Recently I had problems with radios, after a long chase , we found out that a burned Whelen power supply of the strobe light was the cause.
I removed both power supply units from the wing tips (2 pounds each).
Now Im wondering if its worth having strobe lights or not.
I never fly at night.
The new power supply costs $250.
Im not sure if 2 pounds off from each wingtip will be noticeable (I asume not).

So are they worth it the strobe lights?

Not sure what you're flying, but you may want to take a look at these as a replacement technology.

http://www.aeroleds.com

The advantage is:
1) weight reduction
2) SIGNIFICANTLY less power requirements
3) MUCH, MUCH, MUCH longer light life

I understand that you don't fly at night, but on the overcast days or early morning / early evening, having strobes on is one more safety item for see & be seen.

I fly a Cessna 182.
I do fly early though.

In a 182, knocking off 4# wouldn't be noticeable, at all--like half a gallon of gas. My view is that anything you can do to make yourself seen is good. I have wingtip strobes, my "anti-collision light" is a strobe, and within 10 miles of an airport, I turn on the PreciseFlight Pulselight switch which flashes my landing/taxi lights. And that's all in the daytime!

Cary

+1 on the Aeroleds. Im installing Pulsar NSPs on my Skywagon. They are awesome, light, BRIGHT, and sync with all other Aeroled nav/strobe lights.

RE: the removal of the 4lbs... Its easy to say, "oh, its just a pound...." but the fact is that it all adds up. Ive been watching my diet like a hawk on my Skywagon project. By the time I am finished, I will have omitted about 120 lbs out of the bird. The bulk of which was being anal about shaving 1lb here, and 1lb there. It makes a difference.

I hate to say it... because I like all the lights I can get, but have you ever noticed how in daylight the strobe just doesn't do anything?
LED's facing forward in the landing light housing get some attention if they flash.
Might put your money there.... just a thought.
By the way, I sent you a PM

I already have leds on the front.
Didnt recieved the PM.

I agree that in daylight, strobes are pretty useless for recognition.

If you're going that way, though, I'd do it with the new LED substitutes. Does away with the power supplies.

MTV

Here's a cheap option for you, you can spend $24-$36 per bulb for these http://www.navstrobelighting.com/ Just replace your regular nav lights with these LED bulbs, they can run steady or strobing.

robw56 wrote:Here's a cheap option for you, you can spend $24-$36 per bulb for these http://www.navstrobelighting.com/ Just replace your regular nav lights with these LED bulbs, they can run steady or strobing.

Rob, which p/n bulbs did you install on your 170? I would like to do this on my 56 172.

I'd rather have them than not have them. Wing tips and tail cone would be my minimum.

I also think the new bright LED beacons are awesome, too.

Jeredp wrote:

robw56 wrote:Here's a cheap option for you, you can spend $24-$36 per bulb for these http://www.navstrobelighting.com/ Just replace your regular nav lights with these LED bulbs, they can run steady or strobing.

Rob, which p/n bulbs did you install on your 170? I would like to do this on my 56 172.

I got the 5 watt bulbs and they fit (just barely). Be careful because some of the others are a longer bulb and won't fit. It lists the lengths for all of them. Actually, the 4 watt ones would probably fit better because they are 1.73'' compared to 1.9'' for the 5 watt. Also, I hear some of the 120/140 guys are gutting the motor out of there old whelen rotating beacons and putting the 7.5 watt 13550 LM bulbs in and making it a strobe for 36 bucks.

I already have LED nav lights and LED cone light.

mtv wrote:I agree that in daylight, strobes are pretty useless for recognition.

+1

After much sole-searching, we've decided to keep strobe lighting out of our aircraft completely. For day-VFR it seemed like extra weight we could do without.

Man those navstrobes look awesome for the $, ease and weight! Am I understanding this right? They just plug right in to existing socket? That seems to good to be true for the price...!

I use my wingtip strobs in three situations:
1. When flying with another plane.
2. When in a known high traffic area.
3. Within 10 miles of any airport.

I got the 5 watt bulbs and they fit (just barely). Be careful because some of the others are a longer bulb and won't fit. It lists the lengths for all of them. Actually, the 4 watt ones would probably fit better because they are 1.73'' compared to 1.9'' for the 5 watt. Also, I hear some of the 120/140 guys are gutting the motor out of there old whelen rotating beacons and putting the 7.5 watt 13550 LM bulbs in and making it a strobe for 36 bucks.

So Rob what do you recommend for the tips 5W or 4 W and the tail?

The tail seeme to be the tightest fit, so if I did it again I would probably go with the 4 watt in the tail and the 5 watt for the wing tips.

robw56 wrote:The tail seeme to be the tightest fit, so if I did it again I would probably go with the 4 watt in the tail and the 5 watt for the wing tips.

Aren't you supposed to be loading C-130's

Haha no, I'm flying a desk the next year and a half.