Advice on landing lights?

"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

This is for a HID with the starting ballast and power supply built into
the bulb, so you don't have any expensive power supply to buy, right? If
you can hook a 12 volt line to the bulb, and take off, then that sounds
like a bargain. (if that is all you need)

Since you must effectively buy a brand new ballast and power supply
every time you need a new bulb, it somehow seems (to me at least) to fail
the "bargain" test.

For a bulb with no filament to break, with a expected "in use" burnout time
of 2,000 hours, it is unlikely you will ever need to replace the bulk, and
possibly the next dozen owners of the plane, as well.
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...


For a bulb with no filament to break, with a expected "in use" burnout time of
2,000 hours, it is unlikely you will ever need to replace the bulk, and
possibly the next dozen owners of the plane, as well.

Good point, but my first thought is that "stuff" happens. Bulbs get
broken, aircraft electrics sometimes produce damaging transients, and then there
are stresses, vibrations, temperature changes etc. in aircraft use that may not
exist in automotive use and may well reduce that 2000 hours. I use high-tech
bulbs right here in my house that are supposed to last thousands of hours. Yet
somehow, I end up replacing a few every year. Glad they don't cost $500.00
each.

Regards
Vaughn

"Vaughn" wrote in message
...

"Morgans" wrote in message
...


For a bulb with no filament to break, with a expected "in use" burnout
time of 2,000 hours, it is unlikely you will ever need to replace the
bulk, and possibly the next dozen owners of the plane, as well.

Good point, but my first thought is that "stuff" happens. Bulbs get
broken, aircraft electrics sometimes produce damaging transients,

Well, in that case, stuff can hapen to the 1500 buck ballast with a wire.
Those same transients could take out the ballast on the wire, and perhaps
the bulbs, too.

and then there are stresses, vibrations, temperature changes etc. in
aircraft use that may not exist in automotive use and may well reduce that
2000 hours.

Evidence of users of HID bulbs in aircrafts suggests otherwise.

I use high-tech bulbs right here in my house that are supposed to last
thousands of hours. Yet somehow, I end up replacing a few every year.
Glad they don't cost $500.00 each.


Apples and oranges, when it comes to your long life bulbs. They have
filaments. These 500 dollar bulbs do not, therefore the only way vibration
can break them, is if it vibrates so bad that the bulb smashes into the side
of the reflector.

I don't know about yOu, but I would take care that I didn't drop, or let a
$500 bulb smash into the housing. ;-)
--
Jim in NC

Rob Turk wrote:
"Harvey Spencer" wrote in message
news:%0%xf.6967$CV.2345@dukeread03...

I know that the XV-36 light offered by XeVision at
http://www.aerovisions.com/pic/XV-36-SL-new.jpg will meet the FAA
requirements for brightness and light pattern. It uses the D1S bulb xenon
arc bulb which is better than the D2S commonly used in automobiles since it
has the starting ballast integrated into the base of the bulb.

[SNIP]

These lights are not cheap, about $550 through places like Aircraft Spruce,
but you get what you pay for. I think I saw a xenon arc light offered by
Chief Aircraft for about $350 but found out that the lens and reflector is
plastic.


Thanks for all the details, Harvey. I had looked at XeVision but found the
price kinda steep. The Hella ones sell for about $350 each and are a bit
smaller. Unfortunately they are usually offered in pairs ($699) for car
owners.

Rob


How about something like

http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=391

There are landing light kits for homebuilts already available using this
style bulb. Various angles of coverage available, if you do a little
looking.

It doesn't run cold like the xenon bulbs & it does have a filament, but
the .01X cost factor would have a strong influence on my decision.....

Charlie

"Charlie" wrote How about something like

http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=391

There are landing light kits for homebuilts already available using this
style bulb. Various angles of coverage available, if you do a little
looking.

I wouldn't want to use something like that, for a landing light.
Recognition light, perhaps the 75 watt would be OK.

The bulbs you cite are used in low voltage landscaping applications. Real
landing lights are 250 watts, up to 600 watts, and some, more.

The beauty about the HID lights are multi-fold. No vibration breakage, so a
very long life. Low heat output. Low current draw, for the amount of light
produced. The output light frequency is such that objects appear much
brighter, and whiter; more like real daylight.

Unfortunately, they cost more. Your investment pays off in peace of mind,
that the light will work when you turn it on, and that you can better see
what you are trying to look at. :Less (or almost no) maintenance is always
a "good thing" in my book.
--
Jim in NC

Harvey Spencer wrote:

It uses the D1S bulb xenon arc bulb which is better than the D2S
commonly used in automobiles since it has the starting ballast
integrated into the base of the bulb.

RST Engineering wrote:

$500 a bulb sounds a bit like a rip-off to me.

Something's not right here.
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/HIDCapsules.asp lists the "better" D1S
bulb significantly cheaper than the D2S, and neither one approaches $500.

"Feldspar" wrote

Something's not right here.
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/HIDCapsules.asp lists the "better" D1S
bulb significantly cheaper than the D2S, and neither one approaches $500.

If they are the same bulb, then I would have to agree, big time. These are
way less expensive than any others I have seen.

Perhaps for car use, they are not shielded against Radio frequency
interference?

I also noticed that they are all 35 watts, while it seems like most all of
the aircraft landing lights are 50 watts.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

"Charlie" wrote How about something like


http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=391

There are landing light kits for homebuilts already available using
this style bulb. Various angles of coverage available, if you do a
little looking.


I wouldn't want to use something like that, for a landing light.
Recognition light, perhaps the 75 watt would be OK.

The bulbs you cite are used in low voltage landscaping applications.
Real landing lights are 250 watts, up to 600 watts, and some, more.

The beauty about the HID lights are multi-fold. No vibration breakage,
so a very long life. Low heat output. Low current draw, for the amount
of light produced. The output light frequency is such that objects
appear much brighter, and whiter; more like real daylight.

Unfortunately, they cost more. Your investment pays off in peace of
mind, that the light will work when you turn it on, and that you can
better see what you are trying to look at. :Less (or almost no)
maintenance is always a "good thing" in my book.

I'm sure that airliners use 600W+ lamps, but we aren't building
airliners. Real normal *traditional incandescant* landing lights are 250
watts. Sometimes. Halogens are typically twice as efficient as
traditional incandescents. If the only criteria is wattage, why suggest
using 35W HID lamps?

The bulbs cited are used in uncountable applications, including landing
lights.

'You pay your money, & you make your choice.'

"Charlie" wrote

The bulbs cited are used in uncountable applications, including landing
lights.

So, leme get this right. The bulbs you have shown are 35 watts, and are
halogen lights? And people use them for landing lights?
--
Jim in NC

The wattage listed in only an indicator of the current used. HID doesn't
use much current but the light output is awesome.


"Morgans" wrote in message
news

"Charlie" wrote How about something like

http://www.1000bulbs.com/category.php?category=391

There are landing light kits for homebuilts already available using this
style bulb. Various angles of coverage available, if you do a little
looking.

I wouldn't want to use something like that, for a landing light.
Recognition light, perhaps the 75 watt would be OK.

The bulbs you cite are used in low voltage landscaping applications. Real
landing lights are 250 watts, up to 600 watts, and some, more.

The beauty about the HID lights are multi-fold. No vibration breakage, so
a very long life. Low heat output. Low current draw, for the amount of
light produced. The output light frequency is such that objects appear
much brighter, and whiter; more like real daylight.

Unfortunately, they cost more. Your investment pays off in peace of mind,
that the light will work when you turn it on, and that you can better see
what you are trying to look at. :Less (or almost no) maintenance is
always a "good thing" in my book.
--
Jim in NC