LED Tail light/strobe wiring and configuration

[DesertNomad]

I have now gone 100% LED on my Dakota.

I have one switch in the center switch console that controls the beacon and the one next to it controls the wing strobes.

The left roller switch controls both the red/green nav lights and the tail steady position as well as the tail strobe (AeroLED SunTail). Previously with the old lights, there was no tail strobe, just a steady light.

I am thinking this needs to be changed so that the roller controls the red/green and steady white tail and the rocker switch controls both the wing and tail strobe.

How have others wired it when the tail has both a steady and strobe option?

 

[Jesse Saint]

I believe it is a requirement that you be able to switch the strobe and position lights separately.if you did not have a tail strobe originally, you would need to run an extra wire to the tail. You could potentially run a wire from your beacon power source somewhere in the tail to the strobe portion of the tail combo light The Sync feature is not necessarily required, I don’t think. If you do run a separate wire from the front, then it would be nice to have the Sync wire added as well. I usually run a 3-conductor shielded 18awg wire from the panel to all 3 Nav/strobe combo lights and use the shield for the ground on all 3 lights and ground all 3 shields where they come together.

 

[kshaw]

I have now gone 100% LED on my Dakota.

I have one switch in the center switch console that controls the beacon and the one next to it controls the wing strobes.

The left roller switch controls both the red/green nav lights and the tail steady position as well as the tail strobe (AeroLED SunTail). Previously with the old lights, there was no tail strobe, just a steady light.

I am thinking this needs to be changed so that the roller controls the red/green and steady white tail and the rocker switch controls both the wing and tail strobe.

How have others wired it when the tail has both a steady and strobe option?

You are correct. My Warrior had a stobe system and I am changing everything to LED, too. It sounds like your installer tried to avoid adding the extra wiring to your LED beacon. On my Warrior, there is a split switch for FIN and WING which controls the beacon and the wing strobes. I suggest that you get your A&P to install the same switch and run a wire from the FIN switch to the beacon.

 

[CA182R]

The strobe on my tail light (Whelen LED) is not currently wired. My understanding, could be wrong, is that the use of this strobe light is required if the wing strobe lights don't cover the aft of the airplane. For example, if the wing strobe lights are embedded inside the wing tips instead of sticking out.

Anyway, I hope to have mine wired to the strobe lights system during some other work next month because why not.

 

[Bell206]

My understanding, could be wrong, is that the use of this strobe light is required if the wing strobe lights don't cover the aft of the airplane.

The link below gives a good explanation of the requirement:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...tallation_and_Service_Manual.pdf?v=1561560065