to block some light... the hangar got darker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Thanks for fixing aberrant gravity field...it was holloween night! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 On 10/22/2018 at 2:30 PM, LANCECASPER said: I have a brand new 70303 in the Whelen box that I've kept on the shelf just in case. $100 shipped. (I'm going to keep my used ones just in case an IA down the road has something against my elves' work) You need to go just a little further down the road. There's a better IA at 84R. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LANCECASPER Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Just now, gsxrpilot said: You need to go just a little further down the road. There's a better IA at 84R. Mine comes to my hangar and 25 years ago used to be Mooney's IA at the service center. He's fine with it but if he ever really decides to retire . . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 2 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said: Mine comes to my hangar and 25 years ago used to be Mooney's IA at the service center. He's fine with it but if he ever really decides to retire . . . . Well that's true. Nothing better than an IA who makes hangar calls and even better, has a key to my hangar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 1, 2018 Report Share Posted November 1, 2018 Mine also will come to hangar even though he has his own shop...he actually prefers to work out of my hangar when his is full up ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awful_Charlie Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 Finally dug out the bits and got round to taking some photos: From left: Bulb with sticker & leads removed, bulb with leads but sticker removed, bulb with sticker and lead removed, new uncut bulb with box behind ($3 from ebay) Two old bulbs and the new from the front - note that theold are trimmed off asymmetrically 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted November 12, 2018 Report Share Posted November 12, 2018 The hanger elves come around when there is beer in the fridge. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwnel Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 On 10/16/2018 at 3:57 PM, LANCECASPER said: Your elves seem very industrious. I really like their idea of the Maglite parabolic reflector. Some mechanics are fearful of what elves have done and this could help them to walk right past the work without paying a lot of attention, plus of course the light is directed as designed. I wonder what your elves would think about this combination: The parabolic reflectors with the blue painted black to match the previous light . . . and then the Crazed Pilot bullet LED in the center of the parabola . . . LANCECASPER, thanks for your post - much appreciated. My hangar elves read it with great interest .. Took a bit of sculpting with the Dremel to get it just the right shape. LED draws 0.1 A compared to 1.8 A on the original. No heat on the LED at all, whereas the original melts the covers. Now contemplating whether I should write this up as owner-manufactured part and get IA to sign off - or just say nothing. Photo shows a new Whelan on the left, compared to LEDs on the right. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LANCECASPER Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 17 minutes ago, pwnel said: LANCECASPER, thanks for your post - much appreciated. My hangar elves read it with great interest .. Took a bit of sculpting with the Dremel to get it just the right shape. LED draws 0.1 A compared to 1.8 A on the original. No heat on the LED at all, whereas the original melts the covers. Now contemplating whether I should write this up as owner-manufactured part and get IA to sign off - or just say nothing. Photo shows a new Whelan on the left, compared to LEDs on the right. Elves do not speak IA language so I think it’s best that the elves keep quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 Elves do not speak IA language so I think it’s best that the elves keep quiet. I would not throw old parts away , just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 16 hours ago, LANCECASPER said: Elves do not speak IA language so I think it’s best that the elves keep quiet. Right answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Txbyker Posted November 19, 2018 Report Share Posted November 19, 2018 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted November 20, 2018 Report Share Posted November 20, 2018 Such talented elves arround Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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