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Thread: LED light interference

  1. #1

    Default LED light interference

    Does anyone know of electrical interference won't any non-aircraft led landing lights and radios or other avionics? Lots of new powerful lights out there, and I want to put two in my wingtip.
    Bob

  2. #2
    Senior Member HighWing's Avatar
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    May 2009
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    Goodyear, AZ
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    Default Re: LED light interference

    This is an interesting question and I don't know if there is an answer. When building my current flier, there was an article in Kitplanes detailing a power supply for LEDs for the position lights. This might have been six or seven years ago. It was big and bulky and included a choke coil as big as a stack of half dollars. Way overkill strictly from appearance, but quiet as quiet can be. I tried some LED lights with built in power source and noisy to the extent of obliterating any hope of understand a radio transmission - back to the big ugly system. Then the typical cigarette lighter plug in USB charging device, noisy as well. I bought a LED array kit that I installed as a landing/taxi light and it is quiet unless the flash option is triggered, then noisy with pulses as the light flashes. I did find DC to DC power converters at Mouser that are quiet for building a system for feeding the tablet GPS and the Spot tracker. For me it has been sort of a luck of the draw sort of thing. I did try one of the fairly pricey noise reduction units used on certified airplanes, but with no positive effect.
    Lowell Fitt
    Goodyear, AZ


    My You Tube Channel

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2012
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    Navarre, FL
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    85

    Default Re: LED light interference

    Your post is very hard to understand, but I assume you are asking about LED lights that don't produce noise. If so there's quite a few of us with RV's that have purchased and used these lights https://www.amazon.com/Multipurpose-...+LED+18W+6000K

    They are super bright and produce no noise. I haven't had the same luck with these nav light replacements http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...?clickkey=4708

    I would steer well clear. I have a set that produces so much RF I my radios are unusable. Tried it in both planes with same results. They are Junk

  4. #4
    Senior Member cubtractor's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Carl Junction, MO
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    Default Re: LED light interference

    Be careful what you get. I tried a 3000 lumen LED for a landing light and it rendered the radio useless. I even hooked it up by itself to a separate battery on the other side of the hanger, no where near the plane and the radio was inop from it. Sounds like the RV guys have it figured out.
    Mike Bentley
    Model IV-1200
    Jabiru 2200A #438
    Rotec Aerosport LCH Heads
    Ellison EFS-2 Throttle Body
    Prince Prop (64x34)
    My SPOT Page

  5. #5

    Default Re: LED light interference

    Thanks for the replies. I was looking for exactly the lights shown in the link. Do you have a picture of the mounts on the RV?
    Thanks again.

  6. #6

    Default Re: LED light interference

    Just read my original post. Spell checkers are great, so is not proof reading.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jul 2012
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    Navarre, FL
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    85

    Default Re: LED light interference

    Sorry but I don't have any pics of them installed. It fit just fine in the PAR36 housing though I believe these were a tad thicker than the incandescent fixtures that they replaced. They are much brighter to boot.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2011
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    Clark Fork Idaho
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    54

    Default Re: LED light interference

    LED lights vs. VHF radio's. Just adding to the mix on this discussion.
    I recently attempted talking on my handheld VHF radio from in the house and the unit was totally unusable. When getting about 100ft from the house it worked fine. After a bit of experimenting I discovered that the overhead LED lights were the offending party.
    I have been having trouble with my MGL V-6 radio being staticy and have even installed a noise/static suppressor in line prior to all avionics. Still have the problem. Was thinking of converting to an alternator rather than the dynamo on engine but now feel that may not help. JeffB

  9. #9
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
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    Yorba Linda, CA
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    Default Re: LED light interference

    this is all very interesting. I have Aero LEDs and am aware of others who are flying with them and they have no issues. Is it likely that the LED installation is the issue here? Are the wires shielded and grounded correctly in these problem
    scenarios?
    Eddie

  10. #10
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Portland, OR
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    Default Re: LED light interference

    I also have been using LED, Whelan, lights for 4 years with absolutely no interference problems. Installed them by the book using shielded wire.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

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