Prometheus Plus PAR36 vs GE4509

[chrisk]

I know LED landing lights have been discussed several times before.  Anyway, I have a 231 with two 100W GE4509 lights.  These cost around $13 each and have been trouble free for the last 150 hours.  I only use them when I taxi, takeoff, and land.  And every once in a while in a high traffic area.  I started to think about replacing them with the Prometheus Plus light.  --It just seemed like I could replace the 4509 lights around 18 times before the LEDs would have a payback.  And of course, what are the odds of loosing both landing lights on a flight?

 

So, I'd like to hear why I should or should not move to LED lights.  I almost pulled the trigger on them last night, but the inner cheap bastard spoke to me.  Two bulbs for $450 is a lot.  And will they light up the runway as well as 2 100W halogen lights?  Are there any issues with the heat, since the lights are in the cowling right next to to the engine?

[NotarPilot]

I went with the Parmetheus PAR 46 on my J two years ago and haven't looked back since. I think the GE incandescent bulb is slightly brighter but the LED bulb does just fine and I do quite a bit of flying at night. One advantage of flying behind these LED landing lights is the luxury of leaving the lights on during all phases of flight, day and night, for increased visibility to other aircraft, which I like.

[MB65E]

I think the halogen par36 lamps last longer than the PAR46 lamps. I couldn't get the Par46 lamps to last on the CJ I maintain longer than 75hrs. I'd leave them alone if your having good luck with them! Where are your lights located? I sware I was changing lights in an M20M (wing mounted hard to get to) every oil change. Just all depends on how much you like changing bulbs. I bet the 2 halogens are pretty bright!! I've been happy with AeroLED, Whelen, and Teldyne. Just depends on the purpose and price point.

Poorly typed/spelled from my IPhone.

-Matt

[Hank]

I put in the Whelen Parmetheus this spring when my GE bulb burned out between preflight at dusk and landing 3 hours later. Now, I leave the switch in the ON position all the time. If nothing else, I feel better flying past Atlanta, should be easier to spot from the front. If I could get some LED replacements for my nav lights that add an LED strobe, without running additional wiring, that would be the bomb!

 

This fall, I finally remembered to do a light check, but have no GE data to compare against. There I am on short final, admiring all of the runway lights, and when the numbers came into clear view my 430W was showing 0.74 nm to the airport. Then I forgot to see where its definition of "at the airport" is . . . I even had three chances. I'll try to remember tonight, coming back from a nearby maintenance shop.

 

Look for a followup this evening or tomorrow morning with original Parmetheus data. Maybe the wind will calm down by then [currently 270@9G15 for Runway 31, not too bad]. At least the rain stopped this morning and skies cleared up.

[ArtVandelay]

I have the par 36 on my wings and for some reason they burn out often.

I did some night work last night, the landing lights are fine, the taxi lights throw out a lot of dispersed light, but being the lights are on the wings, it doesn't end up where I need it (75' in front of me) they are basically just 20' in from of my wings.if I had to do it again I would have gotten landing lights instead of taxi lights and just had them aimed lower, I might have to try adjusting a bit.

I already had strobe lights, so upgrading to Orion 650e LEDs required no new wiring, I had all lights on and no problem with current draw, I was unable to do this before

[Guest]

I know LED landing lights have been discussed several times before.  Anyway, I have a 231 with two 100W GE4509 lights.  These cost around $13 each and have been trouble free for the last 150 hours.  I only use them when I taxi, takeoff, and land.  And every once in a while in a high traffic area.  I started to think about replacing them with the Prometheus Plus light.  --It just seemed like I could replace the 4509 lights around 18 times before the LEDs would have a payback.  And of course, what are the odds of loosing both landing lights on a flight?

 

So, I'd like to hear why I should or should not move to LED lights.  I almost pulled the trigger on them last night, but the inner cheap bastard spoke to me.  Two bulbs for $450 is a lot.  And will they light up the runway as well as 2 100W halogen lights?  Are there any issues with the heat, since the lights are in the cowling right next to to the engine?

A friend of mine used a pair of Q4509 bulbs and a pulse light in his Comanche and in 500 hours never replaced a bulb. The pulse light is cheaper than the LED.

Clarence

[PTK]

My rationale is to put in a Parmetheus Plus 46 along with a flasher box. I want to be able to flash it at all times and of course steady on for night landings. With having only one landing light, I think having such flashing capability would be an excellent idea. It expands greatly the use of the light.

I just put in the Orion 650 E's in the wingtips and love them. They would be nicely complemented with a flashing Parmetheus Plus up front.

[Hank]

Update from tonight:

 

The runway now has a 2-light VASI on approach to 31, so I couldn't see the numbers until 0.67 nm away. And I forgot again to see where the center is, as I was more worried about making the turnoff. I landed one stripe past the 500' Instrument landing zone, and missed the turn by one stripe, so I turned around and back-taxied.

 

Carb heat is now working again! Climb rates are now pushing 1000 fpm again on initial climb.

 

This is with a PAR 46 Whelen Parmetheus. Happy lighting!

[Geoff]

Chris,

Put me in the should camp especially with a 231 with a single 70 amp alternator. The reduction in current draw alone would IMO make night landings with a failed electrical system that much more doable. In addition to the other posters comments about adding daytime use to improve conspicuity in high traffic areas.

[Seth]

I fly the Mooney Missile and was in the same predicament you were. I did a lot of research and found that the PAR 36 Whelen LEDs do not throw as much light as the PAR 46 and some people are not happy with the PAR 36 Whelen vs a regular bulb. They have their newer 2nd generation now which may be brighter.

My research pointed me to Aero Leds 36LX and 36HX. One has the ability to blink and one is simply an on off bulb.

My Missile has the K Cowling so I have two bulbs up front. I purchased two bulbs. Both AeroLEDs as they are the brightest. One 36HX and one 36LX. They are also PMA/TSOed now with documentation (whichever he correct term is).

The Landing light is less expensive as I got the no blink version. The taxi light was more but I'm having it set up to have three settings. On, pulse, or off. So I can have the landing light on or off and the taxi light with its greater viewing angle on, off, or pulsing.

If I had lights in my wings I'd wire them for wig wag on, off, or pulse. The blinking version comes with extra places to attach control wires. No extra hardware is needed as it's programmed into the bulb. Just set up your switch/toggle right and you're in business.

At first I just had them both in on one circuit as that was how my wiring was done with only a landing light on/off that controls both lights at once. At annual in six weeks, I'm running wires to the taxi light to be able to use the pulse feature.

Then, I'll either run with just he pulse blinking, or the landing light on and the pulse blinking after I see what it looks like from a distance and what people tell me on the ground/air to air.

For the par 36 size, go AeroLEDs.

-Seth

[LANCECASPER]

On a previous K model I tried the original Whelen Parmetheus Par 36 and they just weren't bright enough. The GE incandescent were considerably brighter. (I understand the Parmetheus Plus is 40% brighter which it needs to be. If Whelen wants to do the right thing they will offer an upgrade to owners of original Parmetheus bulbs.) I ended up going with Aero LED LX which were great - much brighter than the GE.

 

On a current R model I just finished putting in 4 Teledyne Alphabeam and these are the best so far. Aircraft Spruce discounted them to $255 each. I came in a couple Saturdays ago for a night landing at a very dark airport which I've landed at 100's of times and have never seen the runway as well at night as I did with the Alphabeams - very satisfied. Plus with the models that have wing mounted lights you only want to change them once ever - not a fun job.

[Andy95W]

How about buying one LED, installing it, and leaving it on all the time. Now you'll have a spare halogen bulb for if/when the other goes out. When both your halogens are dead, buy the second LED.

You'll spread out the cost, cut the draw on your alternator by almost 1/2, and have the best of both worlds.