Description

This listing is for quantity one (1) of our popular SyncLight boards. An overview is given below, but see our product page for more information.

This high-power LED board is lightweight and tiny, a perfect fit for RC planes and quadcopters for extreme visibility during dusk/nighttime flights. We’ve tested visibility out to 5 miles in darkness, and it can be spotted very easily from that distance.

Here is an example of how bright these are… The left SyncLight is set to ‘Half-on High – Offset’ (aka 40% PWM), the right SyncLight is set to ‘Follow Strobe’, 3x 25ms flashes at 100% PWM:

Please note that the coil whine you hear is the power supply, not the SyncLights.

A CREE LED outputs around 2300 lumens of 6500K brilliant white light, making it very easy to spot in the air. A microcontroller onboard controls the LED driver and blink pattern, synchronizing with up to 7 other SyncLights on the same signal bus! This module accepts a wide voltage range, give it anywhere between 10-42V and you’re good to go!

Please note that if you choose the ‘Pattern Change Board’ option when ordering this, it will be the board without power cable inputs, leaving you to integrate it with your power system. If you wish to have the wires/connector pre-soldered to the Pattern Change Board, select ‘None’ here, and add the board to your order separately, where you can choose the options that best suit your needs.

Important considerations:

Power:

The boards are designed to accept an input voltage anywhere between 10-42V (3S to 10S). While the input connector is a standard ‘servo’ style, it will not work on standard servo voltages. The pinout is the same: Black for ground, Red for 10-42V, and White for the signal bus. Take care not to plug the SyncLight into your system incorrectly: while there are protections built-in to mitigate most mis-wirings, the protections cannot prevent damage for reverse voltage, and the SyncLight will be permanently damaged.

Do not hot-plug one SyncLight into an already-powered SyncLight group. The voltage fluctuations caused may trigger a ‘pattern change’ event on the already-powered SyncLights, and lead to undesirable operation. Make sure the system is powered off before adding an additional SyncLight to the bus.

The LED is driven at 6-6.2V at 3A, so a nominal 18W draw is expected when the LED is on fully. When the LED is PWMed, the apparent current draw is reduced. A table is provided with amperage measurements taken at 16V (4S):

Heat:

The board will get warm/hot to the touch if you use any mode other than “Master Strobe”, “Follow Strobe”, or “Offset Strobe” with no airflow, no heatsink, and no other form of cooling. The boards will not damage themselves, but ensure your mounting method can withstand the heat if you choose one of these modes.

For example, if used in a room-temperature environment with zero airflow, a SyncLight running the “Always-on, Low” pattern (with or without strobes) will stabilize around 70°C without a heatsink, or 50°C with a heatsink.

A SyncLight on the “Half-on” or “Always-on, Medium” modes will stabilize around 110°C without a heatsink, and 60°C with a heatsink (again, if used in a room-temperature environment with zero airflow)

Adding airflow (such as from the propellers of your drone) will reduce these temperatures radically.

Mounting:

Mounting methods include (but are not limited to):

• Hot glue – If using the “Master”, “Follow”, or “Offset” strobe patterns, the SyncLight will stay cool enough to allow it to be mounted using hot glue without it melting. We cannot guarantee that a SyncLight running any other mode will not melt hot glue if you choose to use it as a mounting method.
• Machine screw – If a more robust mounting method is desired, removal of the heat shrink around the SyncLight will reveal a center hole which accommodates a screw size of #6-32.
• Mushroom Hook Velcro
• Zip Ties – If you’re mounting this to an arm of a drone, a simple zip tie around the center of the SyncLight will suffice.

See our product page for more information.

SyncLight Manual

***Disclaimer***
This product flashes brightly and rapidly, please do not look directly at the light at close ranges. In no event shall our company be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special consequential damages, to property or life, whatsoever arising out of or connected with the use or misuse of our products.