Frequently asked questions...
Do I need an extra battery in my plane for my Navigation Light Set?
Not necessarily. Most of our NavLight Sets will operate directly from the receiver's power supply. The LEDs and controller draw very little current, around 25mA for each 5mm LED, and around 120mA for the 8mm LEDs, so your plane's receiver battery or main flight battery will generally never know they are there. We do, however, offer the option of ordering any of our NavLight Sets so that they will runs off a battery dedicated just to your lights, for those customers who prefer to power them from a dedicated pack. Check on the NavLights product page (in the NavLight Accessories section) for the External Battery Pack. Available in two sizes, 800mA or 1800mA, it includes a 2-cell Li-Ion battery and the extra cable necessary to make it all work. When you order the External Battery Pack along with one of our NavLight Sets, you are instructing us to build the NavLights so they will work with the separate battery. We'll add the required cable and other parts necessary to power your NavLights from the external battery pack, so you can simply plug it up and fly!
Will my Navigation Lights work on a 6 volt system?
Yes. The microcontrollers used in our Navigation Light Sets are compatible with a 6 volt system. If you are using an HV (high-voltage) receiver, with a 2S Li-Po/Li-Ion/LiFE battery or larger, you will need to make sure the NavLight system you choose is designed for higher-voltage systems. All of our 8mm Giant-Scale NavLight Sets are regulated using an on-board regulator, so they will work correctly on just about any receiver and any power supply. If in doubt, feel free to contact us and we'll make sure you get a NavLight system that's compatible with whatever your radio system requires. We can even build you a custom set, if neccesary, for just a few bucks more.
Can I shorten or lengthen the wires on my Navigation Light's LEDs?
Yes, it's very easy. Just add or remove as much wire as you need, and then just splice them back together by matching the color-coded wires. Stagger the spliced joints an inch or so apart along the wires to make a short between the splices less likely. You can use almost any kind or type of wire you have to add length, common "zip" or speaker wire works just fine. I recommend a fairly small gauge wire, around 22 gauge or smaller, and be sure to twist the wire pairs together to prevent them from acting like an antenna and possibly introducing RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) into your receiver, especially on the strobe light.
My 12 volt Power Supply shuts off as soon as I turn my battery charger "ON". What's wrong?
Some older field chargers, especially some Thunder Power chargers, contain large capacitors that must charge themselves as soon as the battery charger is connected to a power source. Occasionally a converted computer power supply, like the units I sell, will "see" this sudden, large current spike as a problem condition and will shut down to prevent damage to the power supply. Most of the time you can work around the problem by simply connecting your charger to the power supply and turning it "ON" before you turn the power supply "ON". If you find that you just can't get your power supply to work with your particular charger, let me know and we'll try another power supply unit. Some PSUs, because of their design, are more prone to this than others, so a different PSU may solve the problem. If it doesn't, and we can't get one to work on your charger, don't worry, you can return it for a full refund.
Can a Servo Speed Reducer be used to slow the movement of my retracts?
Yes it can, but only if you use a regular, proportional servo to control the retracts, not a standard retract servo. Here's why: Retract servos are very different from normal servos in that they only recognize 2 commands from your radio's receiver, one that moves the servo all the way to the clockwise position, and the other that rotates it the opposite way. It does not have any positions in between, that's why you can't center a retract servo. As a result, it can't be slowed down, not even by a transmitter that offers that function. You can, however, use a regular proportional servo for retracts, but you'll need to modify the serov slightly to allow it to rotate at least 180 degrees. There are several how-to articles available on the internet that will show you step-by-step how to do it, check the Tips and Tricks page for a link. Most involve taking the servo apart and adding a couple of small resistors to the positioning potentiometer inside the servo, and perhaps filing off a stop on one of the gears. I suggest you use a good quality metal geared servo .
I purchased a SafeStart. When the unit arms my ESC the prop rotates slowly, even though the throttle stick is inactive. What's wrong?
On a very few ESCs, mainly a few manufactured by Castle Creations, the "low" setting of the ESC seems to be slightly different than those of most other manufacturers. However, you should be able to solve the problem by adjusting the ATV or End Point setting of the throttle channel in the transmitter's programming/menu. First try increasing the low end of the throttle channel beyond the normal -100% or "0" setting, sometimes it is necessary to move it as low as it will go. If that does not work, or makes the pro rotate even faster, reduce the low end setting to less than 100%, you may have to reduce it as much as -90%. This should solve the prop rotation problem, and will not interfere with the function of your SafeStart or affect the way your model flys in any way. The ESC will adjust the range of your radio's throttle channel automatically each time you arm it.
What size and type battery is required for the LED Strip Lights?
The LED strip lights are designed to operate on 12 volts (DC), but will work very well on a 3-cell 11.1 volt Li-Po battery. They draw approximately 400mA per meter, so the current rating of your battery will need to be large enough to handle the number of LED strips you plan to install on your model. The Night Flyer ARF we sell comes equipped with slightly less than 3 meters of LED Strip Lights, and I personally fly one using a 3-cell 1500mAh Li-Po for both the flight pack and the LEDs. I can fly around 8 minutes or more on a single charge.
The LED Light Strips on my Night Flyer are pulling loose. Why, and what do I do to fix it?
Unfortunately, the problem is with the adhesive strips used on the LED Strip Lights. Although we try to purchase only those strips that come with 3M Brand adhesive installed on the back, many times the Chinese sellers use a counterfeit brand that is inferior. (And cheaper, at least for them!) Even though it may have a logo printed on it to make it look like genuine 3M tape, it is not, and it sometimes pulls loose after a few flights, especially if the plane is subjected to high temperatures, like a hot truck or car. Fortunately, however, the solution is fairly easy. You can either tack the strips down with foam-safe CA, hot glue, or the glue of your choice, or you can get some authentic 3M brand tape at your local hardware or Home Improvement store. Cut it into 8mm/1/4" strips, and just stick it right on top of the existing tape. It will stick much better, and should solve the problem permanently.
Do you sell light sets for R/C cars and trucks?
Yes we do. Most of our aircraft Navigation Light Sets can be used with a car or truck with very little modification. The "Landing Lights" used on an aircraft make perfect headlights for a car or truck, and can be switched from the transmitter, provided you have a spare channel. The "Wingtip" LEDs can be changed to red or yellow LEDs to simulate tail lights or parking lamps, and even the strobes can be substituted with either red or blue LEDs (or both) for use on Police or emergency vehicle models. Of course, if you prefer you can always use our Contact form to send us your specific requirements, and we'll custom build you a set for a small (or sometimes NO) additional charge.