Brite Lite LED lighting system
- Thread starter Maddog
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Sweet baby jesus these things are bright! Epic sir, well done. I'm tying my polar pro front "landing light" into it now. Got rid of the polar pro red "tail light".
I think a better name for them would be "Briter Lites". I am assuming you are ditching the red polar pro since we now have the red strobe on back? I hadn't thought of keeping just the front polar pro, but now you have me thinking.....Hmmmm. I am so bummed I haven't had a chance to fly yet with them on. With jury duty tomorrow, and rain coming for 3-4 days straight, I may just have to hope for a break in the weather for a test flight.
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The red tail light has always been lack luster to me. Not nearly as bright as the white "headlight". This new system makes use of correct aviation lighting, and there is no such thing as a red taillight for that. So I elected not to bother putting it back on. I ripped the wires off the polar pro plug, which was easier than it should be (hint hint polar pro...), Tossed the red one, and wired the white one into Maddog's system. He left the lid off, directed me to points where I could solder it on myself. I wired it up so the "landing light" comes on when the switch is in the Nav/Strobe position. It does not come in the strobe only position.
If you want to be really aviationy (that's a word now), you can use solex to turn off the Solo's normal LEDs. I might just put some electrical tape inside the lens to block most of the light. We'll see.
If you want to be really aviationy (that's a word now), you can use solex to turn off the Solo's normal LEDs. I might just put some electrical tape inside the lens to block most of the light. We'll see.
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Video, which includes the addition of the Polar Pro front white light, which is now my "landing light". I probably won't be able to do a dusk flight until Sunday evening. So the dining room is it for now.
Well done @Maddog!
Sounds like a great way to utilize the white polar pro as a headlight. I may just follow your lead. Thanks.....
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Thanks P2P! Glad you like it and things are working out.
Wow that's a stonking idea.
Mark,
Would it be possible for me to do this to mine when I receive them, or have you "sealed" the junction box closed?
(Omg "junction box" just spellchecked itself to just notification lol)
If possible can you give me heads up please?
Tvm
-Steve.
Steve,
Can't do it as the box is sealed and there is some wiring I need to do ahead of time. Sorry, didn't know you might be interested and I didn't even think of it until P2P mentioned it.
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Steve,
Can't do it as the box is sealed and there is some wiring I need to do ahead of time. Sorry, didn't know you might be interested and I didn't even think of it until P2P mentioned it.
No problems thanks for getting back to me
Keep flying safe everyone
I am still grounded. We have 50mph winds today with rain for the next 3-4 days. I am biting at the bit to fly with the Brite Lite setup. In the meantime, it makes a great disco ball indoors in a dark room.....
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Interesting little related sidebar. Enabling full control of LED's
@human ha made a modification to the 1.5.3 Aruducopter branch. This will allow much greater control over the Solo's built in LEDs on the motor mods. This will shortly lead to the ability to change the default lighting colors and patterns. And it will allow even more custom control through Solex. If you are OCD like me, you can turn off or change the solo's motor pod LEDs so they don't contradict the Brite Lite aviation standard LEDs.
@human ha made a modification to the 1.5.3 Aruducopter branch. This will allow much greater control over the Solo's built in LEDs on the motor mods. This will shortly lead to the ability to change the default lighting colors and patterns. And it will allow even more custom control through Solex. If you are OCD like me, you can turn off or change the solo's motor pod LEDs so they don't contradict the Brite Lite aviation standard LEDs.
UPDATE:
I wasn't aware using the Polar Pro with Brite Lite would be a popular option so:
I'm now offering the POLAR PRO OPTION. (No extra charge)
Let me know you want it and which switch position you want it wired to.
When you receive your Brite Lite, the top will be loose- you will glue it on later. You will need to cut the Polar Pro connectors off and strip 1/4" of wire off each wire (2),
Feed them through the extra hole in front, place each one in a connector inside the controller and crimp it- that's it. Glue the top on and go fly!
I wasn't aware using the Polar Pro with Brite Lite would be a popular option so:
I'm now offering the POLAR PRO OPTION. (No extra charge)
Let me know you want it and which switch position you want it wired to.
When you receive your Brite Lite, the top will be loose- you will glue it on later. You will need to cut the Polar Pro connectors off and strip 1/4" of wire off each wire (2),
Feed them through the extra hole in front, place each one in a connector inside the controller and crimp it- that's it. Glue the top on and go fly!
UPDATE: The supplier of the silicone wire I have been using has decided to raise the price to $3.00/ft., up from $.75/ft.
So, from now on they will be shipped with something else. I'm looking at something more like black 24 AWG zip cord.
In any event, it will have a PVC jacket instead of silicone, so just about any adhesive will stick to it if you decide to use glue to hold it in place.
That will speed up the build time by a day, as I use silicone adhesive inside the controller to hold the wires in place. Cure time for that is a day. Now I can use superglue.
So, from now on they will be shipped with something else. I'm looking at something more like black 24 AWG zip cord.
In any event, it will have a PVC jacket instead of silicone, so just about any adhesive will stick to it if you decide to use glue to hold it in place.
That will speed up the build time by a day, as I use silicone adhesive inside the controller to hold the wires in place. Cure time for that is a day. Now I can use superglue.
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Finally have some free time and daylight to test fly it. These things are epic. At 2pm on a cloudless sunny day, 1000ft out and 350ft up, I could still see all the strobes (even the red one), and both the nav lights. Noticeably easier to maintain orientation in all respects visually. The red strobe is amazingly bright. I was expecting it to not be as visible as the white ones at distance. But it's just as bright. The nav lights, equally as bright. The solo's motor pod lights, basically invisible.
I had to let the vicodin wear off to do this. Had a wisdom tooth removed yesterday. If I can tolerate it this evening, I will try to get a dusk flight video with the lights in all their glory.
Cell phone video really doesn't do these things justice. But here's the daytime video.
I had to let the vicodin wear off to do this. Had a wisdom tooth removed yesterday. If I can tolerate it this evening, I will try to get a dusk flight video with the lights in all their glory.
Cell phone video really doesn't do these things justice. But here's the daytime video.
Thanks for the report! Sounds good- better visability than I thought.
I found out a while ago that recording flashing led's, even with a good camera, is difficult. It just can't replicate what the eyes are seeing.
When you have time and are feeling better, I'll be interested to know the impact on your flight time.
I found out a while ago that recording flashing led's, even with a good camera, is difficult. It just can't replicate what the eyes are seeing.
When you have time and are feeling better, I'll be interested to know the impact on your flight time.
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