Pulselites...

[irishfield]

If you really think a cheap relay is equivalent to solid state electronics with appropriate cooling, then go ahead and build your circuit.

However, I'll remind you that the typical aircraft bulbs are drawing a lot more current then the turn signal in an automobile (and that most modern automobiles now use electronics not relays), and if you could see what is going on inside that relay, you'd see a nice hot spark arcing across those relay contacts each time they open and close. That spark quickly burns up the contacts, which typically aren't design for that kind of load.

You get what you pay for. My $0.02.

-->Aaron

Not going to get in a piss and moan over it Aaron, as neither of us need the BP raise. Thought I was just offering advise to save the Experimental guys some fuel money! All I can tell you is that I haven't burnt out a used $1.49 flasher unit (or bulb) in 8 years (600 flight hours) and I'm lighting two 100W halagon driving lights with every pulse. I would also suggest that is what the capacitor is for inside the relay housing...to absorb the "spark" (at least that is what I remember being taught when I was getting my Electro-Mechanical Eng degree), but yes these days you are more liable to buy an electronic flasher in an auto jobber as they can sell them for more and are cheaper to mfg than an "old Fashion" wire wound relay.

Another option for the Experimentals would be to find the source for the police car wig wag lights, although being government they are probably paying twice or more what the Pulselight system costs!

Cheers,
Wayne

 

[StewartB]

My cheap relay came from American Avionics. It weighs about an ounce, and installs in about 1 minute. It's worked flawlessly for about 8 years. I really can't blame the burned-out lights on the unit, either, because I burned lights before I had it, too.
SB

 

[Rookie]

Okay, so I'm being hyp-motized again. I'll get back to you in eight years with a report on how many bulbs I've gone through.

I think the capacitor is part of the LRC circuit that times the flash controlling relay; the arcing I was refering to was that which would occur inside the relay that sends current to the lamps. I'm sure you can get relays that can handle that current draw, as spec'ed in the circuit drawings so helpfully put up for our reference.

I guess I'm just sore because I have to (or want to, take your pick) deal with paperwork for everything I put on my airplane.

-->Aaron

p.s. I have a set of perfectly servicable safety cables built up by Cub Crafters, and sold without paperwork to the former owner of my aiplane, but never installed, still in a sealed plastic bag. I wanted to put them on, but there's no paperwork basis, so I ended up ordering a set from Atlee, just to keep it all honest. I'll be selling them here to an "experimental" owner in the not too distant future, once I'm sure what I've got to sell (I may need some of the bolts from the kit for the Atlee based installation).

 

[Dick Williams]

precise flight pulse lights

Does anyone have a recommendation on where to mount the power unit for the Precise Flight power unit?
Thanks!

 

[Steve Pierce]

I mount the power pack on the battery box shelf along with the ELT.