LED Landing/Taxi Lights, Riddle Me This

Here we go...

New LED landing/taxi lights in the leading edge, plug and play.

1. Voltage correct
2. Terminals clean
3. Installed lights
4. +/- both correct
5. Voltage correct again
6. Master on, switches on, lights on. Happy dance!!

First flight, no lights. Hmmm, breakers are far too much, 10A breakers, 2.8A lights. Simply forgot, must have had a surge and blown the lights. Reach for the wallet. Lets bench test them lights first. They work perfectly juiced directly from a truck battery. Back to plane.

1. Voltage correct at terminals, battery and voltage gauge
2. Terminals still clean
3. Reinstall, mater/switches on, nothing
4. Voltage correct with lights installed
5. Voltage correct with lights un installed again
6. Ground to light, + in hand, touch to + on light. After about 1/2 second the light blips one single time. No more, no less.
7. Held + to light again, another blip
8. Repeat...…….blip, blip, blip....

Involved equipment: New Aero-Lites for the 12v system, EarthX battery, both breakers are 10A and will be swapped out for lower Amps. 13v at battery, 12 something on the gauge, 12.9v at the terminals. All advice appreciated.

Thanks, Joe

Can you jumper cable the truck battery into your plane?

Where is the ground for the lights? Since it is a lower amp draw, if there is corrosion where the ground goes to the airframe, you might not have enough draw to break down the resistance from corrosion. Clean and Aldine the ground location, make sure it has the least resistance possible and try again.


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fancypants said:

Can you jumper cable the truck battery into your plane?

Click to expand...

I should be able to

dgapilot said:

Where is the ground for the lights? Since it is a lower amp draw, if there is corrosion where the ground goes to the airframe, you might not have enough draw to break down the resistance from corrosion. Clean and Aldine the ground location, make sure it has the least resistance possible and try again.


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Click to expand...

I will try this. Its goofy that the lights worked at initial install then quit.

Bad connection. As stated above clean and or replace ground wires. Temporarily hook a wire from the light ground and connect other end to fuselage ground. If it works, there is bad electrical connections at wing attach.

Also, check voltages when lights are 'on' (with meter ground lead on fuselage ground). If it shows lower than battery voltage there is a bad connection at connectors/breaker/switch.

Web

This where a test light might be handy.

Jerry

Been using a voltmeter...

skukum12 said:

Been using a voltmeter...

Click to expand...

A test light draws current. The reason why Web suggested you test voltage with the "light on" is you are testing for current. The light will try to draw current and if you have a bad connection (which seems probable) the voltage reading at the light (with it On) will show a significant voltage drop below the amount of voltage needed to turn it on.

I use an old school tail light bulb with test leads soldered to it as a test light. It draw's around 2 amps and will reveal these types of connection issues.

Good Luck - Jerry

I see. I know just enough about electrical to be dangerous. The reading with the light on is 12.9 at the lights.

Did you check voltage at the ground connection or run a temp ground wire?

Or just call me, lol.

Web