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chaskuss

Well Known Member
Listers,
I read the recent discussion regarding lower cost HID landing light conversion kits. I was wondering if anyone offers a lower cost HID kit with the small, round style reflectors which can be fitted in the newer style wing tip lighting housings? Does this size have a PAR number?:confused:
Charlie Kuss
 
Creativair does sell a kit Charlie, but when I went to his web page a couple days ago, he said he's out of all HID stuff, and "having supplier difficulties". Every time I read an HID discussion, I get excited about doing a conversion, then can't find the hardware, or get a little nervous about the RFI, as I have Archer wingtip antennas and from what I can tell, the warnings about interference are justified.

Paul
 
I think Duckworks is working on getting some upgrade lights

Last I talked to Duckworks, they were working on getting some HID replacements for the wingtip lights. I don't think they have any in yet, but they should be soon. As soon as they have any, it should be on the website. I have seen some comparisons between the standard lights and the 35w and 50w HID's and the HID's are amazing in comparison.

You can check their site to see if they have been able to get them yet.

www.duckworksav.com
 
Pete, those look cool. Do I understand that you can simply plug in the MR16 bulb to a regular (like creativeair) lamp housing?? I'll try to call these people when I get back into the US next week...let us know if YOU find out anything more.
 
These look really interesting. I'm installing the tip lights now and for $75, I'll upgrade to HID for at least the landing light. I'll give these guys a call tomorrow to see if they are really plug & play.
 
Experience with EMI?

Surely by now there must be quite a few RVs flying with Archer wingtip antennas (does anyone NOT use them?) and an HID light in the same wingtip.

I'm curious what the effect of that power supply is on VOR and ILS reception? I know the potential is there, but have any of you who are flying seen it?

Thanks,
Martin
 
Ironflight said:
Creativair does sell a kit Charlie, but when I went to his web page a couple days ago, he said he's out of all HID stuff, and "having supplier difficulties". Every time I read an HID discussion, I get excited about doing a conversion, then can't find the hardware, or get a little nervous about the RFI, as I have Archer wingtip antennas and from what I can tell, the warnings about interference are justified.

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul
Thanks for the tip regarding RFI. I was planning on using conventional antennas, so I'm not worried about it. Another option would be to mount a single HID lamp in the bottom of the cowl, to leave the wing tips clear.
Charlie
 
petehowell said:
Hi Charlie,

These look interesting, but I have no idea how they would do wrt RFI.
Click to expand...

Pete,
The price sure is nice. However these are listed as FOG lamps, which means they are a short distance (flood) lamp. The lens are optimized to give light under the head lamps. For a landing light, I think I would want more of a "spot" style lamp in at least one wingtip. That would allow me to see further down the runway, which is the true advantage of HID.
I contacted the EBay seller mentioned in the earlier discussion of HID landing lamps. He told me he hoped to have kits with reflectors in a few months. He also recommended staying with the "big name" manufacturers. He said the optics on the "off brand" reflector units was poor.
I may simply re-think this. Perhaps a single 5 1/4" high/low (aka landing/taxi) HID in the cowl would work better. It will certainly be less expensive with only one lamp. It would probably be lighter as well. (Shorter wiring runs and only one ballast)
I'm going to have to check out the small round HID lamps found in several "high end" autos.
The Trail Tech units listed in your second post appear to be more promising. Thanks for the links.
Charlie
 
Wing Mounting is Better

chaskuss said:
Charlie wrote:
(snip)

I may simply re-think this. Perhaps a single 5 1/4" high/low (aka landing/taxi) HID in the cowl would work better. It will certainly be less expensive with only one lamp. It would probably be lighter as well. (Shorter wiring runs and only one ballast)

(snip)
Click to expand...

Charlie, I wouldn't put a light in the cowl for three reasons:

1. More vibration vs. a wing mount means shorter life.

2. Weight and Balance (unless you want more weight on your nose)

3. More reflection off snow and mist.

I also think that to run one light only, you probably want that ability to change it's aim from landing to taxi. You could adapt an electrically adjustable mirror mount off a car. I have had the experience of trying to taxi around a strange airport at night with the landing light only (inop taxi light) and it was bad. The landing light aims down too far. Mavbe this problems self corrects in a taildragger?

Hans
 
nucleus said:
Charlie, I wouldn't put a light in the cowl for three reasons:

1. More vibration vs. a wing mount means shorter life.

2. Weight and Balance (unless you want more weight on your nose)

3. More reflection off snow and mist.

I also think that to run one light only, you probably want that ability to change it's aim from landing to taxi. You could adapt an electrically adjustable mirror mount off a car. I have had the experience of trying to taxi around a strange airport at night with the landing light only (inop taxi light) and it was bad. The landing light aims down too far. Mavbe this problems self corrects in a taildragger?

Hans
Click to expand...

Hans,
I was thinking that the cowl lamp would expose the ballast to higher heat and more vibration myself. The HID lamp itself has no filiment (it works like a flouresent lamp) so vibration on the lamp itself should not be an issue.
Most 7" and 5 3/4" lamps contain both a high and a low beam. I figured you could use the low for taxi and the high for landing.
Charlie
 
Good idea!

chaskuss said:
Hans,
I was thinking that the cowl lamp would expose the ballast to higher heat and more vibration myself. The HID lamp itself has no filiment (it works like a flouresent lamp) so vibration on the lamp itself should not be an issue.
Most 7" and 5 3/4" lamps contain both a high and a low beam. I figured you could use the low for taxi and the high for landing.
Charlie
Click to expand...

Charlie, I never thought of using high and low beams, that is a great idea. Of course you would have to mount the light upside down, because you want your landing light to aim down instead of up.

I think that vibration is hard on everything, filament or not.

Hans
 
They are available at

Duckworks has direct drop in replacements for the Van's wingtips now. They are on the www.duckworksav.com home page. The price seems to be pretty good too. Not quite as cheap as the Harbor Freight fog lights, but they would not require any extra 'engineering' or work. Just remove the old lights and put in the new.
 
HID replacement lights

Hi All,
Im actually an HID distributor and can do the replacement HID lighting at reasonable prices as well.
thx.
 
Brandon, if you would post your contact info, it would be nice.

Business web site link, ????

Also, welcome to VAF.
 
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