Help me figure out landing lights/wig-wags

[Jim K]

Current situation:
Single WAT Parmetheus Plus landing light in the factory location



Goal:
Replace factory wingtips with these fancy ones I bought a while back, add wig-wag capability to keep the Air Tractors away, and improve the lighting for all the night flying I don't do. Also to look cool



I bought the tips with standard halogen bulbs, as I wasn't sure the LED's they offered were what I wanted. Now 18 months later, I'm still not sure what to do. My knee-jerk reaction is to move the existing landing light to a wingtip, buy a matching one for the other side, and put a taxi light in the nose. Then grab one of those "max pulse" boxes to control it. I did get a split landing light switch with the wingtips, so I'm thinking one side for taxi light and the other for landing lights.

Is it worth spending more for fancier landing lights? Is there a significant difference between the landing and taxi light versions? Maybe I should leave the plus in the nose and buy two higher-end landing lights? Other brands? Other flasher units? I think there's a brand that has the flasher built in, but I'd still need another switch to turn it back to steady at night.

@masloki what is the brand of the small sun you put on your Mooney? I think you said you bought it at OSH, did they have a significant discount?

I'm not planning to do this until the plane goes down for annual this fall, but with supply chain silliness, I'd like to have all the parts in hand before then. Thinking Oshkosh might produce some buying opportunities? Planning to do LED recognition/strobes as well, so maybe a vendor like Gallagher would make me a package deal?

 

[masloki]

what is the brand of the small sun you put on your Mooney

You may be surprised that it is called a Sunspot LED. I think it was 10 or 20% off at OSH but still took 4-6 weeks to arrive. Friendly and informative people at their booth which was not the case for the bigger guys near the flight line.

 

[ServoB17]

I did something similar on my Skylane during my big upgrade. Used the knots2u wingtips and WAT lights all around on the shop's recommendation. He says they've had the best experience with them as far as electrical noise goes.


My plane has two lights in the cowl so I replaced both of those with the taxi light version, and put a landing light in each of the wing tips. The taxi lights are supposed to have a wider spread, and I feel like I can see a difference. Regardless, with all four on it's...a lot of light. We haven't properly aimed the landing lights yet (they are too high) and I still have plenty of light for night landings.



I also added the Max Pulse controller. It's the only landing/taxi light switch in the plane now. I asked them to wire it for up-down wig wag instead of the usual left-right. But, it's a two channel device and will only wig wag between the two. So if you wanted to wig wag just the landing lights, but leave the taxi light out of it, you'd need an separate switch for the taxi light. I mounted the switch in the new panel and did my own silk screening around it as their label didn't make much sense anymore.

Can't seem to upload a gif, but here's how it looks in operation: https://photos.app.goo.gl/m46DNVVsA6Tp3KFKA

 

[ServoB17]

I asked them to wire it for up-down wig wag instead of the usual left-right.

I should clarify this as it makes the max pulse sound more configurable than it is. It will only alternate between the taxi light circuit and the landing light circuit. So, because I wanted the taxi lights in the cowl and landing lights in the wing tips, up/down was what I got.

 

[Brad W]

what are the A44, B44, etc.. switch positions? different flash rates?

 

[ServoB17]

Yes, the numbers are pulses per min, 'A' is alternate (wig wag), 'B' is both (all lights on or off together). I tend to keep the switch on A88 during the day or in the air at night, and switch to BOTH for night takeoffs and landings.

 

[mandm]

Wow you can actually see in front of you! Those are nice landing lights.

 

[Jim K]

I did something similar on my Skylane during my big upgrade. Used the knots2u wingtips and WAT lights all around on the shop's recommendation. He says they've had the best experience with them as far as electrical noise goes.

View attachment 116981
My plane has two lights in the cowl so I replaced both of those with the taxi light version, and put a landing light in each of the wing tips. The taxi lights are supposed to have a wider spread, and I feel like I can see a difference. Regardless, with all four on it's...a lot of light. We haven't properly aimed the landing lights yet (they are too high) and I still have plenty of light for night landings.

View attachment 116982

I also added the Max Pulse controller. It's the only landing/taxi light switch in the plane now. I asked them to wire it for up-down wig wag instead of the usual left-right. But, it's a two channel device and will only wig wag between the two. So if you wanted to wig wag just the landing lights, but leave the taxi light out of it, you'd need an separate switch for the taxi light. I mounted the switch in the new panel and did my own silk screening around it as their label didn't make much sense anymore.

View attachment 116983

Can't seem to upload a gif, but here's how it looks in operation: https://photos.app.goo.gl/m46DNVVsA6Tp3KFKA

Those are the g3's correct?

@Hang 4 I think you were raving about the g3's as well? Or did you have the pro's?

On paper, the wat pro's and g3's and the 100w sunspot have similar performance, all of which blew away the plus I have now. I think the g3 is the cheapest by a significant margin though.

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

Those are the g3's correct?

@Hang 4 I think you were raving about the g3's as well? Or did you have the pro's?

On paper, the wat pro's and g3's and the 100w sunspot have similar performance, all of which blew away the plus I have now. I think the g3 is the cheapest by a significant margin though.

Go tell the other Jim to turn on the G3 he just installed for me and see how you like it.

 

[ServoB17]

Yep, land/taxi versions of the G3s. Love 'em so far!

 

[Jim K]

Yep, land/taxi versions of the G3s. Love 'em so far!

Love those silk screen labels, too. That looks awesome.

 

[Hang 4]

I have the Pro’s. If the G3’s available when I made the purchase, I would have gotten them. Having said that, they turn night into day. Love them.

 

[ServoB17]

Love those silk screen labels, too. That looks awesome.

Hey thanks! Not to derail your thread but I had a fun time doing that. Customized all the placards, tail number, changed the Smart Glide icon to the correct high wing profile...

 

[amox]

Another option is AeroLEDs Sunspot has some variations of their lights that have built in flashers. I have a Pulselite system with WAT bulbs, but if I was doing it from scratch I would definitely look into the Sunspots. Looks like all you need is to run a power wire for full time power, pulse, ground, and a wire connecting the two lights. You'd have a switch for the lights on full time and then a switch for wig-wag. My panel doesn't have a good spot for a rotary switch like the MaxPulse.