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Tech Takeaways & Tips

To further assist installation crews and tower owners with their FAA lighting products, Flash Technology has made it a priority to present the latest information on our product lines and offer suggestions and tips to make your installs easier, to diagnose maintenance issues with more confidence and to increase the lifecycle of the Flash Technology products. Below is an email link where we encourage feedback from you, the customer, to make this venue practical and resourceful.

Latest Updates

Obstruction Lighting

Side Marker Bracket and J-Box

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In July of 2009, Flash shipped the first Dual LED products. There has been a recent change to the beacon allowing for easier installations. The single layer beacon with the flip top design, smaller structure (7”) and lighter weight (25 lbs) saves a considerable amount of time for the installer.

Marker Bracket

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I often solicit feedback from students durring Flash University classes regarding changes that they would recommend to improve the installation of our products. Most recently the side marker bracket assemblies were a hot topic. I had suggestions to provide a u-bolt fastening method and add a spacer behind the locking washer to prevent slipping through the mounting hole. These changes have been implemented and should be apparent in future Side Marker Kits. The stainless steel straps will no longer be included in the kits. Flash Technology has invested in assuring all of our mounting kits meet stringent TIA 222-G standards and the U-bolts provided that last element in the marker kits. The TIA 222-G Standard provides requirements for the structural design and fabrication of new and the modification of existing structural antennas, antenna-supporting structures, mounts, structural components, guy assemblies, insulators and foundations.

We value your opinion and understand that small changes such as these not only improve the products but also assist in more efficient installations. Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming.

Best Practices

FAA Lighting Cable Routing Techniques

Planning your cable routing for your FAA lighting is often overlooked by tower owners because you can only see what is visible from the ground. Ever asked what’s on my tower? You may be surprised. Illustrated below is an example of how you should not route your cable down the structure.

A. Rigging the Tower
When rigging the tower for the cable it is important to plan your route. Wherever the rope is routed determines where the cable will be installed in most cases.
B. Routing the Cable
It would have been ideal to route the cable on this side of the antenna mounts.
C. Cable Damage
Placing a cable in this manner is what usually prompts future cable replacements. The cable will eventually be damaged due to abbrasions caused by movement from wind and vibration.
D. Securing the Cable
The cable should always be secured above and below all flanges and sharp objects allowing at least 1 inch of seperation to reduce tension on the flanges that could result in abrasion damage. NEC states that all vertical runs of cable should be secured with no more than 5 feet of separation between the fastening methods. This picture illustrates a considerable seperation over 5 feet.
What’s on your Tower?