FW: Position lights and strobes.

["Lisa Boesen & Chuck Caldarale" <n828cl@ix.netcom.com>]

Brian asked me to send this on to the reflector ...

 - Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian K. Michalk [mailto:michalk@awpi.com]
Sent: 1998 July 14 Tuesday 08:37
To: Lisa Boesen & Chuck Caldarale
Subject: Re: Position lights and strobes.


> The standard lights are the Whelen A600-PG/PR, about $600 for the pair
plus
> power pack. I've seen adds recently for another company making similar
> lights, but of course I can't find them now. A/S also sells clear,
> streamlined light covers (on the same page as the A600) which should cut
the
> drag a little. The factory has them on the XL.

I just have to scream when I see prices like that.  A few months
ago I was browsing the web site of another strobe manufacturer
whose name I can't recall at the moment.  They were selling a
strobe for experimentals at a discount of less than $50 off their
certified price.  Sheesh.

Don't get me wrong; I don't mind paying good money for things
where it's needed, but strobe technology has been around for
years, and this is something a person could build himself.  Just
be careful of the high voltages involved, and make sure you
don't inject any unwanted energy into your mains.  Keep your
high voltage high frequency lines short and shielded and you
shouldn't have any problems.

I think I can build a single strobe that will fit in the
wingtip (flash tube and supply) for about $30.  At least the
parts are cheap, so if it doesn't work I really haven't wasted
a lot of money.  You'll have to buy an industrial flash tube
that can handle at least 20 joules of energy.  That part will
cost you about $10.00 I think and is rated for 10,000 flashes.
Darn.  I can't find my bookmark for that strobe now, but it
was in Grainger, or Newark, or something like that.

Check out:
http://www.rst-engr.com/jwbib.html
http://www.misty.com/people/don/xeguide.html



--
Brian Michalk  <http://www.awpi.com/michalk>
Life is what you make of it ... never wish you had done something.
Aviator, experimental aircraft builder, motorcyclist, SCUBA diver
musician, home-brewer, entrepenuer and SINGLE!