RV-7A Lighting Question/s

I'm almost done with my empenage and I was going to order the tail light. When I went to Van's site and looked in the Accessories Catalog for lights I got totally confused (not had for me) . I know I'm fairly new so.....I though I would ask for some advice.

The catalog says "Builders of the RV-7/7A, RV-8/8A, RV-9/9A and RV-10 aircraft using the new sheared wing tips must use Lighting SYSTEM 6." I just ordered my wings so since it should come with sheared wing tips, I assume I must use the SYSTEM 6, right?

The SYSTEM 6 comes packaged like this.....
SYSTEM 6: Includes position lights, wingtip strobes and a combination tail light/strobe.
1ea A650-PG-14 Green position light & strobe
1ea A650-PR-14 Red position light & strobe
1ea A413A-HDA-CF-14 Comet flash power supply
1ea HD-60-1 Installation package
1ea A441-3 3-pin connector
1ea A442-3 3-pin socket
1ea A500-14 Combination tail light/strobe

It all costs $780 . Is this good? Should I go another route? In addition since my wings are on the way, should I buy the Leading Edge Landing/Taxi Light Kit from Duckworks or..............?

Thanks in advance for any info you might have.

Wes (soon to be wings)

I used exactly that in my 7A and two duckworks LE landing lights. The Whelan lights are quality but pricey. My experience is "you get what you pay for". There are cheaper lights for sale. ACS charges over $900 for this system.

Roberta

Lighting

I have the same package for my -8. It seems like a good system. If doing it again I'd probably consider paying a little more and get individual power supplies to put out on the wing tips and tail. Then you have smaller low voltage wires going to wing tips and tail, with short high voltage cables from power supplies to the actual strobe. If you mount wingtip combined units with rear facing white lights outside of the recess in the sheared wing tip you can do away with the tail nav light/strobe. The installation inside the wingtip with plexi cover looks really clean so I'll stick with system 6. Haven't decided where to put the power supply but wings are all wired. Good luck! Bill

It all costs $780 . Is this good?

Click to expand...

I have done the math, and believe it or not, this is a bargain.

I'm trying to get the nav light/strobe and landing light, all under the wingtip lens, and I'm not sure it will work. Someone makes an led nav light, but I don't think they have re-engineered it for the dual landing light that Van's now sells for the newer wingtips. I could make my own led nav light and fit the led's around the landing lights, but the led's cost a fortune. This isn't rocket surgery, but it seems the simplest things are taking the most time and energy.

Best of luck,
Tom Costanza

My suggestion is to wait until you're closer to the end of the project. LED lighting is getting better and better. So far I haven't seen an LED tail position light + strobe, but there might be one available in a year or two.

Lighting

There are a number of LED position lighting options:

A new one that just came on the market: www.thorllc.net - has a combined LED position lights (wings and tail) and strobe package - all for $600.

www.CreativeAir.com - wing position lights and landing/taxi lights (including HID) - no tail light, he suggests the Whelen from Vans.

www.Perihelion.com - LED position lights, and an LED tail light (but you must have a Whelen tail light to modify - don't think it will work with the combined light/strobe unit)

I went with the CreativAir Landing/Taxi lights and their rectangular LED positon lights (I'll get the Whelen tail light/strobe from Vans). I got my strobes from www.strobesnmore.com (SuperPak 906). I easily mounted all the lights in the wingtip under the lens. If I had known about the ThorLLC product, I may have gone that route...

Dennis Glaeser
7A - Fuselage

Wingtip Lights

I really like the lighting solution from Creativair. I installed the position, strobe, and landing lights all within the tip lens of my RV-9A and the installation is clean and simple. Unfortunately I haven't flown at night, so I can't comment on how good or bad the landing lights work.

http://www.my9a.com/lights.asp

Regards,
Mike Schipper
www.my9a.com

light wiring runs

Wes:

Davepar's recommendation to wait is a good one. No need to put in the lights until nearing the end of the build. Make your decision later after you do some research. The DW lights are a very simple install through the open wing tip end so you don't need to worry about closing in access as you build. Of course, the strobes and nav lights are in the tip so you can wait until a week before you fly if you want (well, don't take that quite literally).

If you wait, make sure you install a conduit through the wings during the build and leave some string pulls installed so you can pull your wires through later. The final wiring solution will be based on your light choices. The NAV lights won't be much, just 1 wire about a 16 AWG if I recall, your landing light will likely be 1-14 AWG, wire for the max of 100watt and you'll be free to use any light (55, 75 and 100, regular bulb or HID). Now your strobes can be quite different depending on your choice. If you use a single power supply like in the System 6, you will need to run a shielded bundle about 1/4 inch diameter through the wing. Individual supplies will allow use of non-shielded wire to the wing tip mounted supply.

You don't need a conduit if you can wire it all in as you build but, in the long run, you'll appreciate the conduit for future upgrades or maintenance. The conduit also keeps your options open for a longer time such as installing an AoA which requires 2 plastic tubes about 1/8 inch diameter each, auto pilot roll servo, pitot heat wires, wing tip mounted com or nav antennas or an EFIS magnetometer.

Bottom line Wes - I agree with Dave, don't feel rushed to buy your lights now before you build your wing. You can add everything after you skin the wing as long as you install a conduit. I also recommend you cut an exit hole in the conduit in the roll bellcrank bay and install pull strings just for that stretch as well. This will allow for easier installation if you choose to add a roll servo (if using TT) and pitot heat.

I bought a lot of my "stuff" with the kit before I knew of all the alternative products available. Sometimes I could kick myself. Do lots of research and you'll end up with a plane that best suits your mission, wallet, abilities and may just stay under the danger level of spousal awareness.

Jekyll

Wait a minute

I would like to repeat Dave's advise.
I bought my tail/strobe light with my tail kit, and then it set in a box for 4 years until I was working on my finish kit parts. I think that I am like most people and delayed working on the fiberglass parts until the end.

I have also heard that strobes will go bad just setting and not being used. I would not be suprised if my go bad soon after flying.

If I were doing it again I wouldn't buy lights until the fuse is completed.

Kent

Lighting

I have the Aeroflash strobes (tail and wingtips) $430 and the Creativeair LED position lights. $125.

The LED's provide great light with simplicity and longivity. I'd do it again. The Aeroflash units were cost effective and work great. Individual power packs made the wiring easy.

I think the Whelen stuff is way over priced. Similar stuff can be purchased from a variety of sources much cheaper.

Strobes

The Whelan strobes will go bad if they just sit for a time, maybe over 6 months, due to capacitor changes. All that's necessary to keep them good is hook 'em up to a battery and flash for a few minutes every 3 or 4 months, which "reforms" the capacitor. It's kind of fun to see them flash. Bill

Power supplies need this. But could the strobe bulb itself go bad after sitting for years?

i oredered this exact setup as well.

robertahegy said:

I used exactly that in my 7A and two duckworks LE landing lights. The Whelan lights are quality but pricey. My experience is "you get what you pay for". There are cheaper lights for sale. ACS charges over $900 for this system.

Roberta

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i did the same as roberta

Why now?

As was expressed by other posters... why now, why not wait? If you are anything like me (and several others who shall remain nameless ) you will likely change your mind, with regards to equipment selection, several times throughout the project. In a few years when you are ready (hopefully sooner) some new-shiny-must-have object will likely catch your eye, buy it then. Besides, you would be tying up $780 on something that won't get used for a while.

I just completed the installation of my Duckworks lights in my wings. I did it during construction because I thought it would be slightly easier. I am using the rectangular lights (inexpensive) so I didn't mind outlaying the $ now. If I were going HID, I would have waited so as not to spend the $450 or so each until they were needed.

RV7Factory said:

As was expressed by other posters... why now, why not wait? If you are anything like me (and several others who shall remain nameless ) you will likely change your mind, with regards to equipment selection, several times throughout the project.

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HEY! I resemble that comment!

I have my lighting system, only because I want the wings to be complete and ready to install when the time comes. I don't plan on starting the fuse until the tips and lighting are done.

Didn't know about the firing the strobes every few months! Good tip!

I'm about 2-3 months from the end and just installing my landing lights now. The Duckworks are easy to install in a completed wing with the wingtips off. Just need an angle drill.

I've heard that one of the experimental lighting companies is working on an LED-based nav and strobe package. I would keep an eye out for that if you don't need the lights real soon.

A little off-topic, but I was driving to work yesterday and saw a Cessna flying overhead. I could barely see the plane, the nav lights, or the strobes. It was the alternating flashing landing lights that grabbed my attention.

Dave