M20k 252 Flasher boxes location

[turbotrk]

Hi, I have ordered two OR650E led nav-strobe lights to replace the old strobes 650PG. Also an OR500 to replace the tail strobe. The question is: how many flasher boxes are installed on the M20K and where are located? Is it just one for all 3 lights or one for wing strobes and one for tail?

[Brandontwalker]

It likely depends on the year of your K and on whether the prior owner had any modifications done to the system.  My 20J has a strobe power supply inside the outboard most inspection panel of each wing.  I do not have a tail strobe, but, if I did, it would definitely require a third power supply as the current power supplies will only power one bulb each. 

[Guest]

In addition to the power supply in the last bay of the wing, you may also find a third one on the left side of the fuselage mounted on the last inspection cover.

If they are mounted on the inspection covers you should see several small screws in the middle of the panel.  If it has later strobes there may be one centrally located power supply in the left avionics cover.

Clarence

[turbotrk]

Thanks a lot, I just found out that I have 3 boxes. The one on the right wing was broken csusing the braker switch to pop out. Anyway I am going to remove all the boxes once I will replace the old lights with new leds. Strance to see that there is no sinchronization wiring for tge lights, do they are all 3 independent.

[FBCK]

I replaced the tail light with an LED already (bulb failed some time last year), but I would be interested in seeing your installed LEDs in the wing tips. (some pictures of the finished product)

[turbotrk]

 As soon as it will be ready I will post the pictures 

[AZ231]

I converted to all Whelan nav/strobes and both landing lights at the last annual. Love them. All three of the original power supplies came out. Lengthy installation process though. I'll try and get some pics posted next time I'm at the hangar.

[turbotrk]

Good! Did you synchronize the strobes? On My m20k for all three flasher boxes the sync feature was left unused by the factory. Should I just install the new led lights leaving things as they are or pass a synchronization wire to connect the strobes?

[Guest]

Good! Did you synchronize the strobes? On My m20k for all three flasher boxes the sync feature was left unused by the factory. Should I just install the new led lights leaving things as they are or pass a synchronization wire to connect the strobes?

You may be able to use the existing power wiring from either the strobe or nav light as a fish to pull in 2 new wires, one to replace the power and the second for the sync. wire.

Clarence

[capthaak]

I replaced the tail light with an LED already (bulb failed some time last year), but I would be interested in seeing your installed LEDs in the wing tips. (some pictures of the finished product)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[turbotrk]

 

 

Work completed, wing and tail strobe syncronized without having to pass wires trough the wing. OR650E only use 1 GND wire that was connected to the original NAV GND wire. The original STROBE GND wire was used as SYNC , the 3 wires from wings and tail are already connected and bolted on the instrument panel next to the NAV switch. All you have to do is disconnect the 3 wires from the panel keeping them connected togheter but isoleted from the a/c structure. They are not GND anymore but will provide SYNC low voltage signal.

I will take and post pictures later 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[turbotrk]

[CoachTom]

That looks nice and a clean install...  Have you seen before and after amperage change with the new LED? Brighter NAV lights? My 1980 M20K will be up for the change this year.  Already have swapped out a power supply and the other is flashing, though slower and slower. 

I have HID for taxi and landing, it significantly lowered my amp draw such that I usually fly day or night with the "headlights" on.

All the best!

[turbotrk]

I does lower the AMPs on avarage, anyway you don't notice because with the sync wich is missing on stock 252 strobe system now flashes the three lights at the same time so you notice a bit of fluctuation on the AMP indicator. Next saturday I will try to clean the master switch that should be the cause o the problem

[mikeyhaley]

Do you have any pics of the 'before'? I have an M20K 231. I think the installation and model numbers should be the same for a 231 as a 252. Does anyone know for sure? Thanks.

[carusoam]

Mikey you may want to send a PM to TurboTRK.  he hasn't logged on in a few weeks.

Best regards,

-a-

Edited January 26, 2017 by carusoam

[LANCECASPER]

2 hours ago, mikeyhaley said:

Do you have any pics of the 'before'? I have an M20K 231. I think the installation and model numbers should be the same for a 231 as a 252. Does anyone know for sure? Thanks.

231's are 14 volt and 252's are 28 volt.

[mikeyhaley]

Ahhhh. I did not know that. How about as far as the mounting and type of light? Looks like they make the same model in 14v & 28v.

[PTK]

On 10/5/2015 at 3:53 AM, turbotrk said:

Good! Did you synchronize the strobes? On My m20k for all three flasher boxes the sync feature was left unused by the factory. Should I just install the new led lights leaving things as they are or pass a synchronization wire to connect the strobes?

If you have a yellow wire on the old wingtip power supplies it is the synch wire. You most likely do. Mine was a yellow wire and I used it to synch the 650E's in the wingtips. I didn't see a compelling reason to synchronize the tail strobe.

 

[Mcstealth]

I liked the pattern. The tail may even increase visibility not being synced. 

[Speed Brakes]

On 10/17/2015 at 11:35 PM, turbotrk said:

 

Did anyone have success repurposing the strobe negative/ground wires as a synch wire? I looked under the panel and couldn’t figure out the wires capthaak was able to disconnect and use in that manner.

[carusoam]

We can invite @capthaak to stop by...

He hasn’t checked in in a long while...

Best regards,

-a-

[LANCECASPER]

On 10/3/2015 at 10:05 AM, turbotrk said:

Thanks a lot, I just found out that I have 3 boxes. The one on the right wing was broken csusing the braker switch to pop out. Anyway I am going to remove all the boxes once I will replace the old lights with new leds. Strance to see that there is no sinchronization wiring for tge lights, do they are all 3 independent.

Remove the boxes before and use the wiring. Whatever you do don’t run the power supply with new strobes.

[Speed Brakes]

@LANCECASPERgood point to emphasize, old strobe power supplies were removed... the wire bundle leading to the left strobe power supply, labeled JK-LSO4A has 3 wires, one white and two black (negative and ground). Where is the the other end of the negative/ground wires, somewhere under the panel? New whelen strobes installed and working, but not connected to a synch wire. 

[NicoN]

Just a question:

We have 3 flasher boxes in our M20K and GND seems to be the aircraft structure. It works fine after I overhauled 2 of the flasher boxes with new sets of capacitors.

But - using an ANR headset (first was a Bose A20), i can hear a low volume Wheeping sound synchronized with the flashes. It can be heard only with low RPM, in cruise flight I almost cannot hear that sound.

on chrsitmas, I added a ANR headset based on a Bose QC25. The ANR quality is far beyound the A20!, but the wheeping sound  is now clearly audible!

Is this a typical problem of the flasher boxes? Can I get rid of it by changing to LED flashers?