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I finally got around to gluing and wiring the cyan LEDs to the right wingtip back plate. As with the left side, I opted to use thermal epoxy just to make wiring easier. I can imagine trying to figure out wire lengths with the LEDs loose and then being able to position the LEDs correctly under the plexi. If I made a few more of these, I might be able to do that, but I’m happy with the epoxy method for now.
After the LEDs were positioned, I started wiring them together. I wired them in an identical pattern compared to the left side, and I think my soldering is getting much better…neater at least.
The right nav lights have been glued to the back plate and wired.
Another view of the cyan LEDs that will go in the right wingtip. As with the left side, these suckers are bright!
I haven’t wired the power leads yet, but I did test the assembly using my bench power supply and Buckpuck. The cyan LEDs seem a bit brighter than the red LEDs at the same current level. However, I don’t think they are different enough to warrant trying to level them out.
I also received some new toys in the mail today. My strobe system arrived from strobesnmore.com, and I also received my leading edge landing/taxi light kits from Duckworks. The strobe system I purchased seems to be a common one for RV builders that are rolling their own lights. It’s the Strobes N’ More Pro System 4. It comes with a power supply that can drive up to 6 strobes, 4 strobe tubes, and 4 strobe cables. It’s a build-your-own system, so you can choose different strobe colors and longer cables as needed. Plus, at $160, the price is tough to beat.
The Duckworks leading edge lights are also very popular among RV builders. I opted for the rectangular 55W lights since they are weight less and are cheaper. I don’t plan on flying much at night, but if these lights aren’t bright enough, I can replace the bulbs with 100W bulbs. I’ll be running 14 gauge wire for these lights just in case I decide to upgrade later. I’ll be putting one light in each wing.
I’ll post pictures of both the landing/taxi and strobe lights later.
