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Kite Lights


mrdenny

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Flew last night with finger lights on my Zen. Tide was high-ish so I flew on 50 foot lines. I've always found the zen a bit difficult on short lines, and the lights don't help. Nonetheless - Success!

The finger lights can light up the fabric of the kite if you can position them correctly. On the peaks, I ditched the cord they came with and used rubber bands to fix them to the endcaps, in a position that hit the kite fabric as it bellies in the wind. The ones I fixed on the ends of the leading edge didn't light much sail.

I have video, which will be in need of editing (my 11 year-old took it).

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<snip>

The finger lights can light up the fabric of the kite if you can position them correctly. <snip>

Flying a Zen on the beach at night must be amazing..... Even more so lit up with finger lights! :) I have some on order, they flash 3 colors in different patterns :w00t:

The light a LED casts is very directional. The 30 degree viewing angle LEDs I used in the post above can have a very high intensity (expressed in millicandella, or mcd). But with the 30 degree viewing angle, the light is emitted in a very narrow shaped cone out of the tip of the LED.

Component LEDs are available with viewing angles from like 8 degrees all the way up to 360 degrees. As your viewing angle increases, however, your intensity decreases significantly.

I bought a bunch of component LEDs in various viewing angle/intensity combinations, and am awaiting their delivery. Soon I'll have my Rev lookin' like one of those ravers I used to party with in my twenties B)

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Hey Sky, When I bought my LEDs I purchased the 10mm, BIG things, I can't remember what viewing angle they had but it seemed small to me, I read somwhere that the rounded end of the LED is what determines viewing angle! so I experimented with grinding the round edge off a little at a time to widen the view area, all of mine are flat now and much brighter viewing angle, something to play withtongue.gif

Michael

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Hey Sky, When I bought my LEDs I purchased the 10mm, BIG things, I can't remember what viewing angle they had but it seemed small to me, I read somwhere that the rounded end of the LED is what determines viewing angle! so I experimented with grinding the round edge off a little at a time to widen the view area, all of mine are flat now and much brighter viewing angle, something to play withtongue.gif

Michael

Thanks for the tip mbro!

Every LED with a 360 degree viewing angle has a "diffused" lense, which basically looks like a clear lense that has been put to a grinder! Also the 120 degree LEDs I ordered have a flat top to them - mbro you are totally onto something there! I'll try filing my 30 degree LEDs down tonight!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been out on a few night flights now! :ph34r::sign_kitelife::)

I've found the CR1632 sized coin-cell battery lasts at least 14 hours per light. I'm still running on the original batteries I started with! It is relatively small and lightweight compared to most 3v batteries out there, however, it isn't a popular size so they might be hard to find locally.

When purchasing batteries, skip the local radioshack!!!!!! For example, one (1) CR1632 at RadioShack = $5.99. Twenty-five (25) (!) CR1632 batteries at Amazon = $11.00 (with free shipping!!) !!!!!!!!

Regarding LEDs, I've found the 5mm and 8mm sizes offer the best combination of size, light intensity, and battery conservation.

Look for LEDs with a minimum of 120 degree viewing angle! Anything narrower, i.e the 30 degree LEDs I started out with, makes it difficult to see at any angle other than straight out in front of you. Although 360 degree LEDs sound like they might work the best, the light isn't very intense, and doesn't light up much around it. I tried 360 degree LEDs up to 8mm, and still didn't like the results (didn't hate them either ;) but I'm on the search for the ultimate!!).

I found the best combination of viewing angle to intensity in the 5mm, 120 degree viewing angle LED. Once again, though, you can't go wrong with any LED with 120 degree viewing angle and up.

I tried blinking LEDs and 3-color LEDs; none were bright enough IMHO.

I used sandpaper (in varying grits) on my original 30 degree 5mm LEDs. It does help increase the viewing angle! Flattening the rounded tip worked best, when almost flat, use a finer grit of sandpaper to smooth it out. I tried sanding facets into the lense, unfortunately, it helped increase the veiwing angle only in certain aspects, and not uniformly...

After setting this up a few times, I have revised my setup instructions a little (if anyone wants pics, let me know):

Step 1: Bend the NEGATIVE (-) wire instead of the positive (+). Bend it at a 90 degree angle right at the lense (case) of the LED, instead of away from the LED like in the picture. This way, the LED wires can't touch each other while connected to the battery.

Step 2: Use electrical tape to attach the NEGATIVE (-) wire to the negative side of the battery.

Step 3: Not necessary. Easier to do while setting up the kite.

Step 4: Bend POSITIVE (+) wire over positive side of the battery. The LED lense should still be perpendicular to the battery.

Step 5: Attach the POSITIVE (+) wire of the LED to the positive side of the battery with the Scotch double-sided foam tape. Peel off the backing, and you are ready to attach to the kite!

I experimented with integrating an LED flasher into the sytem. Used LEDs connected with RadioShack 30 gauge insulated wire, soldered to an LED flasher circuit board (taken from a bicycle safety flasher) that had room for 5 LEDs on it (flashing in a 2+2+1 pattern). Taped in the battery (solder not necessary here). Worked well, however, securing the wire around the frame is a pain. I don't think the edge of a zip-tie rubbing against the sail (where the verticals are) is a good idea! I used the Scotch tape, with only ok results. Since the LEDs were originally soldered right to the flasher circuit board, the board itself is larger than it actually needs to be. And I couldn't find a good balance point on the LE to attach the battery/flasher circuit board to.

I'll keep playing around with it. If I hit on something that works well and isn't destructive to the Rev, I'll post complete instructions. But for now, IMHO, setting up lights with any kind of wiring isn't a viable way to light up the Rev, if only because securing the wiring properly isn't easy.

Happy Night Flying!!:ph34r::)

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Here's my setup,

8/10mm LEDs

1/2" heavy-dutyvelcro dots

CR2032 Coin batterys

3/4"x1 1/4" card stock

1/2" glue dots

I took the velcro dots and position on LE spaced out evenly (6) the loop part of velcro. then took other part of velcro dot and attached negative wire of LED to Battery under the velcro dot(permenant). Then took card stock and put 2 glue dots on it. I use the card stock two ways, With the glue dots turned up , it breaks the connection to the battery when not in use. when I'm ready to fly I turn it over and it keeps the positive wire glued to the battery. I put the other 2 velcro dots on each tail. With the velcro I can position the top LEDs to point down on the sail and the bottom ones to point up and still see them from my flying angle as well as having the sail lit. works good for me!!!biggrin.gif

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Here's my setup,

8/10mm LEDs

1/2" heavy-dutyvelcro dots

CR2032 Coin batterys

3/4"x1 1/4" card stock

1/2" glue dots

I took the velcro dots and position on LE spaced out evenly (6) the loop part of velcro. then took other part of velcro dot and attached negative wire of LED to Battery under the velcro dot(permenant). Then took card stock and put 2 glue dots on it. I use the card stock two ways, With the glue dots turned up , it breaks the connection to the battery when not in use. when I'm ready to fly I turn it over and it keeps the positive wire glued to the battery. I put the other 2 velcro dots on each tail. With the velcro I can position the top LEDs to point down on the sail and the bottom ones to point up and still see them from my flying angle as well as having the sail lit. works good for me!!!biggrin.gif

Can you take photos of this set up and go into more detail? Thanks.

Bart

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Can't get photos to workkid_cussing.gif going to try DETAIL verbally,

I take the scotch brand velcro dots apart put one half across the LE just above the mesh,spaced out however you want.

Take your LED and slide the battery between the two wires,long wire to pos. side(+)

with your other half of velcro dot, put neg. side(-) under it attached to the battery (permanant)

now cut some card stock,(business card paper or a little thicker) into small pieces 3/4"w x 1 1/4"L is what I use.

not put 2 or 3 glue dots on the piece of paper,( you can find glue dots at craft stores, wal-mart) I use 1/2" dots.

Now I use the paper to break the contact to the battery(pos. side) by sticking it to the battery under the wire.

when I'm ready, I slide paper out and turn it over sticking the wire to the battery to make contact on top of the wire. then attach the whole thing to my velcro dot on my kite.

Hope this makes sensesmile.gif fairly simple, the scotch brand velcro dots are the only way to go, there heavy duty adhesive works well,I've tried other brands and they won't stay on the kite.

Michael

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  • 1 year later...

Here's my winter project - to take an old ('90s) dualie lighting system, and convert it for my Revs!! It has 10 total LEDs, 5 per side, but using a battery pack that held 2 AA batteries! Pack used to Velcro to the spine near the lower spreader to keep it from ruining the kite's balance completely!! LEDs are held in place by small pieces of vinyl tube, holes to set the LEDs in and slit for putting on the LE! I've tried to power it with a 2032 coin battery and had success, now to actually mount it on a kite, trim down any excess wire, resolder and shrink wrap, see if I can make the tubing pieces smaller, and come up with a cleaner way to hold and mount the battery! I'm thinking of using a battery holder for the coin battery and putting it in a pillbox that can then have a very small and light carabiner put through the hole in the center of the sail! That should keep out sand and have someplace to center up the weight! After some eyeball weighing, I estimate losing something around 2 full ounces, if my scale is close, or about 1/2 the original weight!

The system I'm converting was made by "Fly By Night" out of Auburn, Washington, doubt they're still in business, as I bought this setup back in the mid or late '90s!

For the tips, I'm gonna get a 2pk of LED lights sold as zipper pulls for runners or joggers, so they can be seen!! They come with extra batteries, very light and small!

Winter project underway!!

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I bought a couple of sets from a guy in Texas that work exactly as you've just described.

His efforts "clip-on tightly",.... you can flail around or crash and nothing goes out or comes loose. They run on a battery that 3.6 volts, about the size of doubleA. There are six lights on the leading edge and two at the corner triangles of the bottom. They are available in two styles, I took the fully abusive heavy weight model.

I can understand you need to do it yourself.

Jim's lights are available in different colors but the brightest ones are green. They also show-up well before blackest night (works at dusk?)

I hang most of the lights on the back and only have the two bottoms facing me as they are BRIGHT

Hang 'em onto a kite that is lighter framed and more sail surface/overpowered for the conditions you expect to need. The excess weight will fly, but it's like running in mud, it's a little sloppy and not as fast either.

People will stop every time you use lights on a night fly.

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We had people at Lincoln City asking if we were using RC planes!! Amazed when they learned it was a kite!! Everything looks good, but the battery holder and pillbox combo! Still working out how that will come together, but I should be able to come up with at least a working set of lights!!

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his holder is a heavily/well-mounted plastic case with velcro cover (tough to insert battery,... really tough to pry out too!)

the battery packet adheres to the leading edge with an elastic cord and button mechanism passing thru the center hole

everything is very well thought out in his design parameters and tough as nails in use

I know a few other rev pilots also sportin' this same styled rig of lights (to complete satisfaction!)

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Hello fellow night flyers, here's my latest setup. I use the "Finger Lights" with a custom clip that I designed. The elastic band on the light is put through my clip, I then flip the light upside down, then the clip just snaps onto the kite endcaps. The elastic band holds the light in place. The light can be snapped on so it sits above or below the endcap. I can also snap them onto the leading edge with the addition of a piece of thin foam inside the clip.

post-2127-13524372942638_thumb.jpg post-2127-1352437295461_thumb.jpg

I plan to go to the Treasure Island, FL event in Jan, if ya want to see 'em in person.

Dayton David

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