AeroLEDs Grounding... Am I over thinking this?

[grayforge]

I'm starting to install my new AeroLED Nav/Strobes on my not yet closed QB wings and wanted to see if I'm being too anal about grounding. For the grounds at the lights, the installation manual states to ground the 3 conductor cable shielding, the black wire from the light (NS 90) and the case of the light itself. (See 1st image below)

So I'm wondering if I need to make a separate line from each ground to the airframe? (see 1st drawing in 2nd image)

Or can I pig tail the shield to a pin on the cable side molex connector, have that pin mate to a pin on the light side connector that ties the case ground to the black wire, then to airframe ground? (see 2nd drawing in 2nd image)

Or even tie the light's case to the light's black wire to the light side molex connector pin and connect the cable side pin to the shield and to airframe ground.

AeroLEDs wiring diagram:


My ideas. The 1st one is tying the grounds together and then going to airframe, the second is taking each ground to airframe.


Thanks!
Russ

[RV7Guy]

I don't have Aeroled's but I locally grounded all of my lights without any problems. I had Aeroflash Position and Strobes and Duckworks landing lights. I locally grounded at the tip rib and everything was fine and electrically silent.

I retrofitted Aveo lights using the same wiring with local grounds. Works perfect.

I know there were some noise issues with AeroLeds and that may be why there is a little extra. Call Dean and see what he says. Great guy!!

[Lemmingman]

I interpreted this a bit differently. The way I read their diagram, your 1st drawing is almost right. I would say is there is no reason to ground the black wire that is in the bundle ("to switches" in your diagram). If there is a black wire in your bundle, it would remain free and not connected to anything. So ground the black locally off the light, ground the light casing and you're good to go.

[grayforge]

Lemmingman... I shouldn't have labeled that wire going to switches 'black'. It's just a pigtail connected to the cable shielding.

[schristo@mac.com]

The SHORT length ground back to the case is to return radiated noise energy back to the light and not to your radios and intercom. Dean from Aeroleds told me that they would be incorporating this return ground internally in the future.

[Dbro172]

I think your first drawing looks right. The wiring diagram from Aeroled is simple and correct, you just need to stare at it awhile.

I think I had three grounds per side, locally at the light. One shield, one from the light wiring and a third from the light mount screw.

Remember to grind the anodizing off the aluminum housing or you'll find a continuity test will show no continuity.

[ILikePike]

Stephen, are you saying the 1st sketch is incorrect? I was planning to do it this way but I am putting the black wire from the light through the connector then to local ground for easy removal of the light.

The aeroled diagram shows connecting the shield to ground back at the source (VP-X in my case). Is this correct? Isn't there some guidance to only connect sheilds at one end?

[Dbro172]

Originally Posted by ILikePike

Stephen, are you saying the 1st sketch is incorrect? I was planning to do it this way but I am putting the black wire from the light through the connector then to local ground for easy removal of the light.

That's what I did.

[rv9aviator]

I have Aeroleds and I believe their website has information about grounding and installation that may be of help to you.

[rwtalbot]

Russ,

Be careful with these units to follow the instructions. A number of people I am aware of (including me) have had problems.

My experience is that if you follow the instructions they should not break squelch, however the Nav lights are noisy and emit RF that can interfere with your COM and/or degrade your receive range.

I would recommend keeping the local case grounds as short as you possibly can. Perhaps riveting to the nearest nutplate on your wingtips, rather than a long pigtail to enable removal of the tip. At the rudder, I would try to attach the ground to the bottom of the rudder itself, rather than running back to the fuselage.

I'm still working through the issues with mine and it may well be an error on my part but they are currently not as good as my Whelen System #7 was. It is possible many owners are not aware of any decrease in performance as they do not use the lights often, do not have a "clean" baseline to compare to or have not tested receive sensitivity with the lights on/off.

Regards