Aero Navigation Lights

Right - Back to Navigation lights....... Made up a board with headers making the processor plug in (easier to update software). The outputs are sent to the Darlington array which can handle higher currents which in turn powers the LEDs. Image 1. This board would be okay for a plane which has 5.5 - 6.6v available with small leds.

Image 2. This 12 volt board can be powered by a 3 cell lipo (or tap off three pins from the balance ports of main power pack) but because the voltage could be above 12 volts on a fully charged Lipo then a regulator is required. Note the blank space made for it. (Regulator did not arrive today ) The board is approx 50 mm square. This one is destined for the Twin Otter. The landing lights already fitted are 20,000mcd.

If this works in practice then I may etch a proper circuit board for future uses or if a member want a decent system.

The software is set as : Navigation Lights On when receiver is switched on and TX signal good. Gear switch turns on landing lights. If receiver loses power or signal then ALL lights come on. :ohmy:

Regulator and transients filters now soldered in. Module tested and working great. (It does now after a few hours of scratching head and multimeter checking - left out one link. Doh! ) The board is powered from either a 7.4v lipo or 6.6 v Life. The processor gets 5 volt regulated and the Darlington Array handles any voltage up to 40 volt on it's output pins but in my module designed to use input voltage, 6.6 - 7.4v. All plugs and sockets are JST -SH type so standard servo leads can be utilised. However, I am making up my own leads.

Now that's done I can start the arduous task of fitting and wiring leds into the plane..

That 5V reg looks tiny Phil, have you tested how hot it gets under full load (or is full load the processor only?)

John, it's a 100 ma regulator which only has to power processor. The processor can take 40 ma max per pin, normally 20 ma but the board can only handle 200 ma maxed out. Hence the Darlington. The Array can handle 500 ma per pin max.

Mind you I could've used MosFets but don't need 10 amps per channel unless I was using car headlight bulbs for lights.. :lol:

'The Darlington array' sounds cool.

I thought the Darlington Array was a film by Steven Spielberg

DaveBright wrote: 'The Darlington array' sounds cool.

In Darlington they have a famous ARRAY of bricks

Woah there, off topic alert :ohmy:

Better lock the thread

Chris73 wrote: Woah there, off topic alert :ohmy:
Better lock the thread

With Loctite?
Ps, this is a Darlington Pear