wing tip strobe not working

[rbridges]

I'm doing this thread to help others if they want to change their wingtip strobe bulb.  I was under the impression that it was simply a bulb like any other, but boy was I wrong.  I had to search quite a bit before I got the info I needed.  I'm hoping it's not the power supply, so I went ahead and ordered the bulb from aircraftspruce.  For most of us, I believe the assembly is compatible with the whelen 610 bulb.  From what I read, you have to switch 2 of the 3 wires.  Someone mentioned a molex tool.  I went ahead and got one from amazon.

11-03213 WHELEN A610 STROBE TUBE ASSY  is the description from aircraft spruce for the bulb.

WHT-2038 MOLEX EXTRACTION TOOL FOR .093 INCH TERMINAL PINS is the amazon description for the tool

I know a lot of people are going toward LED lights, and I may do that if it turns out the power supply is bad.  For now, I'm gonna stick with xenon if it's simply the bulb.

 

Any insight or pointers would be greatly appreciated.  

 

edit---I ended up using a   AEROFLASH FLSH TUBE # 73-0270, not the whelen bulb.

[jetdriven]

is your power supply a Hoskins, a Whelen, or something else?

[rbridges]

I'm assuming it's a hoskins.  I don't see anything in the logs about changing it.  

[jetdriven]

Look on page 5 of this for the wiring change to intermix Hoskins/SDI power supplies to Whelen tubes. 

http://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/Catalog%20Price%20Lists%20and%20Manuals/Anti-Collision_Light_Systems_Installation_and_Service_Manual.pdf

[rbridges]

Thanks for linking that. I came across it last night when I was researching it. 

[rbridges]

just keeping things updated.  Learning not to assume.  I figured it was a bad bulb, but I believe it's the power supply.  I connected the bulb, and nothing.  I don't hear the power pack on the passenger side making the high pitched sound.

I took the panel down, and it looks like I have aeroflash packs.  No reference in the logs or paperwork, of course.  Anyway, ordered a new 152-0008 from aircraft spruce.

[rbridges]

just for reference, my pilot side wing had a 152-0007 aeroflash.

[rbridges]

The IA is supposed to meet me on Wednesday to get it spliced into the system.  Hopefully it will nip it in the bud.

[rbridges]

one last update.  The 152-0007 power pack replaced 152-0008.  I ended up using  AEROFLASH FLSH TUBE # 73-027.  The light mount is a grimes unit, but the aeroflash bulb fits perfectly and matched the previous bulb 100%.  The previous whelen bulb I purchased didn't fit properly.

[N201MKTurbo]

4 hours ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

I thought that I would contribute my recent experience to this thread. After 10 years of scrounging used Hoskins 701295-3 power supplies to keep my OEM stobe system going I finally broke down and replaced one of the Hoskins units that recently failed (left wing) with a Whelen A490TCF unit, part number 01-0770006-08 (approximately $350). If you get this part number all you have to do is reverse two of the wires in the molex connector and it plugs right in to the OEM Hoskins flash tube.  The Whelen is too large to mount on the smaller inspection plate that the Hoskins was mounted on by the factory, but it fits nicely on the larger inspection plate right behind the smaller one on the wing. Crimp on a couple of connectors for the power and ground wires and you are good to go. I bought a "new" smaller inspection plate on eBay for $10 to replace my original with because it had holes in it from the Hoskins unit and it seemed both easier and cleaner to me to do this than it would have been to plug the holes.  If anyone wants my other (right wing) working Hoskins power supply you can have it for $150 shipped and I will do the same thing on the other side.  The right wing unit has been installed since I bought the plane 10 years ago and has never given me any trouble.

Jim

Wow, you painted the inside of the inspection plate, I'm impressed!

[OR75]

I still have the Hoskins power supply. They are old but still work. Despite being old, they can be sync'ed

I don't think the Whelen can be sync'ed  

[OR75]

The TCCF cannot be sync'ed either . 

The Hoskins on my J were not sync'ed either but all it takes is to run 1 wire between the two boxes. Which I did. It just looks better . 

[ArtVandelay]

The TCCF cannot be sync'ed either . 
The Hoskins on my J were not sync'ed either but all it takes is to run 1 wire between the two boxes. Which I did. It just looks better . 

But more stress on the electrical system, especially if you have tail strobe, been cases were this will cause radio noise.

[OR75]

10 hours ago, teejayevans said:

But more stress on the electrical system, especially if you have tail strobe, been cases were this will cause radio noise.

Radio noise can happen and when it happens can be tough to solve. In my case, there is no noise.  The boxes are far enough in the wingtip and the aluminum wing acts as a cage.

As far as more stress on the electric system, the sync'ing does not make any difference. The power boxes charge are basically capacitors and the sync'ing is just there to make sure the capacitors go at the same time. On average , the number of flashes per minute remains the same. 

What would make more stress is having a more frequent flash.

 

[ArtVandelay]

Radio noise can happen and when it happens can be tough to solve. In my case, there is no noise.  The boxes are far enough in the wingtip and the aluminum wing acts as a cage.
As far as more stress on the electric system, the sync'ing does not make any difference. The power boxes charge are basically capacitors and the sync'ing is just there to make sure the capacitors go at the same time. On average , the number of flashes per minute remains the same. 
What would make more stress is having a more frequent flash.
 

But they will all charge simultaneously, do you know what the peak current draw is? For LEDs it's 3.6A, if synced, that's almost 11A draw, I assume old tech would be more.

[OR75]

Just now, teejayevans said:

But they will all charge simultaneously, do you know what the peak current draw is? For LEDs it's 3.6A, if synced, that's almost 11A draw, I assume old tech would be more.

they are charging simultaneously and all the time ... so sync'ing does not make any difference

LED is completely different technology.  (not charging capacitors with LEDs) 

 

[ArtVandelay]

they are charging simultaneously and all the time ... so sync'ing does not make any difference
LED is completely different technology.  (not charging capacitors with LEDs) 
 

Quick check shows they consume 7A continuously vs 11A pulse for LEDs (12V).