New info on this HID light.  I am looking at the power pack using a mirror.  I’ve identified the product: it is Harbor Freight item 95058, and called a Mini Convex HID light.  12 Volts, 3 amps.  I found the manual for this item at Harbor Freight but can’t find evidence they still sell this or a replacement.  The manual doesn’t describe any trouble shooting steps.

I’m still wondering if someone can give me some tips on that.

Thanks,
John Barrett

Hello all,

I have HID landing lights and the power packs are installed in the winglets – they were provided by and installed by  Fibercraft – Matthew Collier’s shop about three years ago or longer.  Have not removed the power pack yet, because that will be a knuckle buster.  I can see that it is a black box and rated at 15 V.  Can’t see a manufacturer’s label but there is a label that says “ Item #62028” on one face.

I am wondering if anyone has advice on how to check the power pack to see if it is    operating correctly without pulling it out.  Also are these things generic?  If I can’t find a direct replacement will another with the same ratings be interchangeable?  I notice that looking online for HID systems, the wires and the connectors in the photos look very similar to the ones I have.

The scenario is that I pinched one of the wires when assembling the winglet onto the wing.  There was a short created because the pinch went through the soft insulation rubber on the wire and created a circuit through the graphite wing that resulted in a hot spot on the wing root of the aft spar.   Jon Hadlich located the circuit and he taped up the pinch after verifying that the wire was still intact.  Since that time, the HID light on that wing has experienced intermittent current spikes that are about 10 amps.  It is rated to draw about 3-4 amps max.  When the light is operated, it will sometimes pop the circuit breaker (electronic) and sometimes will result in the entire bus going off line with subsequent auto sequencing to the emergency bus.  And sometimes it has resulted in E bus failure as well.  Sort of close to complete electrical failure.  ( I have  Vertical Power 200 that either simplifies or further clouds the issue depending on your point of view).

One additional piece of information is that I have a Wig Wag function built into the VP system and when that is operating – if I try to operate the right HID light, there is sometimes a strobe effect where that light tries to cycle on/off rapidly. 

Since these events were discovered and cause/effect was fairly well localized, I have been flying with this landing light shut off and the electrical system seems to be OK with the exception that there appears to be battery drain so that when the aircraft sits for more than a couple of weeks, the batteries might be too drained to start the engine.  (probably unrelated).

Any and all advice appreciated.

Regards,

John Barrett, CEO

Leading Edge Composites

PO Box 428

Port Hadlock, WA 98339

www.carbinge.com