Backcountry Pilot • Wig Wag Installation Question?

Wig Wag Installation Question?

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Wig Wag Installation Question?

Hello Maule Pilots,

I ordered a Landing Light Wig Wag switch for my 1973 M-4. The switch is for an experimental aircraft so I'm doing a 337 field approval. My question is there an independent wire for the left and right landing lights wired to the stock rocker switch? Or are the power wires "Teed" somewhere else in the aircraft?

Also how about 100w halogen landing lights in lieu of the standard 4509G lights? Do the halogen lights get too hot?

With all the smoke we have had in Northern Idaho this year I think a Wig Wag system is a good inexpensive safety option. Thanks in advance for your help.

James
Clear Creek, Idaho

PS, I'll take Wig Wag lights over overpriced ADS-B anytime:
Lots of smoke from the "Three Rivers Fire" at near the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway Rivers heading toward my place:
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Super-Maule offline
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

Best thing you can do is get rid of the 4509 lights or the Q4509's and get some Aero LED lights. The 4509 lights don't last and are not as bright. Since you see better value in being "lit up" than seeing traffic with ADSB, install the best, longest lasting, cheaper in the long run light system on your airplane. Or better yet, install the Aero LED or similar system and ADSB and give yourself the best advantage in helping avoiding a collision. This gives you tools to help supplement your visual scan in seeing and avoiding.

As a person who has both, I will take both wig wag, AND ADSB, over just one anytime. Yep, I know, it all cost money but ….


G44
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

+1 on AeroLEDs. Great product and great customer service. Best part is the Wig-Wag is built into the circuitry (no FA's 337s, or extra boxes/dials to fail.) I installed a DPDT MS35058 switch for my tip lights. Up is steady on, down is wigwag. Up also is connected to the stock landing light so all three pulse. Left tip, then right tip + L landing, left tip, etc...

Using the LEDs you can also use lighter 20/3 shielded wire for tip lights. Big weight savings over the 14g for the stock bulb. (of course you will have to note the replacement of ONLY LEDs in the log so some jabrony doesn't cheap out and put stock bulbs back in and have a fire.

I know others talk about MAX Pulse etc... but its really not necessary and a added expense/labor.

My .02
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

I went ahead and had the Aero LEDs w/wigwag installed when I did my avionics upgrade, as well as ADS B in and out. Can't say whether the lights have helped with visibility but as bright as they are they sure can't hurt. They absolutely get your attention!! Very pleased! Oh and ADSB is pretty frikkin cool too!
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

There are individual wires that go the back of the existing switch.
Why do a 337 let alone a field approval for it? A pulsing switch is hardly a major alteration to the electrical system.
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

I believe the point is that the landing light wig wag switch he purchased is not PMA'd and there is no STC for the installation so "legally" it cant be installed w/out FA, thus the 337. If you go with a product like MaxPulse, that is PMA'd and can legally be installed, but you would still need to do a 337 with the STC, (no FA.)

For the AeroLEDs bulb, they are direct replacements and with the addition of a standard MS35058 switch, need only a logbook entry.

All this stuff is pay now/pay later. Yes the experimental stuff is cheap, but doing it legally makes it expensive either in time or labor.

Caring about doing it by the books is an entirely different point.
Bigrenna offline
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Re: Wig Wag Installation Question?

Doing it by the book benefits at sale time, assuming that the buyer has a competent IA do a complete prebuy.

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