Nav lights
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RE: Nav lights
Several companies make nav lights for RC planes or you can just make your own. On my 1/4 scale cub I used a RAM products red beacon for the vertical stab and just wired superbright LED's for the wing and tail nav lights. Powered by its own 9v battery and a small switch, that same battery has lasted for years.
Will
Will
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RE: Nav lights
I looked at the RAM gear and found it just to old fashioned and clunky for my taste...
I have used this setup on 3 models now and just love it. Very cost effective and TOTALLY programmable on 4 channels, and you can have it work of a separate R/X channel, or Y lead it into another channel like throttle, gear, etc, or just have it powered up on it own. I program in the strobes on my models to emulate the full sized ones because they are all somewhat different. you can power it directly from 4.8v from the R/X up to 7.2v which is what I do with it's own separate 2s Li-po pack.
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/...ht-starter-kit
Their LED's are good, but I use either 0.5w or 1w LED's I buy from ebay, which are a fair bit brighter. We tested my latest batch of LED's on a mates FMS T-28 and on a sunny day you could still see the nav lights on the far side of the circuit! It so disappointing when you go to the effort of installing lights and you can only see them on the ground.
Here is a pic of my latest model. granted it's indoors but the camera started "staring" the light because it couldn't handle the brightness. same problem with my eyes, but perfect outside in the sun.
Thanks
dave
I have used this setup on 3 models now and just love it. Very cost effective and TOTALLY programmable on 4 channels, and you can have it work of a separate R/X channel, or Y lead it into another channel like throttle, gear, etc, or just have it powered up on it own. I program in the strobes on my models to emulate the full sized ones because they are all somewhat different. you can power it directly from 4.8v from the R/X up to 7.2v which is what I do with it's own separate 2s Li-po pack.
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/...ht-starter-kit
Their LED's are good, but I use either 0.5w or 1w LED's I buy from ebay, which are a fair bit brighter. We tested my latest batch of LED's on a mates FMS T-28 and on a sunny day you could still see the nav lights on the far side of the circuit! It so disappointing when you go to the effort of installing lights and you can only see them on the ground.
Here is a pic of my latest model. granted it's indoors but the camera started "staring" the light because it couldn't handle the brightness. same problem with my eyes, but perfect outside in the sun.
Thanks
dave
#7
RE: Nav lights
I have installed navlights on a 1:3 scale Super Cub recently. I used "Powerlight" 1W diodes from here: http://www.lightingforaeromodellers.co.uk/
Flasher unit for the beacon was bought from www.diyrc.com, and the RC switches for turning on the nav and landing lights was bought from www.radicalrc.com
A bit of soldering involved, but not too bad, and you can tailormake your wiring harness to fit the model in question.
Flasher unit for the beacon was bought from www.diyrc.com, and the RC switches for turning on the nav and landing lights was bought from www.radicalrc.com
A bit of soldering involved, but not too bad, and you can tailormake your wiring harness to fit the model in question.
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RE: Nav lights
Hi,
I have also used 1W LED's on my TF Cessna 182 kit. Here is a short clip how it looks on the wing. Lights are controlled by custom board. If you are interested, I can give you more details. Switching on of the position lights and landing lights is thru 3 pos switch on the radio.
Strobe on the wingtip flashes twice per second and than in sequence there is the beacon flash and again 2:1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vVPXT-IAW0
J
#9
RE: Nav lights
If you do a search for diy nav lights, you should be able to find a thread I did a couple of years ago complete with circuit design and instructions.
Scorr
Scorr
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RE: Nav lights
ORIGINAL: Walther
Thanks guys. Dave what do you buy for LEDs on Ebay there a lot of them?
Thanks guys. Dave what do you buy for LEDs on Ebay there a lot of them?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120571511...84.m1423.l2649
They do all the colours
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20x-1W-Co...item20d261bd4f
for the 1w LED's.
Thanks
dave
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RE: Nav lights
Did a test today outside. Here is a pic that will give you an idea about the brightness.
Hope you have got enough info to build / install your own.
J.