In search of new WIG-WAG flasher

[dan]

Electronics wizards out there... My RV-7 has the SSF-1 wig-wag flasher from B&C. It has served me well. Except that after 834 hours, it finally died a painful death. So I'm in the market for a new one.

I could pay $22 for a new SSF-1 from B&C. That would be pretty straightforward. But of course the cheapskate in me had me looking around for other options.

Yes, I have seen Bill Vondane's very nice flasher, but I'm not interested in the complexity that it introduces. I want to stick with a simple 3-wire setup (+12V, load 1, load 2).

So check this out...here's B&C's SSF-1:


But here's a flasher that costs about $10 less but "looks" pretty much the same:

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/deta...tion.asp?11850

Yet on that page it says "Design Life: 500 hours". Just makes me wonder if the B&C flasher is basically the same animal and also suffers from limited life. Vibration in the airplane environment, yadda yadda.

Anyway, I guess I could rationalize spending $12.99 every 500 to 834 hours, but obviously I'd rather not if there's a better alternative. Especially if there's one with no moving parts.

So...does anybody have a "homebrew" flasher design/schematic that I could fab up from cheap components, save a few bucks, and enjoy having made it myself?

[Captain_John]

Dan, I can homebrew a schematic for you but the cop one from Gall's is hard to beat.

Have you seen it yet?

CJ

[dan]

Yeah, saw that, but for the price I may as well get the B&C SSF-1 since it's a drop-in replacement. I don't want to change any wiring or have to add any switches or use a different switch. Looking for a super-simple 3-wire drop-in setup.

[kevinh]

Originally Posted by dan

But here's a flasher that costs about $10 less but "looks" pretty much the same:

http://www.midwayautosupply.com/deta...tion.asp?11850

Yet on that page it says "Design Life: 500 hours". Just makes me wonder if the B&C flasher is basically the same animal and also suffers from limited life. Vibration in the airplane environment, yadda yadda.

I think this is the same thing - I purchased mine from a local auto parts place and it works swimmingly. The design life 500 hours thing is kind of a bummer - didn't notice that originally. However, this is a solid state device so I don't know where they get that number.

[RV7Guy]

How about a couple of options offered by Periheliondesign.com

I'm going to add one of wig wag switch now that I've got the plane down for paint.

[dan]

Originally Posted by RV7Guy

How about a couple of options offered by Periheliondesign.com

Other than it costing 5x as much and requiring significant wiring changes...well...you get my point.

[Jim Percy]

Just curious about what made it a "painful" death. Are you referring simply to the pain your wallet felt? I've got the same flasher unit installed in my airplane.

Jim

[Captain_John]

I am guessing that the contact toasted from internal arcing. Dan, did you do a forensic analysis?

Is is a solid state design you are seeking?

I will have to consult the electronics gurus at school for a solid state design, as the power of the switching leads will be fairly high.

CJ

[N62XS]

Dan:

You gotta be kidding? Send me your address and I'll give you $22 for the wigwag. Give it a break. Do you squeak when you walk?

[osxuser]

That has got to be the cheapest part B&C markets