RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems  
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RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/1/2006 2:10:18 AM   
Moe3754


 

Posts: 561
Joined: 12/24/2003
From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Status: offline 		The lipo came from here http://www.stevensaero.com/shop/home.php it is a shop here in my town and he charges $16.00 for them it is 7.4 volts and 250 Mah it is a perfect fit also you can get small lipo's here also http://www.precisionheli.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PREHELI&Category_Code=Batt but they are more expensive there,I am running five lights a Red and Green strobe and a white solid and then the two high output landing lights are the two pointing down on the legs of the DF.As for lipo weight I cannot say I do not have a scale but it is only a couple of ounces if not grams,there is very little weight.

(in reply to Sky High)
       Post #: 26

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/1/2006 2:17:25 AM   
Sky High



Posts: 1511
Joined: 12/3/2005
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Did the small Lipo come with a compatible plug that already fits the controller or did you have to adapt it?

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Up there, you don't have time to think, if you think, you're dead!
Never mess with a pilot having more rotors than you!

(in reply to Moe3754)
       Post #: 27

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/1/2006 3:12:01 AM   
Moe3754


 

Posts: 561
Joined: 12/24/2003
From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Status: offline 		I had to put a jst plug on the controller so it could plug into the Lipo.

(in reply to Sky High)
       Post #: 28

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/4/2006 2:22:14 AM   
av8ersteve



Posts: 71
Joined: 6/17/2005
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Here's mine...




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(in reply to Moe3754)
       Post #: 29

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/4/2006 4:11:35 AM   
Sky High



Posts: 1511
Joined: 12/3/2005
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: av8ersteve

Here's mine...

Well, are you going to tell us what lighting system it is? Or are we going to have to guess?

I like the deep blue. How about more detailed images of the LEDs and where they are mounted. Thanks.

< Message edited by Sky High -- 2/4/2006 4:32:49 AM >

_____________________________

Up there, you don't have time to think, if you think, you're dead!
Never mess with a pilot having more rotors than you!

(in reply to av8ersteve)
       Post #: 30

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/4/2006 4:32:31 AM   
av8ersteve



Posts: 71
Joined: 6/17/2005
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Well, I bought the lights from MaxxLights. I had to shorten them a little and then bought some black heat shrink tubing to conceal the wires. There attached with black zip-ties. The three blue lights are static (steady burning) and I have two reds up front, one static, and one strobe. I have the wire harness plugged into the 5 volt side on the Draganflyer main board. Works GREAT, and I can now fly at night and freak out the neighbors.

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The more knowledge I consume, the wiser I become.

(in reply to Sky High)
       Post #: 31

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/4/2006 4:50:01 AM   
Sky High



Posts: 1511
Joined: 12/3/2005
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: av8ersteve

Well, I bought the lights from MaxxLights.

Yes, I've heard of them and have some of their LEDs but they don't seem to offer controllers for them, just harnesses. I also wasn't happy with their idea of a strobe. Does your strobe just rapidly blink like blink>blink>blink>blink or truly pulse like a real strobe. The one I got just rapidly blinked in succession. The system I finally got has LEDs that actually strobe like a real aircraft strobe.
Maxx was a bit more expensive too for the comparable turn key system I got.

quote:

ORIGINAL: av8ersteve

Works GREAT, and I can now fly at night and freak out the neighbors.

Yes, that is a must!




_____________________________

Up there, you don't have time to think, if you think, you're dead!
Never mess with a pilot having more rotors than you!

(in reply to av8ersteve)
       Post #: 32

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/18/2006 12:51:43 PM   
jswayze



Posts: 7
Joined: 11/18/2003
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Bijoux,

Sorry I'm a bit late in responding to this but I just now came across your post.

To add to what Sky High said, true Xenon strobe lights play serious havoc with your receiver. Most people I've talked to that have tried a "real" strobe experience glitches every time the strobe fires. The problem is the extremely high voltage the strobe uses. When the capacitor it uses dumps thousands of volts into the flashtube it creates a nasty pulse.

I'm sure there are ways to shield your receiver and servos from the pulse but between the time it takes to mess with that, plus the added weight your "countermeasures" it didn't seem like it was worth pursuing that idea.

In the works however is the use of an extremely bright led by Luxeon. You may have seen these monsters in flashlights and automotive applications, but they are incredibly bright. You'd take a small weight hit but the brightness might be worth it. I'm currently working with the distributor to purchase some, so keep your eyes open...

Regards,

Jeff Swayze
Leading Edge Development
http://www.flightlites.com

(in reply to Bijoux)
       Post #: 33

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/18/2006 1:50:04 PM   
Phodel


 

Posts: 58
Joined: 1/8/2006
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		av8ersteve:

Very nice light setup! I like how you concealed the wiring.................What do you guys think about doing shrink tubing over the Carbon Tube so you will not have to use the zip ties!

(in reply to av8ersteve)
       Post #: 34

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/19/2006 2:02:35 AM   
av8ersteve



Posts: 71
Joined: 6/17/2005
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Status: offline 		That would actually work very well. The only downside is you would have to un-solder all the motors then re-solder them again once the heat shrink tubing is installed.

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       Post #: 35

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 2/19/2006 2:32:00 AM   
Sky High



Posts: 1511
Joined: 12/3/2005
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: av8ersteve

That would actually work very well. The only downside is you would have to un-solder all the motors then re-solder them again once the heat shrink tubing is installed.

I thought about the heat shrink as well but if you break a rod or change your mind about a LED color or placement, all that has to come off. Taking it off is the easy part, it's replacing it that's the time eater! I chose not to do this a while back but that was when crashing and multiple replacements was more likely. Since I haven't had a crash in almost 3 months and after I settle on lighting, I'll probably use the shrink method. Like av8ersteve said, the only part I hate about changing a rotor arm is feeding those small wires through that tube and then having to resolder them to the motor. It's just like having to take 3 major components out of an engine to get to that $2.00 part buried in it.


_____________________________

Up there, you don't have time to think, if you think, you're dead!
Never mess with a pilot having more rotors than you!

(in reply to av8ersteve)
       Post #: 36

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 3/1/2006 2:45:05 PM   
detroitdr


 

Posts: 117
Joined: 2/27/2006
From: north yorkon, CANADA
Status: offline 		SkyHigh,

Wow!!
You and your messages here are a wealth of information for anyone (like me) who is interested in getting a DF. I've just ordered my SAVS unit and should have it in two or three weeks. I'm so glad I stumbled across this forum and your messages (I was looking for NAV lights for my monster truck... got stuck on your messages and as a result ordered my SAVS)

I'm sure you get this all the time... but thank-you for taking the time to answer questions/take and post vids... They have really helped me a lot.

I'm sure I'll be asking you some more questions when I actually get it...

thanks!


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       Post #: 37

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 3/16/2006 2:15:43 PM   
madean


 

Posts: 73
Joined: 3/13/2006
From: Richmond, VA, USA
Status: offline 		Here's some more NAV light info, and a few sources for LEDs and parts. I hope to post pictures sometime this weekend.

First the links:

http://www.hightechips.com - HTC150 LED flasher chip has several LED patterns and virtually no external components, just the LEDs and dropping resistors.

LSDiodes - Great prices and fast shipping on bright LEDs

I wanted to maximize the light and give the effect of small flourescent tubes. I ordered four 3mm LEDs from LSDiodes. All are in the 5000 mcd brightness range. I'll put a blue on the front, then standard NAV light colors; green on right, red on left and white in back. I found that 1/4" icemaker line, which is like a frosted white works great as a tube. I cut a 4" piece for each LED. The LED fits nicely inside. I might adjust the length because I'd like to get the LED and attached dropping resistor into the end of the tube for protection. I'll tie-wrap these tubes onto the underside of the carbon tubes. This layout will minimize the amount of wire necesaary to connect back to the controller chip, which I'll power from the 5v supply on the aux connector on the Draganfly.

The datasheet for the HTC150, in PDF format can be found here. I have attached a jpg of the basic circuit diagram. Just leave out the switch, R1 and R2 and just wire D0 and D1 for the desired flash frequency (see PDF).



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< Message edited by madean -- 3/16/2006 3:28:35 PM >

(in reply to detroitdr)
       Post #: 38

RE: Draganflyer Navigation Lighting Systems - 3/17/2006 2:51:02 AM   
madean


 

Posts: 73
Joined: 3/13/2006
From: Richmond, VA, USA
Status: offline 		Here's how the tubes look lighted. The LEDs are still on the breadboard here.

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(in reply to madean)