D

dspender

Well Known Member
Patron
Getting ready to install the tail light on the rudder. I called VAn's and the new combination LED tail light/strobe is $340. WOW. Is this to be expected? This light can't be more than 2 inches in diameter and isn't going to illuminate anything in front of me. Are there other less expensive considerations available to me?
 
Are you aware that you are building an airplane? :) The Wheelen non-LED tail/strobe is $230 and it goes out every few hundred hours
 
Tail/Strobe

ZTron Labs tail light and strobe for $90

They advertise here.

Nice feature: If you buy the tip strobes too, they can all sync.

CC
 
dspender said:
Getting ready to install the tail light on the rudder. I called VAn's and the new combination LED tail light/strobe is $340. WOW. Is this to be expected? This light can't be more than 2 inches in diameter and isn't going to illuminate anything in front of me. Are there other less expensive considerations available to me?
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Dennis,

While expensive, LEDs really are the way to go IMO. The low draw and reliablility are winners in and of themselves in my book. Their apprearance is the icing on the cake;)
 
Second vote for Ztron. Although I'm still building, I've tested mine several times. Bright as all get-out, easily configured for the flash pattern you want, and the tail light will sync with the wingtip lights.
 
there are several choices out there for a tail light that meets requirements for night flight under $100.
i also have the ztron wingtip strobes/nav and plan to add their tail light
 
Tail Light

Go out and find a Grimes tail light socket at any aircraft junk yard (Maybe $25.00). Then go to your local autoparts store and purchase a less than $1.00 bulb.....

dspender said:
Getting ready to install the tail light on the rudder. I called VAn's and the new combination LED tail light/strobe is $340. WOW. Is this to be expected? This light can't be more than 2 inches in diameter and isn't going to illuminate anything in front of me. Are there other less expensive considerations available to me?
Click to expand...
 
We actually own a remote starter and alarm business and sell misc, bulbs and other car accessories and they make a led for any kind of socket now , 1157 , 1156 , all of them. So you can take a regular socket and turn into a bright led that lasts ,
 
I have a little LED 197 replacement bulb in a standard Grimes type tail light housing. The bulb is only a couple bucks, and almost everyone has an old tail light assembly laying around.
 
I bought the ZTron wingtip nav/strobes and rear strobe, and they're impressive in static tests. You can't beat the price either. The only minus is that the base for the tail strobe is a little homely, and the lens is a bit fogged where it glues to the base. I'm going to somehow fabricate a narrow (1/8") bezel to improve the appearance.
 
Looks good, Ron. As I've already made the mechanical attachment, I might fair mine in with filler or something, and paint it either silver or whatever the final color of the rudder will be. I wish ZTron had made the backing plate fully round, instead of squared off.
 
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