Flasher for LED landing lights

Google "wig-wag landing light flasher"...

Most are for the experimental market only, but some are TSO'd.
 
Some IAs still are super conservative when it comes to non TSO landing lights. Might want to ask yours before annual time.
 
I have these on my Cardinal (bought the plane with them already installed, so I don't know how much they cost).
 
Some IAs still are super conservative when it comes to non TSO landing lights. Might want to ask yours before annual time.
since I'm my IA, I've got a bit of leeway here. ;)




 
Pulselight was a good choice for running 100w bulbs. I had a Pulselight system in my old Cub. It’s overkill for LEDs. I burned out a MaxPulse using 100w bulbs in my Cessna. Changed the MaxPulse and switched to Parmetheus lights, problem solved. LEDs flash so much quicker than old bulbs that the flash rate is a real consideration. LEDs set to faster rates look like forward facing Comet Flash strobes. I flash mine nose lights simultaneuously at 44 pulses per minute, but if I see oncoming traffic I can chage to alternating flash at 44 or simultaneous at 88 or 120 pulses per second. Changing the rate will get somebody’s arrention. And that’s the purpose.

So as an IA how do you view the wig-wag switch? Minor alteration? Don’t ask, don’t tell? It is a change to the electrical system, right?
 
Ya know, today is the due date for my November Kitplanes column. Anybody want to try a homebrew flasher? Wig-wag or simultaneous. Just tell me what you'd like to see in a flasher (besides a dirty raincoat). Circuit is a piece of cake, but I'm going to have to use incandescents for testing (those LEDs are more than I get for writing the column).

Are the flashers on the market inserted into the hot line or the ground line? I suppose I could jimmy it up to be a continuously variable flash rate between, say, 40 flashes a second and 120 flashes a second. If that is useful.

If you build it yourself, 21.303 (b)(2) says it doesn't have to be PMAd to go into a factory-built, but a friendly IA will help a lot. And yes, I IA my own projects too.

JIm
 
Ya know, today is the due date for my November Kitplanes column. Anybody want to try a homebrew flasher? Wig-wag or simultaneous.
Already have the hardware design and firmware done, just haven't built a prototype yet. It will run a landing and taxi lamp with the ability to turn on one or both steady, or wig-wag them. Dead simple design, all the smarts are in the (also dead simple) firmware. Switches can be individual SPST (landing, taxi, wig-wag) or a single center-off SPDT (off, both on, wig-wag) or a couple of other permutations. The output MOSFETs are some fairly robust P-channel devices rated for 8A each -- and I've got pairs in parallel -- so I would expect the load handling to be pretty good even if it were encapsulated without heatsinks. Have not done the math yet to figure out the exact heat dissipation, but I like running stuff as cool as possible.
 
Already have the hardware design and firmware done, just haven't built a prototype yet. It will run a landing and taxi lamp with the ability to turn on one or both steady, or wig-wag them. Dead simple design, all the smarts are in the (also dead simple) firmware. Switches can be individual SPST (landing, taxi, wig-wag) or a single center-off SPDT (off, both on, wig-wag) or a couple of other permutations. The output MOSFETs are some fairly robust P-channel devices rated for 8A each -- and I've got pairs in parallel -- so I would expect the load handling to be pretty good even if it were encapsulated without heatsinks. Have not done the math yet to figure out the exact heat dissipation, but I like running stuff as cool as possible.
100 watt landing lights in a 12 volt system draw a little over 8 amps, so if you load-share the P-channel devices that should be running at half-rating IF they are matched even remotely well. The IRF 5305 has a spec'd Rds of 0.06 ohms so at 8 amps that would be a little less than 4 watts, and that particular FET is good for 30 amps so I'll not worry about paralleling them. But the 0jc is about 45C per watt, so some heat sink is going to be necessary. I like to use an existing chassis/pc board copper where I can for heat sinking.

I would use a simple op-amp to drive the gate but I'll have to take into account the input capacitance and see how that affects the rise time. I tend to use analog where I can.

Jim
 
100 watt landing lights in a 12 volt system draw a little over 8 amps, so if you load-share the P-channel devices that should be running at half-rating IF they are matched even remotely well. The IRF 5305 has a spec'd Rds of 0.06 ohms so at 8 amps that would be a little less than 4 watts, and that particular FET is good for 30 amps so I'll not worry about paralleling them. But the 0jc is about 45C per watt, so some heat sink is going to be necessary. I like to use an existing chassis/pc board copper where I can for heat sinking.

I would use a simple op-amp to drive the gate but I'll have to take into account the input capacitance and see how that affects the rise time. I tend to use analog where I can.

Jim
Device selection is pretty wide, once the PCB layout is done. I like my MOSFETs over-rated so I've got the option of using newer, better or just cheaper and more readily available parts. If I were to build one now, I'd probably go with the BMS3003. Reasonably priced for what they are, RDS(on) of .0065 Ohm. I like paralleling the outputs for a couple of reasons. It lessens the likelihood of one failed part taking out the light(s), for one thing. Overkill is still pretty cheap.

What is this "analog" thing of which you speak? I like to use an even simpler 2N7000 to drive the gate. :)
 
Penis-flasher-e1454596134989.jpg
 
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