HID Lighting Questions

[Steve - KDMW]

Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.

I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.

My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.

Steve
KDMW

[The Visitor]

No the hid's might not fit in a space for an incandescent par36.
The high voltage connector/plug is a complication and may need extra
space. Is the back of the bulb on your plane open to the cowel so that
there is lots of space? I am unfamiliar with your situation.

John

Steve - KDMW wrote:
> Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
> to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
> about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
> lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>
> I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
> was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
> for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.
>
> My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
> from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
> specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
> as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
> exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
> CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.
>
> Steve
> KDMW

[[email protected]]

On Jun 27, 7:40*pm, Steve - KDMW > wrote:
> Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
> to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
> about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
> lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>
The HIDs are quite a bit deeper. And you need a place to mount the
power supply.

Around here, a local shop is installing them with a field approval. A
sample
337 that has been approved would help you.

I seem to be a corner case.... I installed one in my Bonanza and I've
had
trouble with the vibration killing the bulb. No one can figure it
out.

FWIW. Bill Hale Loveland CO


> I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
> was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
> for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.
>
> My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
> from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
> specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
> as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
> exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
> CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.
>
> Steve
> KDMW

[Viperdoc[_3_]]

I installed HID lights in the wings of my Baron- they work great, use a lot
less current, and put out a lot more light. However, you do need some space
for the power supply, and the bulb itself is deeper than a standard
incandescent.

I wanted to put one on the nose gear taxi light, but because of space
concerns and the need to mount the power supply in the wheel well, where it
might interfere with gear retraction, stuck with the standard taxi light.

You will also need a field approval. We got ours approved prior to
installation, which then took around three hours a side. I got mine from
Xevision, since they make a 50W setup, which puts out more light, and was
also a bit cheaper.

Aviation Consumer had a great review of the various systems fairly recently.

[Steve - KDMW]

On Jun 28, 10:27*am, The Visitor >
wrote:
> No the hid's might not fit in a space for an incandescent par36.
> The high voltage connector/plug is a complication and may need extra
> space. Is the back of the bulb on your plane open to the cowel so that
> there is lots of space? I am unfamiliar with your situation.
>
> John
>
>
>
> Steve - KDMW wrote:
> > Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
> > to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
> > about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
> > lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>
> > I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
> > was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
> > for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.
>
> > My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
> > from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
> > specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
> > as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
> > exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
> > CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.
>
> > Steve
> > KDMW- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks... there is a lof of open space behind the bulb, so much so
that I can get to the back of it to change it without having to pull
the cowl. A good 8-10 inches I would say.

Steve
KDMW

[Steve - KDMW]

On Jun 28, 12:02*pm, " >
wrote:
> On Jun 27, 7:40*pm, Steve - KDMW > wrote:> Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
> > to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
> > about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
> > lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>
> The HIDs are quite a bit deeper. *And you need a place to mount the
> power supply.
>
> Around here, a local shop is installing them with a field approval. *A
> sample
> 337 that has been approved would help you.
>
> I seem to be a corner case.... I installed one in my Bonanza and I've
> had
> trouble with the vibration killing the *bulb. *No one can figure it
> out.
>
> FWIW. *Bill Hale Loveland CO
>
>
>
> > I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
> > was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
> > for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.
>
> > My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
> > from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
> > specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
> > as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
> > exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
> > CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.
>
> > Steve
> > KDMW- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

A field approval sounds like a good option. I don't think space is an
issue for me, I have a good 8-10 inches clearance behind the bulb.
Mounting the power supply to my firewall should be easy... that's how
the boom beam would be done if I bought that (for $1100 versus the
Precise Flight at $550).

Steve
KDMW

[David Lesher]

Steve - KDMW > writes:


>A field approval sounds like a good option. I don't think space is an
>issue for me, I have a good 8-10 inches clearance behind the bulb.
>Mounting the power supply to my firewall should be easy... that's how
>the boom beam would be done if I bought that (for $1100 versus the
>Precise Flight at $550).

Two issues come to mind besides clearance: vibration and temperature.
Not sure if either is an issue, but...

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

[Robert M. Gary]

On Jun 27, 6:40*pm, Steve - KDMW > wrote:
> Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
> to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
> about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
> lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>
> I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
> was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
> for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.

A bunch of us bought them around here. The shops started installing
them until they realized the FSDO said there was no way they would
ever approve them. I know some FSDOs have been totally happy with them
but our FSDO doesn't want anything to do with them. Either call your
FSDO or have your IA call before you get into the job.

-robert

[Viperdoc[_4_]]

You also need a place to mount the separate power supply, which is connected
via a cable to the bulb. It can be a distance away, like on the firewall,
although you need to watch out for the generation of electrical noise in
your radios/nav gear when doing so.

I paid around $550 each from Xevision, for their brighter 50W bulbs.

[RST Engineering]

Or you can go FSDO shopping. The FSDO of record on a job is where it is
DONE, not where the airplane is based. The hot setup would be to have YOUR
IA do 99.999% of the installation (say, leave a wire tied up but
disconnected and then fly the airplane to a friendly IA in another friendly
FSDO. Have your IA fill out all the bushwa paperwork in accordance with the
ones that have already been field-approved so all the other IA has to do is
connect the wire, sign the 337, and you are home semi-free. I'm sure that
there will have to be an exchange of slips of paper with pictures of old
dead presidents on them, but it gets the job done.

Robert, you are in SAC FSDO, are you not?

Jim

--
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought
without accepting it."
--Aristotle


"Robert M. Gary" > wrote in message
...

A bunch of us bought them around here. The shops started installing
them until they realized the FSDO said there was no way they would
ever approve them. I know some FSDOs have been totally happy with them
but our FSDO doesn't want anything to do with them. Either call your
FSDO or have your IA call before you get into the job.

-robert

[The Visitor]

What orientation is the bulb placed in?
In the bulb there is a glass tube and a wire that runs forward, paralell
to it. That wire/electrode should be in the 6 oclock position. For
instance if it is at the 12 oclock position the bulb will develop a
yellow cast and have problems.

Well that's what I have been told from my lighting guy.

John



wrote:
> On Jun 27, 7:40 pm, Steve - KDMW > wrote:
>
>>Some questions on HID lighting. I have a 1974 PA28-151 and would like
>>to replace my landing light (cowl mounted) with an HID light. I know
>>about the boom beams, but I also see that Precise Flight makes HID
>>lighting also, and it's about half the price of LoPresti's.
>>
>
> The HIDs are quite a bit deeper. And you need a place to mount the
> power supply.
>
> Around here, a local shop is installing them with a field approval. A
> sample
> 337 that has been approved would help you.
>
> I seem to be a corner case.... I installed one in my Bonanza and I've
> had
> trouble with the vibration killing the bulb. No one can figure it
> out.
>
> FWIW. Bill Hale Loveland CO
>
>
>
>>I looked at Precise Flight's installation manual and noticed that it
>>was written by Knots2U. In addition, it states that the lighting is
>>for wing mounting only and for Piper models PA24/30/39 aircraft.
>>
>>My question is... a PAR36 bulb is a bulb is a bulb, isn't it? Aside
>>from perhaps the legality of the FAA approving this STC for one
>>specific location, wouldn't this bulb and installation kit work just
>>as well for a cowl-mounted light? The specifications for this bulb are
>>exactly the same specs as for all of the other HID bulbs, i.e. 500,000
>>CP, 35 watts, 12 volts, 2.5 Amps, PAR36, etc.
>>
>>Steve
>>KDMW
>
>