LED Replacement for Whelen Model #70303 Light

[squeaky.stow]

Lasar sells the old halogen version for $230 so something in that ballpark for a replacement that won’t melt my wingtips will probably sell quite well.

Landing, nav and strobe lights are a harder sell for me.
Every time I get tempted to replace my assorted incandescent lights with LEDs, I look at how many replacement incandescent bulbs I can buy for the cost of one LED and the feeling goes away.

Certified Incandescent Landing light $25

Certified LED Landing light $300

I got 10 years out of my last incandescent landing lights.  At that rate it would be 120 years before my LED investment would pay off. Yes I know there are certification costs etc., and I know they are brighter, but 12 times the cost?

I recall when LED home lightbulbs first came out they were over $30 each. Now you can find them for under $2. 

I am hoping to fly my Mooney for another 20 years before somebody pulls me aside and gives me the “Bob Hoover it’s time to retire” talk. Get my ROI down to under 20 years and I am interested.

 

[OSUAV8TER]

I appreciate all of the feedback.

Please email me the following pieces of information to: Gallagheraviationllc@gmail.com so I can put you in a secure database for future information. I will continue to post here but I have also committed to buying the first 100 lights. So when they come out, I'm calling down the list. 

Please provide me the following pieces of information:

1. First Name

2. Last Name

3. Email Contact

4. Year of Mooney

5. Model of Mooney

[Larry]

I'm interested!  For those of us that have picky IAs, will these be TSO and/or STC?

[OSUAV8TER]

56 minutes ago, Larry said:

I'm interested!  For those of us that have picky IAs, will these be TSO and/or STC?

Ask them now. There is no FAA TSO for a recognition light. Remember, a TSO is a performance standard, so there are TSO performance standards for anti-collision lights and position/nav lights but nothing for recognition lights. For a landing light, it is considered a standard part based on an antique tractor standard (hence the tractor bulb reference everywhere). Ask them about a minor modification with a logbook entry.

[PJClark]

Amen to "ask".

Last year before I took my Rocket to my first annual I emailed AGL and asked the how they felt about an "owner produced part" for the recognition lights and landing lights. Answer: no problem.

If your IA has a problem, in your shoes I'd find another IA. there seem to be plenty of extremely reputable ones who have the big picture on LEDs (lower current, lower heat, longer life, brighter, more reliable--BETTER, SAFER) and are willing to roll with anything sane.  My limited experience is the one's who aren't....well, nuff said.

[OSUAV8TER]

3 minutes ago, PJClark said:

Amen to "ask".

Last year before I took my Rocket to my first annual I emailed AGL and asked the how they felt about an "owner produced part" for the recognition lights and landing lights. Answer: no problem.

If your IA has a problem, in your shoes I'd find another IA. there seem to be plenty of extremely reputable ones who have the big picture on LEDs (lower current, lower heat, longer life, brighter, more reliable--BETTER, SAFER) and are willing to roll with anything sane.  My limited experience is the one's who aren't....well, nuff said.

You got it. Some WAT lights need a minor mod to be installed even though they are FAA TSO certified. 1 out of 100 IA balks and proceeds to lecture me about needing an STC. I talk to the owner and they are nervous to challenge their mechanic so I have them send it back.

[PilotX]

Found some free time and tried to model the Sylvania ERR conversion by Whelen to the Mooney recognition lights. I'll try and print it on Tuesday and see if I should leave it to my teenager. Figuring some shiny paint in the reflector and then I am going to insert some of those bullet LEDs from CrazedPilot and hopefully those fit too. Should look reasonably legitimate to the average schmo. I am running new wires to the wings and I might remove the converter that puts out 14V for the wingtip melters.

 

 

[carusoam]

If dad is that talented in 3D modeling... the teenager will have that, plus a shiny smooth surface... 

Be prepared to bump the allowance up for a week or two...

Best regards,

-a-

[PilotX]

Just now, carusoam said:

Be prepared to bump the allowance up for a week or two...

Good thing he isn't on MS or he might get ideas!

[carusoam]

He might get ideas of building about 1k of these things...

-a-

[PilotX]

7 minutes ago, carusoam said:

He might get ideas of building about 1k of these things...

-a-

If it fits I will upload the files to the secret hangar elf storage spot on MS. 

[PilotX]

First attempt. Need to smooth out the “reflector” ordered some shiny paint. 

[PJClark]

Very nice.  If you're not wedded to those bullet leds these are BRIGHT

[OSUAV8TER]

I like it! 

[PilotX]

27 minutes ago, PJClark said:

Very nice.  If you're not wedded to those bullet leds these are BRIGHT

 

Those might be too bright! I am going to reprint them with ABS and see what kind of heat the bullets general. I was going for "stock" so that nobody would quibble though I believe my IA would be fine with it. 

[PilotX]

Looks passably stock. 
 

 

[LANCECASPER]

4 hours ago, PilotX said:

Looks passably stock. 
 

 

History repeats itself . . . .

 

 

[PilotX]

'tis true.

[Airways]

Any news from Camp Whelen ?  Does our little LED-recognition light warrant a première at Oshkosh 2021 or will we see it when we get it ?

[carusoam]

See if @OSUAV8TER is around to answer that one...

-a-

[OSUAV8TER]

Hey guys I have nothing new to report right now.

[Jetrn]

Interested in the whelens if they ever become available.  @PilotXhow did the final assembly turn out.  Would be interested in a set.

[PilotX]

17 minutes ago, Jetrn said:

Interested in the whelens if they ever become available.  @PilotXhow did the final assembly turn out.  Would be interested in a set.

Here is the file. If you want me to print a pair, dm your address. They fit ok, the retainer was a bit snug, might just file it down a bit. I tested the light to make sure it wouldn't melt the plastic so we plugged it into a power supply for about an hour. Now just waiting for new wires to be run to the wingtip so I can wire everything. 

Recog Light V2 v3.dwg

[Will.iam]

Any possibility to wire a swat switch to the landing gear to open the circuit on landing thus turning off the bulbs before you slow down enough to start melting the lens? or tie into the air safety switch that keeps you from raising the gear if you are not in the air? 

[ArtVandelay]

5 minutes ago, Will.iam said:

Any possibility to wire a swat switch to the landing gear to open the circuit on landing thus turning off the bulbs before you slow down enough to start melting the lens? or tie into the air safety switch that keeps you from raising the gear if you are not in the air? 

Standard practice is to not tie into safety/vital equipment, so I don’t know anyone who would do that.