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04-09-2011, 11:55 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 434
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LED NAV & Strobe Installation Wiring
Regarding LED Nav and Strobe installations; I?m considering an AeroLED installation and wondering how others have wired and protected the installation. According to the AeroLED installation document for the Pulsar EXP combination NAV / Strobe unit, they recommend budgeting .5 amps per NAV and 3 amps per strobe. 'Breaker size will depend on the number of lights installed'. They also recommend a 3 conductor 20 gauge shielded cable run to each unit.
I would like to install 3 of these units, and connect them to one NAV breaker @3 amps and one strobe breaker @10 amps. If I use a 10 amp breaker for the strobes I would need to run 12 gauge wires to each of the strobe units if I didn?t want to break any wiring rules. This would mean I need to locate a source for 3 conductor shielded 12 gauge cable which is very hard to find and horribly expensive. To use the recommended 3 conductor shielded 20 gauge cable, I would really need to fuse or provide 3 amp breakers for each of the 3 strobes assuming about a 15 feet run to each unit.
I?m curious how others have installed these systems, a small breaker for each strobe and use 20 gauge shielded cable or one large breaker and use 12 gauge cable or one large breaker and still use the 20 gauge cable which violates wiring rules.
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Joe Condon
Ankeny, Iowa
RV9A - 647JC - 300 hrs - SOLD 6/23/15 
OneX - Under Construction - For Sale
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04-09-2011, 02:20 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 110
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Quote:
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If I use a 10 amp breaker for the strobes I would need to run 12 gauge wires to each of the strobe units if I didn?t want to break any wiring rules.- Joe Condon
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What is this rule that says 12 gauge for 10A? I see 18 AWG in 43.13-1A figure 11.1 and AN-20 figure 11.5 single wire in free air.
I followed AeroLED instructions and used 20 AWG for my 3 strobe lights.
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Jim Peck
San Francisco Bay Area
RV-7
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04-09-2011, 02:57 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 434
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I'm using Van's wiring table that provides wire gauge size based on Breaker/Fuse size and length of run. May not be as detailed or accurate as the advisory circular but it's easy to use and works. Van's table states that a 10 amp breaker circuit at 20 feet length requires 12 gauge wire. I may be able to fudge and say the max run would be 11 - 17 feet which would get me down to 14 gauge but still quite a ways away from the 20 awg recommended. According to Van's table, 20 awg should not be used with a 10 amp breaker no matter what the distance. I know the airplane is not going to burst into flames or fall out of the sky if I use 20 awg, I'm just trying to get an idea what others are doing
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Joe Condon
Ankeny, Iowa
RV9A - 647JC - 300 hrs - SOLD 6/23/15 
OneX - Under Construction - For Sale
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04-09-2011, 04:10 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 110
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Van's table
I think I see that you are using the table in section 5 of the builder's manual? "wire length vs wire size"?
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Jim Peck
San Francisco Bay Area
RV-7
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04-09-2011, 06:09 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,499
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One could always install a 14 or 16 ga wire
to a 6 circuit fuse block centrally located then install a 3A fuse for each strobe and 1A fuse for each nav. Then you only have one 10A circuit breaker up front.
__________________
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
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04-09-2011, 09:09 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 434
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Yes, a fuse block might be a good solution. The NAV circuits are ok with a single breaker since they only draw .5 amps each, just the strobes that draw 3 amps are an issue. Next question before I consult the regulations, does the fuse block have to be accessible in flight and would you have to carry spares?
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Joe Condon
Ankeny, Iowa
RV9A - 647JC - 300 hrs - SOLD 6/23/15 
OneX - Under Construction - For Sale
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04-09-2011, 10:35 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Boise, Idaho
Posts: 468
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Each individual light only draws 3.5 Amps peak, so 20 gauge wire is OK. If you gang them all up on one breaker, a 10 Amp breaker is required so it doesn't trip when all strobes fire at once. If you are concerned about protecting each individual wire run, you can put a 4 amp fuse in line with each run.
Dean Wilkinson
CTO, AeroLEDs LLC
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04-10-2011, 08:23 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,499
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I have four fuse blocks and one "ALT" 5A pullable breaker.
All four of them are not accessible in flight and it is not required. Spares are required. Only one will require removing a access panel to the tailcone. The other three are mounted to subpanel. If I have an inflight problem I'll troubleshoot when I get back on the ground as one should do with breakers.
__________________
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
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04-10-2011, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Hilton Head Island
Posts: 1,089
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RF Noise
Joe,
I installed the AeroLED's for NAV/Strobe and landing lights.
The Nav lights give me a bunch of white noise so you really need to insure you use the shielded wire.
You also should follow the AeroLED wiring diagrams as to grounding the shields properly.
I installed my lights before the update and am still chasing the noise, I have installed capacitors, resistors and most recently was able to rewire one wing, but no change.
I know I'm making some progress as about 50 % of the time when I select the NAV lights on there is no noise.
I like them and get a lot of comments as to how bright they are, I just have to get rid of the noise!
Good luck,
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John Mastro
RV-8
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04-10-2011, 09:52 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 434
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Thanks for all the great input. I now plan to use a 10 amp breaker feeding a 4 circuit auto fuse block mounted on the sub panel using 3 of the circuits with 4 amp fuses for each of the 3 strobe circuits. I should then be able to use the recommended 20 gauge shielded wire for the NAV/Strobe runs.
I'm quite concerned about the electrical noise some installations are experiencing. If the AeroLED installation instructions are followed to a tee, will the installation be quiet, any comments from those who have followed the installation instructions exactly?
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Joe Condon
Ankeny, Iowa
RV9A - 647JC - 300 hrs - SOLD 6/23/15 
OneX - Under Construction - For Sale
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