Gear Warning Horn

[AmigOne]

In my 68C the gear warning horn has stopped working.  My mechanic checked the sensor (or however is called) on the throttle cable and said it was working (it clicked).  He then proceeded to get under the panel on the pilot's side to remove and test the horn but said he could not find it.  Next was to remove the outside cover panel and try to find it from the top but they were very busy and he said that I could do it.   Does anybody know if the horn is under the panel on the pilot's side or the other side and is it accessible from the the bottom or from the top?  

[Hank]

In my 1970 C, the gear horn is in the overhead. I forget if it's on the left or right side, but it's beside the front vents. Sonalert? something like that, is the brand name.

[Marauder]

My F model has it in the overhead vent area. One is a Sonalert 628P (pulse sound) and the other is a 628C (continuous sound). I think the gear is the pulse one.

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[yvesg]

If it is the original, it would be bolted on the pilot side firewall. Would be accessible from underneath... you need 2 persons to take it out. Look for a grey round thing. If this is what you have, I would leave it there and just put a Mallory soundalert elsewhere.

Just went through the same last week. The Sc628P is available new for around $25 on the web.

Yves

[AmigOne]

I had the overhead panel off sometime back and I don't remember seing the horn.  The side panel is easier to remove so I will check there, I guess another possible  way is to follow the wires from the throttle switch.   But I guess the switch should also be checked, what if it clicks but does not make good contact.  The mechanic suggested checking the horn first because he though it would be easier.    

[Sabremech]

It was located up near the brake reservoir, pilots side, on my 66 C. I replaced it and moved it down lower by the nose wheel well behind the gear handle in hopes I would hear it better. I would check the switch with a meter before buying a new horn. Might as well replace only what's failed.

 

 David

[Marauder]

I had the overhead panel off sometime back and I don't remember seing the horn. The side panel is easier to remove so I will check there, I guess another possible way is to follow the wires from the throttle switch. But I guess the switch should also be checked, what if it clicks but does not make good contact. The mechanic suggested checking the horn first because he though it would be easier.

If they were in the overhead, you would notice them. They are surface mounted.

[flyboy]

In my '61B its behind the left kick panel, close to the step crank.

[MB65E]

Geez these things are all over the place.. 65E-  originally top right corner of the firewall accessed thru the instrument panel access plates from the outside.  I bought the "New" one from Lasar and mounted it to an open spot in the panel.  Any EE guys know hoe to make the thing louder??  Ive read about those that wire them into the audio panel/ headsets..

I know the stall warning in an Extra will make you want to bail out it's so loud.  

 

It would be nice to have it a little louder.

-Matt

[AmigOne]

Indeed they seem to be all over the place.  I have all day tomorrow to find the darn thing and yes I'm not buying anything until I'm sure what is failing.  Thanks for all the good suggestions.

[AmigOne]

Found the gear horn attached to the firewall, pilot side,  next to the hydraulic fluid reservoir.  A dual warning unit, Part#280 by Safe Flight Instruments.  The stall horn worked but I didn't know how to try to trigger the gear horn w/o jacking up the airplane.  Here is a picture for future reference.  Most of the original wiring behind the panel has been replaced, including the wiring to this unit.  

[Marauder]

No wonder they hid it, it's huge. Here is what a Sonalert SC628 looks like:

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[PLN_FXR]

Found the gear horn attached to the firewall, pilot side,  next to the hydraulic fluid reservoir.  A dual warning unit, Part#280 by Safe Flight Instruments.  The stall horn worked but I didn't know how to try to trigger the gear horn w/o jacking up the airplane.  Here is a picture for future reference.  Most of the original wiring behind the panel has been replaced, including the wiring to this unit.  

Do you have electric gear or a Johnson Bar?  I'm not sure they all went electric, and some of the manual systems have been converted - either way, you can simulate gear up without jacking ... but if your technician wasn't familiar with the warning horn, please be careful allowing him/her to mess with your landing gear system.  

 

A question for those using the Sonalert beepers - do you find them adequately loud?  Perhaps I've simply lost that range of my hearing , but I find their electronic beeps get lost in background noise pretty easily - especially when they are tucked up under the panel or on the firewall.

[Marauder]

Do you have electric gear or a Johnson Bar? I'm not sure they all went electric, and some of the manual systems have been converted - either way, you can simulate gear up without jacking ... but if your technician wasn't familiar with the warning horn, please be careful allowing him/her to mess with your landing gear system. A question for those using the Sonalert beepers - do you find them adequately loud? Perhaps I've simply lost that range of my hearing , but I find their electronic beeps get lost in background noise pretty easily - especially when they are tucked up under the panel or on the firewall.

Go out to the Mallory site and you can listen to the different types. I have 4 in my plane. One for gear warning, one for stall warning, one on my Davtron clock and one for my Aspen PFD. You can get different decibel levels and tones. I agree that some tone frequencies may be harder to hear as we get older. http://www.mallory-sonalert.com/3_2.htm

[Sabremech]

Personally the Sonalert is not loud enough. I can barely hear it and if you're busy with the radio in the pattern it can be missed. I'll be looking to replace mine again soon with something louder and distinctive.

David

[DonMuncy]

The "bitchin Betty" type devices that activate off the original stall warning and gear warning are not too expensive. Hearing a voice saying "check gear" or "stall", through your headset is far far superior to a horn you might not hear or can not differentiate.

[AmigOne]

In my 68C I have the Johnson bar.  I think that the mechanic did not see the horn because it would have been behind his head attached to the firewall and covered by bunch of cables.  I found it from the top once I removed the panel cover.  I talked to the people from Safe Flights Instruments and had to send them an email to request two quotes,  one for a new unit and the other for repair.  They would not quote anything over the phone and do make schematics available to the public either. To remove this combination horn is going to take time and $$ thus since the stall horn part works, I was thinking if an additional and separate horn could be wired for the gear.  This is assuming that the problem is not with the microswitch at the throttle cable.

BTW the part# is 283 not 280 as I previously indicated.

[AmigOne]

Just got a quote on a new dual warning horn (Part# 283) from Safe Flights instruments. I hope you are sitting down:  $2461.00  Fortunately my mechanic informed me that the horn is working fine and they are trouble shooting the wiring.

[Marauder]

Just got a quote on a new dual warning horn (Part# 283) from Safe Flights instruments. I hope you are sitting down:  $2461.00  Fortunately my mechanic informed me that the horn is working fine and they are trouble shooting the wiring.

 

Must be that magical gold dust they sprayed inside. Give me a $25 Sonalert any day...

[fantom]

Must be that magical gold dust they sprayed inside. Give me a $25 Sonalert any day...

CB President in perpetuity

[AmigOne]

Just got a quote from Safe Flights Instruments  to repair my dual warning horn and what a relief, it was only $1600 compared to $2461 for a new one  .   

[Marauder]

Just got a quote from Safe Flights Instruments to repair my dual warning horn and what a relief, it was only $1600 compared to $2461 for a new one .

Unbelievable! Before I dropped that kind of money, I would see if it was allowable to install some other device in its place.

[Marauder]

CB President in perpetuity

And considering Amigone's post below yours, I will be President forever.

[larryb]

Can't you just replace it with two sonalerts and be done? $50

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[AmigOne]

I wasn't planning to spend that kind on money in repairing a 46 year old instrument and certainly not buy a new one for $2461.  I was posting it just to inform the group because in the meantime my mechanic updated the situation by saying that both horns are working OK and he was checking for some other wiring issues.  The process of getting these quotes was cumbersome and a waste of time for everybody, a phone call was not enough, I had to send an email indicating that a was the owner, the mail first went to the new part department, after that to the repair department, the whole process lasted 4 days!!.