LED wingtip Strobes

[Joe Larussa]

I want to replace my old wingtip strobes and position lights with LED's. What are you guys using? Whelen Orion 650's?

Do you need to rewire from rocker switch or use existing wire? 

[Raptor05121]

The 650s are very nice.

Do you have a separate switch for nav light and strobe? If so, remove the strobe power supply and simply run the low-voltage wire into the 650. Same for the nav. There should be a green sync wire if you want them connected and a ground wire. Super easy to wire, not sure with the wingtips. Your mechanic will easily have them installed.

[0TreeLemur]

Yes, Whelen 650's - look great after we did this install.  The extra two wires needed by the 650's to power the strobes and sync are a PITA to run out the wing.  The issue it that there is no direct access to the bay directly forward of the fuel tanks, at least in my a/c.   I've got special tools that we custom configured to route those wires, which required some clever contortion and overall smart thinking.   I take issue with @Raptor05121's claim that they are "super easy to wire".  Once the two additional wires are run, they were easy.  Running those wires was absolutely not easy.  It took two hours of grunting, bending, scraping, sweating and swearing to do the first wing.   1-1/2 hours to do the second.  but I loved every minute of it.

[DonMuncy]

Are both the wires needed for operation, or only for sync?

 

[carusoam]

OSU may have some for sale.... at a discount...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[xcrmckenna]

I installed the 650’s over a year ago. No extra wiring unless you want the lights to flash together. I didn’t sync them. I installed the 500 tail light as well. Had to run an extra wire for the flash option for it. Very happy with them and they stay on all the time.


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[Niko182]

12 minutes ago, xcrmckenna said:

I installed the 650’s over a year ago. No extra wiring unless you want the lights to flash together. I didn’t sync them. I installed the 500 tail light as well. Had to run an extra wire for the flash option for it. Very happy with them and they stay on all the time.


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I used the old ground cable to sync them. Since the old lights were seperate and each wing tip had 2 lights, that means that there were 2 ground cables. Since the orions use one ground, i cut the second ground cable out, attached them from both sides, and used it as a sync wire.

[xcrmckenna]

I used the old ground cable to sync them. Since the old lights were seperate and each wing tip had 2 lights, that means that there were 2 ground cables. Since the orions use one ground, i cut the second ground cable out, attached them from both sides, and used it as a sync wire.

Good thinking, I felt them being out of sync makes the plane a little more noticeable.


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[Niko182]

Just now, xcrmckenna said:

Good thinking, I felt them being out of sync makes the plane a little more noticeable.


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I have the wings synced. The tail is a standalone. I think eventually, im gonna connect the Tail. The ocd annoys me. Im also gonna connect the tail nav light next annual too. 

[ArtVandelay]

I have the wings synced. The tail is a standalone. I think eventually, im gonna connect the Tail. The ocd annoys me. Im also gonna connect the tail nav light next annual too. 

I also recommend the tail LED (500) strobe, but I like the Christmas tree look of them being out of sync.


Tom

[Niko182]

Just now, ArtVandelay said:

I also recommend the tail LED (500) strobe, but I like the Christmas tree look of them being out of sync.


Tom

Already installed. Just need to hook up the nav tail light and the sync.

[Jerry 5TJ]

The LED wingtip assembly is sleek.  

[bradp]

I have the OR 600s.  I have sawed off wings.  I have separate nav and strobe switches.   Each has an aft Nav light and 180 degrees of strobe coverage.   That means I could delete my tail nav and my coffee grinder if I so desired because all functions are done with the 600s

@Marcopolo has wingtip enclosures and has 600s.  Most of the folks who have enclosures have 650e.  

Footprint for the 600s is slightly larger than for the 650s, but the hole pattern is identical (grimes whelen standard).

 I’m imagining my plane looks cool like a 777 with three white nav lights at night :p

In all seriousness - I was inspired to do this as I lost my second Hoskins power supply in as many years.  Wife and I would comment that you he easiest planes to spot day or night we’re the Cirruses lit up like Xmas trees.  These 600s are a serious safety improvement in terms of see and avoid.  

[1964-M20E]

I just put the AVEO Ultra Galactica LED 3 in 1 wing tip Strobes on my plane and they are nice. (from The Mooney Summit silent auction: Thanks AVEO Engineering for donating them to Mooney Summit)

The only drawback I had to fabricate a mounting plate since they did not drop into the old Grimes hole.

I installed all new wiring from the wing tips to the strobe and navigation light switches and I installed the synch wire.  I still have the belly strobe and tail light although I guess legally I could remove them since they are redundant and no longer necessary.

 

 

 

[mike_elliott]

Aveo once again is donating a set to the Mooney Summit's silent auction! One of our lucky 176 registered attendees will be able to treat their plane to the best!

[0TreeLemur]

16 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Are both the wires needed for operation, or only for sync?

 

Our '67C only had two wires (+/-) for the original Grimes Type E position lights.   So we had to run two more wires, one for strobe power (+14V) and the other sync line, which just connects the two 650's.   If your aircraft already has strobe power going out there, you might only need to run the sync wire.

[bradp]

I should add that Sync wires are highly recommended- the first time that I landed at night with the LED strobes unsynched I noted it to be totally distracting. 

[ArtVandelay]

I should add that Sync wires are highly recommended- the first time that I landed at night with the LED strobes unsynched I noted it to be totally distracting. 

My strobes aren’t visible from the cockpit.


Tom

[bradp]

Nor are mine.  But they will bounce off the runway and grass. 

[ArtVandelay]

Nor are mine.  But they will bounce off the runway and grass. 

You need LED landing lights to outshine the strobes. I have 2+2 wing mounted ones, plus flashing recognition lights and never noticed the strobes except around the hangars where there’s lots of white surface for the light to reflect off of.


Tom

[bradp]

I wish - I have just the nose light, no taxi and no wing lights.  

[Hank]

36 minutes ago, bradp said:

I wish - I have just the nose light, no taxi and no wing lights.  

Most of us are the same way . . . .

[0TreeLemur]

3 hours ago, bradp said:

I wish - I have just the nose light, no taxi and no wing lights.  

A good LED landing light that has gratings over some of the LEDs and that casts some light to the sides like a taxi light  makes taxiing a lot safer.

[Ragsf15e]

I like my AeroLeds.  Had one fill with water and company was real easy to deal with.  Replaced right away and it was from a previous owner.

https://aeroleds.com/pulsar-n-series-certified/

[1964-M20E]

11 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

Aveo once again is donating a set to the Mooney Summit's silent auction! One of our lucky 176 registered attendees will be able to treat their plane to the best!

You will be able to see me coming about the time I pass Gulf Port, MS