Landing lights (wigwag) tripping breaker

[JimmyV]

My 2020 SS Carbon cub is tripping the breaker on the landing light circuit - I always run wigwag, and it doesn't happen every flight. Ive noticed the breaker tripped on several occasions lately. Any thoughts?

[Daveembry]

interesting. I just heard the same thing from someone else with a 2021 EX3. I suppose check the wire from the switch to the wig-wag box wiring. Other than that…..the box itself is about all that left if the landing lights work ok in the wig-wag setting I guess? Please update if you figure it out.

My 2020 SS Carbon cub is tripping the breaker on the landing light circuit - I always run wigwag, and it doesn't happen every flight. Ive noticed the breaker tripped on several occasions lately. Any thoughts?

[Pete D]

Both a 2020 and a 2021 aircraft will have the solid state flasher. They usually work or the don't, not typical for an intermittent issue to be the flasher with that one. (airplanes much older than that had a mechanical flasher that would wear out over time and become intermittent before it completely stopped working)

If it has factory installed/spec'd landing/taxi lights and is intermittently popping the breaker switch I would suspect a wire is rubbing on something and making intermittent short. As Dave said, check the wiring starting at the switch to the wig wag, then continue tracing it out to the wing. The wig wag controller will be a white part with wires coming out of one end. Approx 1.5" wide, .75" tall and around 4' to 6" long. Should be secured to a tube or a wire bundle under the instrument panel. Areas that chafing is likely would be in the instrument panel area and in the wing roots, lots of things going on in those areas.

[JimmyV]

Thanks for advice, been looking around behind the G3X - pulled the factory installed leading edge landing lights and nothing obvious there. Now that I understand the wiring better, will go back and scrutinize more carefully.
Not easy to reproduce the trip on the ground, maybe its occurring in choppy flying conditions when the wire shorts, and it's not happening at idle. I haven't witnessed the breaker tripping real time, because unless you're looking up at the wingroot when it trips, you wont notice it until after the fact. Appreciate input.

[Daveembry]

P1070606.jpg

White box there tie wrapped to the tube is the "wig-wag" box.

Both a 2020 and a 2021 aircraft will have the solid state flasher. They usually work or the don't, not typical for an intermittent issue to be the flasher with that one. (airplanes much older than that had a mechanical flasher that would wear out over time and become intermittent before it completely stopped working)

If it has factory installed/spec'd landing/taxi lights and is intermittently popping the breaker switch I would suspect a wire is rubbing on something and making intermittent short. As Dave said, check the wiring starting at the switch to the wig wag, then continue tracing it out to the wing. The wig wag controller will be a white part with wires coming out of one end. Approx 1.5" wide, .75" tall and around 4' to 6" long. Should be secured to a tube or a wire bundle under the instrument panel. Areas that chafing is likely would be in the instrument panel area and in the wing roots, lots of things going on in those areas.

[JimmyV]

Dave,

Thank you! I had noticed that white box from the G3x hole in the panel, mine is zip tied just like that. Do the wires run within the bundle (black covered) up the side of the wind screen to the wing roots? Wish I had that access!!!

Jim

[Daveembry]

Does the breaker only pop when switch to landing light and never when on wig-wag? Seems that would point to something to do with the switch or wires from the switch since everything else seems to work with the landing lights and associated wires when in wig wag? If a wire was shorting going to the landing lights I would think you would have the same problem then as well?

i would start at the switch I guess and follow the wires to the box. Make sure none of the wires where attached to the switch might be touching another wire?

The other end of the box, wires attach to the wiring harness and goes up the sides to the wing roots. There they connect to the wires going down the wing.

The wires go into the lower channel in the wing spar and pretty well protected. The end of the wires come out where the wing attaches to the fuselage. See in this pic where they exit the spar? I also figure this is a good wear point and you can see the friction tape I protect the wires there?

485C6167-B516-4EAA-998A-3D7BBCD1F71D.jpg

97242C5E-C8B7-47A4-93FE-709BFE4372DD.jpg

Dave,

Thank you! I had noticed that white box from the G3x hole in the panel, mine is zip tied just like that. Do the wires run within the bundle (black covered) up the side of the wind screen to the wing roots? Wish I had that access!!!

Jim

[JimmyV]

I really only run wig wag, and strobes - daytime flying only. The photos you posted are very helpful to understand the routing of wiring. My plane was factory built, so this is mostly unfamiliar to me. The trip doesn't reproduce easily - its something I've noticed "several times" but only after the fact. I put the lights on yesterday, with G3X hole accessible and tried moving wires some within the panel near the switch and near the wigwag box and cannot get it to trip. Its not the easiest place to visualize, but I don't see obvious potentials for wire shorts. Also, tried reaching the wires in the roots, and "jiggling" them but again the breaker acts normally. I'll continue to search, and may take plane to the service center if I cant get it figured out. Thanks

[Daveembry]

Ok so the breakers pops or doesn’t pop when just using wig-wag? Or only when landing light on?

I really only run wig wag, and strobes - daytime flying only. The photos you posted are very helpful to understand the routing of wiring. My plane was factory built, so this is mostly unfamiliar to me. The trip doesn't reproduce easily - its something I've noticed "several times" but only after the fact. I put the lights on yesterday, with G3X hole accessible and tried moving wires some within the panel near the switch and near the wigwag box and cannot get it to trip. Its not the easiest place to visualize, but I don't see obvious potentials for wire shorts. Also, tried reaching the wires in the roots, and "jiggling" them but again the breaker acts normally. I'll continue to search, and may take plane to the service center if I cant get it figured out. Thanks

[JimmyV]

I always use same routine, IBBS, Master, start, power avionics, landing lights to wig wag ( middle position ) strobes. Ive never seen the breaker trip, thus don't know what clues there might be when its tripping. For all I know, I could be knocking it with my headset or something. Its been noted out several times ( maybe 3 or 4 altogether over some period of time ) The first time I didn't think much of it, but several more times noting it out caught my attention. Hope this clarifies what I know. Jim