Duckworks to LED?

[gyoung]

I mounted Baja Squadron Pros by enlarging the opening as necessary. Since that left some holes around the lights I mounted them on a separate flat mounting plate screwed to the Duckworks mount. Pretty simple and with everything painted flat black no one can tell.

[Dugaru]

Very, very happy with my Squadron Pros. I used the "spot" model for both my landing and taxi lights and they work great.

Originally Posted by rapid_ascent

I just ordered and received a couple of the blank mounting plates for $25/ea. My plan is to mount the Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights.

[rapid_ascent]

Doug, Yeah I bought 2 of the spot model for my landing lights. I'm not sure what you mean by you are using the spot version for both your landing and taxi lights? How are you using the spot model for a taxi light? I was assuming that a different version would be required for a taxi light.

[Bicyclops]

Originally Posted by rapid_ascent

Doug, Yeah I bought 2 of the spot model for my landing lights. I'm not sure what you mean by you are using the spot version for both your landing and taxi lights? How are you using the spot model for a taxi light? I was assuming that a different version would be required for a taxi light.

Depends. If it's a taildragger, you'll wish you had different aiming for the taxi lights. The landing lights will light up tree tops for you while you are on the ground. Squadron Pros come in several versions. The combo have two spot and two with lenses on them to spread the beam out. That is what many are using for taxi.

Ed Holyoke

[EXTAAFLY]

I started to alter the opening, then got an offer I could not pass up from a local tool builder and world renown candy maker.

He has a couple of pretty nice airplanes under his belt too. . .

riveted a doubler on with some nut plates at the corners, then attached the AeroLED.

[Dugaru]

Originally Posted by rapid_ascent

Doug, Yeah I bought 2 of the spot model for my landing lights. I'm not sure what you mean by you are using the spot version for both your landing and taxi lights? How are you using the spot model for a taxi light? I was assuming that a different version would be required for a taxi light.

My taxi light is angled differently from my landing light, but I used the same kind of Squadron Pro light, the spot. It puts out plenty of light for taxi but also gives me a great distance illumination from the left wing for landing. I also figured that with my installation, which is set back a bit into the wing behind a relatively small hole in the leading edge, the advantages of a flood would be limited.

In any event, with how much light these things put out, I don't think you could go wrong either way. Truly eyeball melting. Amazing gadgets and the price is right. Definitely one of my best upgrades.

[jliltd]

This is a photo of what a Squadron Pro with the two different type of LED lenses as a single combo light looks like. The top two elements are spot and the bottom two have vertical fresnel-type diffusers to spread the light to be more "flood" type. Keep in mind that LEDs are very directional and spotty, which is why Whelen, AeroLED and other manufacturers have two types of bulbs with LEDs when they only had one type of incandescent bulbs.



In the end I have to agree that it's probably not a big deal for the taxi light to have the vertical diffuser lenses. In the particular RV-3B associated with this photo I only have one light in one wing so I was trying to cover all bases with a single installation by going with the combo light. The only nit I have with the Squadron Pros is they are made for 4x4 off-road vehicles and are therefore overly sturdy, have massive heat sinks and are very heavy.

The bracket shown holding the Squadron Pro was one made by a fellow VAF-er. He made a run of these adapter brackets for the Duckworks mounts a couple of years back.

On a side note I can't tell how many times I have seen the diffuser type LEDs mounted with the diffuser lines horizontal rather than the appropriate vertical orientation.

[Dugaru]

I used those same brackets. Made the installation very easy.

I can confirm that the Squadron Pros are, indeed, built like tanks.

Did not know that about the horizontal/vertical!! If I had installed the floods, I strongly suspect I would have gotten that wrong.

Originally Posted by jliltd

This is a photo of what a Squadron Pro with the two different type of LED lenses as a single combo light looks like. The top two elements are spot and the bottom two have vertical fresnel-type diffusers to spread the light to be more "flood" type. Keep in mind that LEDs are very directional and spotty, which is why Whelen, AeroLED and other manufacturers have two types of bulbs with LEDs when they only had one type of incandescent bulbs.



In the end I have to agree that it's probably not a big deal for the taxi light to have the vertical diffuser lenses. In the particular RV-3B associated with this photo I only have one light in one wing so I was trying to cover all bases with a single installation by going with the combo light. The only nit I have with the Squadron Pros is they are made for 4x4 off-road vehicles and are therefore overly sturdy, have massive heat sinks and are very heavy.

The bracket shown holding the Squadron Pro was one made by a fellow VAF-er. He made a run of these adapter brackets for the Duckworks mounts a couple of years back.

On a side note I can't tell how many times I have seen the diffuser type LEDs mounted with the diffuser lines horizontal rather than the appropriate vertical orientation.

[chuckwn]

After three years and LOTS of night operations, still very happy with this lighting mod to my original Duckworks lights:

Details here:

https://vansairforce.net/community/s...4&postcount=42