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Posted

Hey guys. Do you know how to find out the exact part number for the landing light to order from Whelen for my M20C? I want to jump on the LED boat but not sure which one to buy. Any experienced LED guys out there?

Posted

If you are not fussy about STCs, PMA, and all that stuff, you can find LED lamps at pretty good prices here,

Grote.com

Strobesnmore.com

Lee

Posted

 I know no one on this list would install one from Grote, but perhaps someone has a "friend" who installed one and can give a pirep.

  • Like 2
Posted

After seeing you have a '78 C, I am wondering if you have a 28v system or if the PAR46 was changed the later years? Maybe someone with a newer C can verify? Hank?

My C is a 1970. My last GE light burned out in April; it worked on preflight, then 3-1/2 hours later, landing around 11pm in cold WV wearing a short sleeve shirt, it wouldn't come on. The runway is 3001 x 75, the (fluorescent) lights are 200' apart. It was dark . . . And very cold taxiing in slowly holding my flashlight out the storm window.

Now I have a Whelen Parmetheus, PAR 46, 12V. Two months later the "improved" Parmetheus came out.

Data point from this evening: the end of Runway 31 shows 0.4 nm from the airport. I could read the number at 0.72 nm out on final, but I forgot to look at the altimeter. PAPI lights are on 13. I'm happy, and fly with it on all the time unless the glow out front is distracting. Shouldn't need to change it out for the next 20 years, based on my flight time fir the past seven years.

Posted

I know no one on this list would install one from Grote, but perhaps someone has a "friend" who installed one and can give a pirep.

Honestly I installed the Whelen LED units. However, I've seen the Grote versions in use and they seem to have good light output.

Lee

Posted

Lee,

Do you think you got a good enough feel for how they looked to issue an opinion as to whether they are better, as good as, or not as bright as the Whelen.

Posted

I've compared the Grote to the Whelen, don't waste your time. The Grote does not compare the even the original Whelen.

Clarence

Posted

I have the Grotes fly a fair amount at night. Have no personal comparison to W or other brand but Groute is far brighter than GE filament build and does not burn out just when you need it most. I might change someday to brighter but for now the $ value is just fine for me. 110 for the pair, my Rocket takes 2!

Fly safe

Posted

AeroLeds LX46 is 90 watts, over 5000 lumens, and at a whopping $595 (Aircraft Spruce). It puts out a lot more light than much of the competition, but is it worth the extra money, more than twice Whelen offering?

 

Some mfgs don't make it so easy to do a direct "paper" comparison, as they tend not to publish the relevant specs (i.e. light output in lumen), but they pretty much have to tell you the operating voltage and current draw, so using that, we can come close. Consider: 

 

 

Whelen's Parmetheus PAR 46 draws or consumes 2.6 amps at 14 volts and costs $265.95. Simple to firgure out watts, 2.6 amps X 14 volts = 36.4 watts. To get the cost per watt, divide $265.95 by 36.4 watts to arrive at a cost per watt of $7.30.

 

AeroLeds LX46 is a 90 watt unit and costs $595, or a cost per watt of $6.61.

 

LED technology has advanced so that some LEDs are delivering well over 100 lumens per watt (one recently got 300 lumens per watt. But, there are some tradeoffs. Higher wattage tends to generate more heat, and the LEDs have to be kept within their temperature range and that means efficient heat sinking in a relatively small package. The landing light mfgs cannot drive the LEDs as hard as those 100+ lumens per watt units with larger heat sinks and fans to keep them cool. They drive them less hard and that buys longer life but less light output. Since both companies are working the same playing field, thus we won't be too far afield to assume that light output will roughly correlate to fixture wattage.

 

AeroLeds costs more and delivers more light for the extra bucks. over 5000 lumens.

 

Using the same formula (55.5 lumens per watt), and some admittedly WAG assumptions, the Parmetheus is about 2022 lumens.

 

bumper

Posted

Thanks, good details!! I'm really happy with Aero LED. The just recieved their PMA on the pulsing par 46HX lamp this summer. Their normal lamp is still waiting on their PMA. The pulsing lamp (HX) was out of stock at spruce. Called Susan at the factory, she gave me 2 HX lamps for the price of the normal lamps. Can't beat that! Installed them in a CJ last week, everyone likes them so far. I saw it land last night for the first time at night with the lights. Looks really sweet!! If you put your hand Infront of the lamp you can even feel a bit of heat!!

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Are these so called drop in PAR-46 replacements for the old Halogen bulbs something owners can perform or does it take our hangar elves to perform the work?

Posted

FAR 43.100 Owner Maintenance

16. Trouble shooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring circuits.

17. Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.

Posted

#4522    Light Landing.  On the GE page it looks like the number has changed to #24700    Description is:

24700 – 4522 GE PAR46 - Aircraft

 

So it would seem PAR46 with screw terminals is what is needed.

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