Anti Collision Light / Rotating Beacon

[cluseau]

Howdy,

John N5892Z PA22-108 here. I am looking at the parts needed to put a tail mounted anti-collision light on my
existing threaded tail post. Looking inside the post it looks like there is a female plug about an inch down with holes for two pins in a half moon kind of configuration. Anyone familiar with these and what type of electrical connector I need?

Whelen recommended a 7105500 self contained light. I have a Whitaker mount from the previous owner but someone removed the anti collision light in the past because it would not fit in their hanger! I have a Grimes rotating beacon and it works but it is unclear what bracket I would need to make it fit on the post and the Whitaker mount. I did look at the Piper drawings but they do not appear to be for either the "stuff" that I have or the stuff that I may have to buy. I tried Whelen "technical support" and they disavowed any knowledge of mounting hardware for my bird.

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

John (please be gentle, first post......)

[Steve Pierce]

Welcome aboard John, can you post some pictures?

[Jim Hann]

John, I have a brand new Whittaker mount complete with instructions out at the hangar. I can get a picture or scan of the directions for you in the next couple days if someone else doesn’t beat me to it. Yes, the Whittaker install threads the tube on top of the rudder.


Sent from my iPad using ShortWingPipers.Org

[cluseau]

Thank you Steve and Jim,

I went to the plane to get some pictures today and I guess I was incorrect in some of my assumptions. I do not have a plug for the electrical connection to the top of my rudder post. It is hollow but there is power available so it should be easy to run a wire to my light when I get it installed. I have a Whitaker mount and I can see that it would install easily on my threaded rod.

I have decided to upgrade to a strobe. There is a self contained unit, a WHELEN MODEL 70509 FLASHER which appears to be less than $200 from Aircraft Spruce. My only problem is the adapter from this to the Whitaker mount. Has anyone done this? What adapter did you use?

The other thing is I cannot find any switch for the beacon. Since my plane originally had one I assume it was wired into the circuit with the other lights. Does anyone with a Colt have a separate switch or does your beacon come on when you turn on your other lights?

Thanks,

John

[cozzmo81]

Does anyone have any detailed photos of the whitaker mount and the threaded rod for the rudder post. I have a belly strobe, but would like to have something on the tail for better visibility. Can the whitaker mount be installed with the rudder covered?

Thanks

[Glen Geller]

Hi John,
On my 55 PA22, the wiring from the strobe goes thru the vertical threaded rudder tube and exits the opening at the bottom of the tube, but some planes have the wires come out thru the skin of the rudder next to the tube, so they might not pass thru the tube. If the rudeder is covered in fabric you have one path, thru the tube. the wires would enter the fuselage just forward of the tail post. Look for evidence of them there both outside and maybe coiled up somewhere in the fuselage, looking thru the belly hatch. You may want to look in the airframe logs and see if the strobe and wires were ever logged as installed or removed.

Adam,
Adding a large soup can to the rudder makes your plane go slower.
Consider installing wingtip strobes where the nav lights are installed. Costs more maybe but better aerodynamically and really bright, my pal has on his tri-Pacer and they are very effective from every angle.

GG


http://www.univair.com/electrical-li...-beacon-mount/

[cozzmo81]

Glen,
Thanks for the input. I'm not crazy about the size of the strobe, but it looked like a cheaper alternative. The LED Nav/Strobe lights are on my to do list eventually I just need to recover from the engine overhaul and new sealed struts first. Maybe a good upgrade in a few years.

[cluseau]

Hi Glen,

Thanks for you input. I figured out he wiring, what I need help with is the specifics of putting in a WHELEN MODEL 70509 FLASHER. I found a mount which appears to be approved and suitable to connect the flasher to my Whitaker mount. It is labeled as part 11-03238 which is a Whelen 3.75 inch mount adapter for model 70509 series. Its price is far more than it appears to be worth (sigh).

So now I have the parts scoped out I need to know how to get this thing legally on my plane. That is what I need help with, has anyone done this and how did you do it? I know that field approvals can be done but they seem to involve a lot of pain. If I can get an example of a case that is actually done and approved that should make things much easier (and help me sell the idea to my mechanic).

Two other things, my Whitaker mount has two small holes near its lowest point for that looks like sheet metal screws. I think this is N/A for our birds since the large nut will secure it to the threaded rudder post. I am also still looking for an answer to how folks have these wired. I have a navigation light switch which controls my red, green and white navigation lights. What must have been done is to tap into the white tail light to power the beacon. I assume this because my plane had a rotating beacon when it was built and there are no other wires or switches installed (I looked). This way when my nav lights are on the strobe is will be on.

To answer the other question there are no log book entries for removal of my rotating beacon. I was told at some point my plane was put in a hanger which was too low for the beacon to fit and it was removed. Of course the original beacon was misplaced. That is why I figure I will upgrade to a tail strobe.

As always any help is greatly appreciated.