The major components of the condenser discharge lighting system are the elevated and semiflush strobe light units, the master sequence timer cabinet (containing the local/remote control unit, the monitor and control chassis, and the master sequence timer), and the tower control unit.

Strobe Light System

The strobe lights are installed on each center-line light bar starting 300 feet from the runway threshold and extending outward for the length of the system. The strobe light will be located on the center-line light bar, midway between the center light and the next light on either the left or right side. They can be placed in front of the light bar but not more than 10 feet. No matter where they are placed, they must be in the same position on each light bar throughout the entire approach system.

In the overrun area, the strobe lights are installed as flush lights. Starting with the 1,000-foot bar (decision bar) and going out, an elevated type of strobe light is used. An elevated approach light bar looks like the one shown in figure 6-40.

The strobe lights are controlled from the remote control panel. They can be turned on and off independently or so triggered that they come on when the approach light switch is in either the third, fourth, or fifth brightness position. The brightness of the strobe lights cannot be controlled.

The strobe lights put out a high beam of light that peaks at 30 million candlepower. DO NOT LOOK INTO THE BEAM OF LIGHT WHEN YOU ARE NEAR ONE OF THE LAMPS OR YOUR EYES COULD BE DAMAGED. The system we discuss here is one of several different types manufactured. The operation is the same no matter who manufactures them. Your knowledge of one will give you an understanding of the others.

Strobe lights are either flush mounted or elevated. The operation of the flush light is exactly the same as that of the elevated light unit. The main difference between the units is the way in which the components are arranged. We will be discussing the condenser discharge strobe light unit (figure 6-41); the numbered areas in parenthesis will refer to the numbered items in the figure.

Figure 6-40. - Elevated approach light bar.