Night Rig Boom Lighting

[Mike Spano]

so guys, i am converting my 2nd E7 to a night rig. in the past i have been wrapping the boom like a candy-cane in the past. i have grown to not really like this look, and thinking a straight line may look much better. my question to  you guys who have set them up this way, how many strips of LED's did you run down the boom? i was thinking 3 in a triangle may be the key, one on top and 2 on the bottom sides. or is 2 enough? i do not want this heli so bright i cannot watch it though, so i am going with a violet color this time instead of yellow.

the color scheme is cool white and neon green on the canopy, with violet boom and tail fin. red tail blades, and blue and green main blades (i now blue is hard to see, but the blade kits were already done, i got them second hand.)

what are your thoughts guys?...

[Chris Sexton]

One strip down each side. The disk gives enough light for top and bottom.

[Mike Spano]

thanks Chris!

[Chuck Bole]

 A neat way of lighting the boom i seen at IRCHA, I think Rob Cherry did this but not 100% sure. Was to secure a cut off strip of tail boom to the existing boom with a string of LED lights attached to it. Hold it on with zip ties.
I'f i'm wrong or off base someone chime in and let us know.

chuck

[steffgiguere]

Myself I don't like straight lines on either side because in certain heli positions you can't see the boom.
But I agree that it does look better.

[Mike Spano]

right now i am going back and forth on the canopy. i got some red/blue (almost black light) (yes i can actually see them at night too!) type lights for the boom.

so on the canopy, i put some true purple (really looks pink) lights, and then 2 strips of white lights. well, the white next to the purple/pink looks yellow. i dont like that...lol...my other night bird had a yellow boom and i didnt like it much. i felt i needed some white lights to "cut" the purple/pink strips on the canopy to be able to see the canopy vs. the boom in certain orientations, they are very close to the same color.

one of my favorite colors is green, but the green i dont think will look good next to the purple/pink on the canopy.

decisions decisions.....

[Mike Spano]

A neat way of lighting the boom i seen at IRCHA, I think Rob Cherry did this but not 100% sure. Was to secure a cut off strip of tail boom to the existing boom with a string of LED lights attached to it. Hold it on with zip ties.
I'f i'm wrong or off base someone chime in and let us know.

chuck

can you elaborate on this please? i am having trouble envisioning this.

i am open to new ways of lighting the boom. this bird will be  dual purpose bird. day and night, with a swap of mains, tails, and canopy for night (and a saved vbar file). i dont really want to see the light strips on the boom during the day, but oh well. i thought about maybe sticking the lights to the boom, then covering the white "strip"  between the led's with black electrical tape. just one wrap. so its all black but the lights themselves. i know it will add some weight, but i am not a weight freak.....lol

[Chuck Bole]

 Wish i had some pics..
whoever it was had a string of led lites fastened to a piece of boom. Like if you split one in half along the top and bottom length wise to where you had two halves. and zip tied to the existing boom. Didn't run the whole length of the boom.

chuck

[Mike Spano]

oh, ok. so i could be removed to fly during the day....thats neat. and then just a tail fin with some lights on it to swap at night too! great idea!

[Darren Lee]

I've found that lighting the boom isn't necessary if you have night tail blades.  This makes for a very quick swap to night fly...blades and canopy only!

[Mike Spano]

I "fly the tail" though is my problem. I have night tail blades, but I need to watch my boom. That's just how I flip and stuff. I do see what your saying though.

[Barry Tilson]

Picked up some night blades for the E7. I've been wanting to try this since last IRCHA. Inner3 is a bad influence!


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