Cabanaboy Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 When are pilots on Mooney Space using their recognition lights? My aircraft is 28V does anyone have a good source to buy spare bulbs or fixture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjsny78 Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 I found out how much it was to replace a single bulb and stopped using them as much. I paid somewhere around $300 to replace one of the bulbs on the wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Expensive bulbs and melting lenses puts a significant dent in their use. Its got to be busy before I light those candles. Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetdriven Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 The one that hits you is the one you didn't see. How did they certify a light system that melts the lenses and causes 300$ in damage if left on after landing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjsny78 Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 The one that hits you is the one you didn't see. How did they certify a light system that melts the lenses and causes 300$ in damage if left on after landing? Jetdriven, You may have misunderstood. The $300 figure was just to replace the bulb. My lenses are kind of melting but I attribute that to the strobes, and the only one of those I had to replace so far was more than $700. Light bulbs are too damn expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Jet D, Certainly not one of their shining moments in the engineering department. My C had one forward light bulb and a red rotating beacon. My r has six forward light bulbs and xenon strobes with a red flashing beacon. Still need to work out when best to use the recogs. Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabanaboy Posted December 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 Yeah, but when do you find the most need to use them? Flying up the coast VFR only without flight following into the sun? What is the main reason they are there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awful_Charlie Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 For me, the red beacon goes on before engine start until shutdown, the strobes go on when cleared or entering the runway until the runway is vacated after landing, and the reco lights go on when cleared for takeoff until under radar control. The reco lights go on again when dropping out of controlled airspace and off when speed is under control on landing, or off with the strobes if the lading has been a bit more challenging! I've got two spare bulbs, but haven't had to buy and new yet, so a bit horrified about the 300$ price tag - I guess they'll go LED when my stock runs out! Edit: I see they are 149$ at http://www.cessnapartsdealer.com/xcart/Cessna_01-0770303-00_RECOGNITION_-and-_TAXI_LIGHT.html and 96$ at http://www.broadiesaircraft.com/shop/search.asp?lookup=01-0770303-00 107$ at http://www.skygeek.com/whelen-01-0770303-01-recognition-light.html so the 300$ seems a bit misplaced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mazer Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 There is another thread on this with respect to the same issues on the Ks. I modified mine to LED and now use them all the time. Look up, "86 252 LED recognition lights" for the thread that includes pictures of LED installations and an explanation of the problem from an A&P from Venice FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilot716 Posted December 12, 2011 Report Share Posted December 12, 2011 We had to change ours last year for the same reason, we bought new lenses from LASAR. They are fine in the air when being cooled but never on the ground. I put them on generally when there is more traffic in the area and at night. I am almost always on IFR flight plan but that does not mean there is not a VFR aircraft transitioning through your airspace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregdawg89 Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 I gave up after 2-3 iterations of replacing expensive recog light bulbs only to have them burn out & melt the surroundings. Now I just don't use them. I'd consider going LED but only if they don't burn out after a few hours use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mazer Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 My LED recognition lights are doing well so far. No significant heat and good visibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kortopates Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 I bought my last recognition light for $80 (see www.airsuppliers.com). True that the heat they generate will melt your lens tips if left on while taxining around. Buts its not a problem if you turn them on when cleared for takeoff (LIGHTS, camera, action!) and then turn them off when you land following your clear of the runway checklist. The real cats meow solution is to get a flasher for your recognition lights, available from LASAR. The small flasher unit is wired in to the the rocker switch behind the panel (taking minutes) and is enabled when you turn them on and then off for one second. You retain always "on" mode by just leaving the switch in "On" mode - although I only use flash mode. Flash mode solves the heat issue, substanially improves visibility (IMO) and saves bulb life. My recognition lights are always on in flash mode, day or night, and last for about 1000 hrs on average. BTW, all of us with 28V systems use a 12V recognition light that has a resistor in series with the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennett Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 To answer the original question: I use recognition lights at all times when I am in the air, and never when on the ground. And an answer without a question: I use my Boom Box (LoPresti) landing light whenever I am in busy airspace, or in in haze, or twilight. So far as I am concerned, the more my Mooney looks like an airliner (from a lighting standpoint), the better. Of course the wing and tail strobes are on at all times when the engine is running, and at startup and shutdown. The exception being in clouds or snow where the stobes can divert attention to other tasks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mazer Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Quote: kortopates The real cats meow solution is to get a flasher for your recognition lights, available from LASAR. The small flasher unit is wired in to the the rocker switch behind the panel (taking minutes) and is enabled when you turn them on and then off for one second. You retain always "on" mode by just leaving the switch in "On" mode - although I only use flash mode. Flash mode solves the heat issue, substanially improves visibility (IMO) and saves bulb life. My recognition lights are always on in flash mode, day or night, and last for about 1000 hrs on average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kortopates Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Very little of what they offer is on their website. You'll have to call: (800) 954-5619 or email them: Parts-Mods@lasar.com. I've had mine for a many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awful_Charlie Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Just re-awakening this thread, as one of mine popped last week, and it seems one of my spares was a dud, so looking to re-stock. Being a bit inquisitive about how these were put together, I pulled one apart, and got a bit of a surprise! It took a bit of prising to get the retainers off and the bulb/reflector assembly removed from the mount, but this left a unit wth a Whelan reference 70300-00. as 12v unit from their catalog (confirming the ballast resistor mentioned above) Peeling off the Whelan label revealed a bulb with reference 'Sylvania ERR 25W 14V 45-10' Googling some of those numbers comes back with a PAR18 projector bulb with a G4 base, available for about 8USD with a rated 200 hour life, Color Temperature: 3,100K, which is a round assembly, and example of which you can find here: http://www.topbulb.com/find/Product_Description.asp?intProductID=43967 I'll have a word with my A&P next week to see what he feels about grinding down the plastic reflector on one of these and dropping it in, or otherwise replacing the bulb with a LED unit (however, I think I'd drop a LED into a new reflector rather than re-use the rather tired ones I've currently got) As the buld is just some metal prongs, it will require the leads with the plug assembly to be unsoldered from the old and soldered to the new, but that is a trivial job. More interesting will be cutting/grinding down the reflector to the correct profile (the cuts are neither parallel to each other, nor to the axis of the lamp) Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mazer Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Grinding down the reflector with a Dremel by hand was the hardest part. You are correct. I didn't think I would be able to find a replacement reflector to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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