N130WN

N130WN

Well Known Member
I'm thinking of mounting a pair of HID lights in the RV-7 no scoop cowling instead of the wing. Can anyone recommend or discourage this idea? I've only seen this on an RV-8 and didn't have a chance to ask the owner about it.

Thx.
 
Mostly a personal thing, but I have never liked landing lights in cowling. Reasons are heat, vibration, and disconnect every time you remove the cowling. Also I think you get better depth perception with the lights in the wings. At least I do. Not to mention illuminating the back of the prop.
Just my opinion.
 
Mel said:
Mostly a personal thing, but I have never liked landing lights in cowling. Reasons are heat, vibration, and disconnect every time you remove the cowling. Also I think you get better depth perception with the lights in the wings. At least I do. Not to mention illuminating the back of the prop.
Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Same comments above from me, plus there may be some added visibility benefit of having the landing lights out some distance from the central axis of the plane. I.e., out on the wings.

2 cents
 
The only thing I do not like about having my landing lights in the wings is the dark spot directly in front of my while taxiing at night. I've often wondered about putting a light in the cowling. I would probably want to put a quick disconnect in a convenient spot if I did something like this.
 
I had a landing light in my Yankee cowling (for over 20 years...) and was constantly replacing bulbs due to vibration.....and it was a pain every time you had to pull the lower cowl. I'm really happy to have them in the wings on the -8!

(Just one man's experience...)

Paul
 
One mans experiance

I have my taxi and landing lights in my RV-6 cowl.
500 plus hours on original bulbs, disconnection is easy, after taking top cowl off, unplug connector and you are done.
 
If you just are after better taxi lighting...

I would look at installing high intensity LEDs. The extra vibration would not effect them.

Kent
 
The high-intensity lumileds still don't seem to put out enough light to taxi by. Do you have a good source for REALLY bright WHITE LEDs? I tried LED foglights and they weren't bright at all, mostly just decorative.
 
Bob Martin said:
I have my taxi and landing lights in my RV-6 cowl.
500 plus hours on original bulbs, disconnection is easy, after taking top cowl off, unplug connector and you are done.
Click to expand...
Any pictures?

Thanks, Bob.
 
kentb said:
I would look at installing high intensity LEDs. The extra vibration would not effect them.

Kent
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Wouldn't HID's be almost equally durable? (filement-less, aren't they?)
 
Yep, HID's would work fine, but you'd have to mount the ballest on the cowl somewhere since most of the ballest to bulb wires are short.
 
Cessna used to have their landing lights in the cowl on the 172 for a number of years, but in the last several years of new production have moved them back out on the wings ( where they originally were).
 
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