Home-made alternate lamp flasher

[elippse]

For those experimenters among you who would like to make their own alternate-flashing lamp system, there is a posting on the EAA CH. 170 web-sit that shows the schematic of system that can be made for about $10-$15. It has the advantage that because of the way it turns the bulbs on through a current-limiting method, it adds much life to the bulbs. My 50W halogen bulbs have over 300 hours and they are on whenever the master is on. As presented, it is meant to be a warning flasher as well as an in-flight recognition system, and is made to be on whenever the master is on. By the addition of a 3P3T switch it can be made to be ON-OFF-ALTERNATING.

[David_Nelson]

Originally Posted by elippse

For those experimenters among you who would like to make their own alternate-flashing lamp system, there is a posting on the EAA CH. 170 web-sit that shows the schematic of system that can be made for about $10-$15. It has the advantage that because of the way it turns the bulbs on through a current-limiting method, it adds much life to the bulbs. My 50W halogen bulbs have over 300 hours and they are on whenever the master is on. As presented, it is meant to be a warning flasher as well as an in-flight recognition system, and is made to be on whenever the master is on. By the addition of a 3P3T switch it can be made to be ON-OFF-ALTERNATING.

Hi Elippse,

Do you have a direct link. The link I've got doesn't show much and searching for 'flasher' shows 0 results.

Thanks,

[Dan Blumel]

Originally Posted by elippse

For those experimenters among you who would like to make their own alternate-flashing lamp system, there is a posting on the EAA CH. 170 web-sit that shows the schematic of system that can be made for about $10-$15. It has the advantage that because of the way it turns the bulbs on through a current-limiting method, it adds much life to the bulbs. My 50W halogen bulbs have over 300 hours and they are on whenever the master is on. As presented, it is meant to be a warning flasher as well as an in-flight recognition system, and is made to be on whenever the master is on. By the addition of a 3P3T switch it can be made to be ON-OFF-ALTERNATING.

Current limiting is NOT ok for HID start-up or pulsing. Clamping down on the current is good for extending incandescent bulb life but will prevent HID from starting.

[vlittle]

This works:



The CL-21 devices are inrush current limiters in series with the flasher outputs. One side effect is that it takes longer for the lamps to reach maximum intensity. This requires popping open the flasher case and doubling the value of the capacitor to slow the flash rate down.

Vern

[elippse]

The circuit is solid state, and turns on the off lamp through the on lamp, thus limiting current to the normal on lamp current.

[Dan Blumel]

Originally Posted by elippse

The circuit is solid state, and turns on the off lamp through the on lamp, thus limiting current to the normal on lamp current.

If saying that regarding HID, it still wont work correctly? Normal (steady state) on current is not enough for starting, restarting or pulsing (wig-wag) HID.