Want to replace my old rotating beacon with led strobe

[jetdriven]

On 1/14/2017 at 11:48 AM, Hector said:

 

I replaced my belly strobe during annual. Now I hear a light clicking sound during east strobe but usually only at low idle. After takeoff I guess the other noises probably overpower the strobe interference noise and I no longer hear it. My C has only two leads going the strobe, power and ground. Can you expand a bit where the capacitor should be placed?


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Strobe noise can be a problem. It can be radiating the switching noise up the power wire into the avionics bus. The 1000uF electrolytic capacitors can filter that if placed right by the power supply from the power lead to ground.  It may be the same noise radiating into the airframe from the ground wire being grounded near the wingtip. The whole airplane has this noise then. That is usually a high pitched increasing frequency noise as he strobe power supply capacitors recharge.  A weee weeee weeee sound. Much like the sound of the strobe itself.  This is further complicated by the intercom wires being grounded at the jack, instead of a center point as they require. The strobe noise gets Into the intercom this way. Bad grounds anywhere, such as at a mic jack, or the strobe power supply also amplify this noise.  Alternator noise is also increased by loose connections or grounds. Running the ground wires back to the negative battery terminal or very close to it will suppress this noise. The battery acts like a huge capacitor and absorbs this noise.  One more thing I've read, but not tried. Twisting the power and ground wires to and from the strobe power supply.  This acts to cancel the noise. 

[cnoe]

Do the new LED strobes cause noise, or just the traditional strobes? One day... sigh.


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[Marauder]

Just now, cnoe said:

Do the new LED strobes cause noise, or just the traditional strobes? One day... sigh.


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I haven't see any issues with the LEDs causing interference. I had issues with the belly strobe on my plane setting off the stormscope. A filtering lense fixed this "noise".

[Hank]

2 hours ago, cnoe said:

Do the new LED strobes cause noise, or just the traditional strobes? One day... sigh.


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My old Whelen high voltage flasher made a pretty good squeal in the headsets. The Whelen LED belly blinker makes much less noise, but is sometimes noticeable. I don't have anything on the wingtips except the old red and green (cause I'm too cheap to spend a full AMU replacing functioning lights with LEDs).

[carusoam]

As Byron pointed out the high voltage strobes use a capacitor to build the charge.  LEDs are not using as much voltage or current as I can tell...

PP thoughts, not an electrical guru...

Best regards,

-a-

[jetdriven]

LED's i bet are mostly switching noise. The internal circuitry turns the LED on and off.  This causes a spike in current required and the circuitry often pollutes the +12v line. 

[Gary0747]

Has anybody found a LED bulb replacement that will fit the factory rotating beacon?

[ArtVandelay]

LED's i bet are mostly switching noise. The internal circuitry turns the LED on and off.  This causes a spike in current required and the circuitry often pollutes the +12v line. 

That is why I didn't bother to sync mine.

[Htwjr]

My plane has both an old rotating red beacon as well as an old red/white strobe.  Can I replace both with a new LED strobe and do away with the rotating beacon?

[N6758N]

2 minutes ago, Htwjr said:

My plane has both an old rotating red beacon as well as an old red/white strobe.  Can I replace both with a new LED strobe and do away with the rotating beacon?

Yes, you only need one form of anti-collision lights. 

[carusoam]

The Whelen site does a nice job of explaining the rules as they apply to the age of the aircraft.

Check out this page specific for Mooneys...

http://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/System Requirements/Mooney.pdf

their rules page...

http://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/System Requirements/Anit-Collision Systems.pdf

See if that helps.

Whelen is a big supplier for vehicles that use flashing lights. Smaller and better is how they are making a living...

Best regards,

-a-

 

Edited January 18, 2017 by carusoam

[Hank]

2 hours ago, Gary0747 said:

Has anybody found a LED bulb replacement that will fit the factory rotating beacon?

Look at my pictures at the top of Page #1. Old Whelen high-voltage flasher out, new Whelen LED flasher in. Many, many fewer cubic inches hanging out in the breeze . . . Fits the same hole in the belly, and even fit the same trim ring. That's why the trim ring on the LED is painted.

[tigers2007]

Whats the deal with some of our ships that have the dorsal beacon too? Top and bottom like a 757. I'll add that with my LED wishlist if its "affordable".

[Hank]

Pictures orbit didn't happen, tigers! Don't think I've ever noticed a Mooney with above and below strobes.

[Raptor05121]

1 hour ago, tigers2007 said:

Whats the deal with some of our ships that have the dorsal beacon too? Top and bottom like a 757. I'll add that with my LED wishlist if its "affordable".

My top strobe was added in the 80s.

[tigers2007]

1 minute ago, Raptor05121 said:

My top strobe was added in the 80s.

Yeah, Raptors was one of them I saw here:

 

 

[Raptor05121]

56 minutes ago, Hank said:

Pictures orbit didn't happen, tigers! Don't think I've ever noticed a Mooney with above and below strobes.

 

 

When I go LED, I'll change the top to all-red LED and remove the bottom and cover the hole. Less drag.

[Hank]

Wow! That

2 minutes ago, Raptor05121 said:

 

 

When I go LED, I'll change the top to all-red LED and remove the bottom and cover the hole. Less drag.

Wow! Thatsa bright!

[tigers2007]

No man, do the 757 style:

https://youtu.be/rTivEXmX9hY?t=2m5s

[tigers2007]

When I was in the middle east for a while I would sit out on the balcony and watch the a/c sequence for landing as the visibility there was amazing. You could see the LED beacons from so far away; granted I think their beacons are much bigger than ours  

The Whelen helicopter version of their LED beacon series is a tad taller and has more little LED lightbulbs. Much brighter than anything else they sell for GA.

[jetdriven]

21 minutes ago, tigers2007 said:

No man, do the 757 style:

https://youtu.be/rTivEXmX9hY?t=2m5s

Sparky is better. It has LED's you can see for 20 miles 

 

[tigers2007]

Thank you Jetdriven! That is exactly what I was looking for.

[Gary0747]

On 1/18/2017 at 0:27 PM, Hank said:

Look at my pictures at the top of Page #1. Old Whelen high-voltage flasher out, new Whelen LED flasher in. Many, many fewer cubic inches hanging out in the breeze . . . Fits the same hole in the belly, and even fit the same trim ring. That's why the trim ring on the LED is painted.

I was only asking about changing the bulbs to led not changing the entire beacon. I see several led bulbs with comparable lumens to the incadescant bulbs in my coffee grinder beacon. Also my factory beacon has very little drag profile. Less than 2 inches of height. 

[carusoam]

That's the first time I have heard of switching out the bulbs in the coffee grinder.  These bulbs are kind of unique making them tougher to be replaced by newer technology.  Getting the proper documentation is the next challenge for such a good idea.

The mechanical motorized device is mounted in a standard hole that makes it easier to replace with newer technology.  The xenon strobes were often used at first, LEDs are the latest version. The size of the part that is in the breeze is undeniably smaller.

Good luck with your search.

Best regards,

-a-

[Hoeschen]

Is there a simple cover plate that can be purchased to cover the coffee grinder hole?


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