LED Nav Lights

Sv.grainne

Super Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
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2,312
Location
Kerrville, Texas
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Aviomania, G1sB Genesis
I'm starting a new thread on LED NAV/Stobe lights.

I purchase a set of three Speed Tech lights and recently discovered that they are not suited for use on a Gyro. While they are bright with an adjustable pattern and ability to synch all lights the interference is a problem. Radiated emissions from the LED power supply in each light interferes with weak or marginal strength signals. I especially noticed this when behind a hill on the airport receiving the AWOS and on some of the Private Jets calling in on long finals.

I tested the lights today to determine if the interference might be conducted on the power leads and confirmed that it is not. The interference is purely radiated.

I purchased a set of AeroLed NSP lights and will try them on my Genesis. Spoke with the Engineer on these lights today and he assured me that by design they do not emit any interference.

Bobby
 
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I'm starting a new thread on LED NAV/Stobe lights.

I purchase a set of three Speed Tech lights and recently discovered that they are not suited for use on a Gyro. While they are bright with an adjustable pattern and ability to synch all lights the interference is a problem. Radiated emissions from the LED power supply in each light interferes with weak or marginal strength signals. I especially noticed this when behind a hill on the airport receiving the AWOS and on some of the Private Jets calling in on long finals.

I tested the lights today to determine if the interference might be conducted on the power leads and confirmed that it is not. The interference is purely radiated.

I purchased a set of AeroLed NSP lights and will try them on my Genesis. Spoke with the Engineer on these lights today and he assured me that by design they do not emit any interference.

Bobby
I can assure you they do emit RF interference, but at the risk of repeating myself, Denis at Gyro Technics must have got around that somehow. This weekend I am going to use a separate battery and keep moving the lights away from my radio and see if the interference goes away.
 
I can assure you they do emit RF interference, but at the risk of repeating myself, Denis at Gyro Technics must have got around that somehow. This weekend I am going to use a separate battery and keep moving the lights away from my radio and see if the interference goes away.
I tested my lights with an isolated power source but have no option on moving them further from the antenna.
 
Have you tried using a frequency counter or SDR to determine the frequency/frequencies being emitted by the LEDs so you can choke out the leads on the sensitive equipment? I know - more weight, but RF chokes are pretty light these days.
 
I don't have access to a spectrum analyzer and suitable antenna. I've already purchased a light set that won't generate any EMI.
 
I don't have access to a spectrum analyzer and suitable antenna. I've already purchased a light set that won't generate any EMI.
Which lights did you order, Landing light, Position lights? And if you don't mind what was the cost.
 
Aeroled Pulsar NSP.

Screenshot_20221116-110451-219.pngtwo light assemblies, one each side. I ordered from AC Spruce. About $930 for the pair but I want to be seen as well as hear other aircraft

Bobby
 
Bobby, Thanks for reply. Luckily the Led's I have on my mast (do not flash) do not interfere with my radio. My radio antenna is on my instrument pod. So when I added an LED landing light and have it flashing on/off. Thats when I get the flashing buz in my headset. But as I mentioned in another post. I was able to mount the light lower and took care of the interference.

On my old outdated 2-place I'm hesitant to put another $900 plus into it. I probably should just sell it and get a nice single place since I am no longer offering instruction in it.
 
I'm starting a new thread on LED NAV/Stobe lights.

I purchase a set of three Speed Tech lights and recently discovered that they are not suited for use on a Gyro. While they are bright with an adjustable pattern and ability to synch all lights the interference is a problem. Radiated emissions from the LED power supply in each light interferes with weak or marginal strength signals. I especially noticed this when behind a hill on the airport receiving the AWOS and on some of the Private Jets calling in on long finals.

I tested the lights today to determine if the interference might be conducted on the power leads and confirmed that it is not. The interference is purely radiated.

I purchased a set of AeroLed NSP lights and will try them on my Genesis. Spoke with the Engineer on these lights today and he assured me that by design they do not emit any interference.

Bobby

You should really stick with aviation specialized LED lights as you ended up doing in the end. I have tried many LED landing lights from the auto world and boat world. They are not suitable and it is such a headache to make them work. Aviation specific lights are usually plug and plug may be with a little work on grounding them properly
Aviation specific stuff is expensive because the market size is tiny. We use Aveo 3 in 1 lights
 
A bit late for this application, but for those that need a cheaper option, we have this brand in SA that works great with gyros and is MUCH less than $900. Some of the agents here install them as standard equipment:
https://cnlighting.co.za/aircraft-lighting/
They also customize it with a picture of your choice instead of the default "CN lighting". I used my aircraft registration for this to reduce the temptation to steal them, hehe.
 
Denis at Gyro Technics must have got around that somehow.
I believe that his unique positioning of the radio antenna behind the rudder, the MGL V16 radio under the seat, and strobes high up on the cheek plates could have something to do with this.

They are all well separated, and so far I have experienced no interference from the strobes. I hear all other traffic clearly and they, me.

When quite far apart on the ground and in the air his strobes can be see very clearly by me.
 
A bit late for this application, but for those that need a cheaper option, we have this brand in SA that works great with gyros and is MUCH less than $900. Some of the agents here install them as standard equipment:
https://cnlighting.co.za/aircraft-lighting/
They also customize it with a picture of your choice instead of the default "CN lighting". I used my aircraft registration for this to reduce the temptation to steal them, hehe.
Nomie:

I looked at your specs but could not find a simple light pattern image. Would help comparison if you had one in the tech literature on your website. Assuming you are part of the Co.
 
Nomie:

I looked at your specs but could not find a simple light pattern image. Would help comparison if you had one in the tech literature on your website. Assuming you are part of the Co.

Hi. I have no affiliation with them - just a happy customer. I reached out to them but unfortunately they don't have that information available. I guess from the geometry of the light one can deduce the radiation patterns.
 
I got my new lights today and they are really, REALLY, bright. They have options for a nav light and strobe light switched independently. Should I wire the strobes to run when the lights are on or switch them separately?
 
I would have them switched. I’m not sure what it’s called but there is a phenomenon that occurs when strobes hit the underside of the up to speed spinning blades. It can make you sick from it and can cause severe vomiting similar to motion sickness.
 
Perhaps you mean flicker vertigo?
Particularly active during flight in cloud at night.

I got my new lights today and they are really, REALLY, bright. They have options for a nav light and strobe light switched independently. Should I wire the strobes to run when the lights are on or switch them separately?

Since you will primarily be flying day VFR, and for the most part avoiding night/IMC, and, for the sake of KISS, on and strobing would be my choice, since I have experienced absolutely no refection from my strobes off the rotors, and my strobes are up on the cheek plates.

I was also warned of the possibility of exhaust resonance from the rotor since my exhausts are point directly up. This is not the case. My noise footprint has been greatly reduced. When flying as a pair the noise reports from our observers on the ground were that Denis's 582 GT-VX1 is very much louder that my 912 GT-VX2.

Theory vs actual experience.
 
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While flying IFR at night in the Dolphin or the Twinstar the strobes would be off. Even if vertigo was not an issue it would be very distracting.
 
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