DaV8or Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 I just installed the Whelen LED PAR 46 bulb in my vintage cowl last night. Went in OK, but in mine anyhow, the notch to ensure bulb orientation is at the top. This is 90 degrees off from what the Whelen bulb says should be TOP, so my bulb is technically in sideways. Anybody else have this issue and did you live with it, or cut a new notch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Dave- There is a kit available to modify the landing light on our Mooney aircraft 90 degrees in order to assist with the filament being vertical instead of horizontal. Some doccumentation insists that the vibration from our engines, and the impact of inertia on landing will cause the filament to last longer when vertical vs when horizontal. Your aircraft must have had this modification for the landing light. As for proper installation of the Whelen, I cannot see why 90 degrees different on an LED would make any difference, except potentially the light pattern from the bulb (horizontal vs vertal throw of light) but if the spread is equal to 10 degrees wide and 10 degress high, then there is no real difference, even though techincally, it is not installed correctly. If the horizontal throw of light is something in the range of 15 degrees but the vertical only 10 degrees, then now you have a horizontal 10 degrees and a vertical 15 degrees. This may be an issue - I don't know the particual numbers. Congratualtions on the updgrade and good luck! Take care, -Seth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Way to go, Dave! I'm waiting for my GE to burn out, then will do the same thing. I don't remember any orientation notches, but it's been a while since I've changed my bulb. I'm looking forward to hearing in-flight results, landing, taxiing, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaV8or Posted December 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Way to go, Dave! I'm waiting for my GE to burn out, then will do the same thing. I don't remember any orientation notches, but it's been a while since I've changed my bulb. I'm looking forward to hearing in-flight results, landing, taxiing, etc. Well, flew at night last night with it for the first time. I avoid night flying usually, so I bought the bulb primarily for collision avoidance. I chose the landing light version because I wanted the longest throw. Landing was fine. About on par with the old bulb as far as I can remember. Taxiing was another story. At the moment, there is no lateral illumination at all, so going straight ahead is fine, but making turns are into darkness. I'm thinking it may be in part because my bulb is not oriented correctly now and it is throwing light up and down instead of from side to side. I will probably cut a new notch in my mount so that it can be in the proper orientation and see if that helps. In a perfect world, you would want one landing and one taxi and some of you lucky guys have that. I could probably get my cowl modded and have new wiring put in, but... $$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 My cowl has two par 36 lights. When the time comes, I'm going to finally replace the lights with two LEDs - one landing and one tax. the issue, is that I want to know if the par 36 light is bright enough. I know people are happy with the Par 46 lights, but those have more LED didodes. Separately, I'm looking into the modification Bennet had done on his wingtips. With LED recognition lights on the wingtips that may actually throw some light, I think that in combination with an LED landing and Taxi lights would be fine. I love his setup with the boom beam landing light and wingtip configuration. It is for recognition, but to be able to wig wag or have all lights be on for land is indeed nice. Dave, do let us know if turning the beam 90 degrees helps with the taxi situation. Also, where are you based? Separately, I know we've mentioned this before, but your F model and my former F model were two of the four produced in 1966. -Seth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964-M20E Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Does anyone offer an in the wing mod for landing lights on a Mooney? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve65E-NC Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 "Does anyone offer an in the wing mod for landing lights on a Mooney?" I think your 67 is without doghouse under cowel. If that is the case, look seriously at the Lasar mod "oil cooler relocation" to behind #4 cylinder. No more sleet damage to cooler fins. And, you clear space and a pre-made opening for a second landing light or taxi light. This would be a minor change compared to cutting into the wing. My 65E has the dog house or I would have done this long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaV8or Posted December 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 My cowl has two par 36 lights. Have always though that if one was fortunate enough to have two bulbs in the cowl and they do a lot of night flying, the sweet set up would be an HID, or Boom Beam type light in the landing light spot and an LED taxi light with wig wag capability in the other. This way you would have the best light there is for seeing into the distance, great collision avoidance day or night and still a great taxi light. A win, win, win... except of course paying for it. Dave, do let us know if turning the beam 90 degrees helps with the taxi situation. Also, where are you based? Separately, I know we've mentioned this before, but your F model and my former F model were two of the four produced in 1966. I will let everyone know after I do the mod. I really believe it will help. I flew again with the light to night and really think there is an awful lot of spill up into the trees when I'm taxiing. I live in Discovery Bay, CA and my plane is based at Byron, Ca (C83). Which serial number '66 did you have? I looked up the others as best I could and it seems that none but mine are currently active. I'm guessing number 1 was scrapped a long time ago by the factory and I think number 2 belongs to Dugosh as salvage. Not sure where, or what happened to number 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N601RX Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Does anyone offer an in the wing mod for landing lights on a Mooney? It can be done using parts from a newer Mooney with a 337.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbridges Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Dave- As for proper installation of the Whelen, I cannot see why 90 degrees different on an LED would make any difference, except potentially the light pattern from the bulb (horizontal vs vertal throw of light) but if the spread is equal to 10 degrees wide and 10 degress high, then there is no real difference, even though techincally, it is not installed correctly. If the horizontal throw of light is something in the range of 15 degrees but the vertical only 10 degrees, then now you have a horizontal 10 degrees and a vertical 15 degrees. This may be an issue - I don't know the particual numbers. Congratualtions on the updgrade and good luck! Take care, -Seth I agree. I have an LED, but I don't believe it's whelen. The pattern appears pretty circular to me. I don't see how its orientation could affect its performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964-M20E Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 "Does anyone offer an in the wing mod for landing lights on a Mooney?" I think your 67 is without doghouse under cowel. If that is the case, look seriously at the Lasar mod "oil cooler relocation" to behind #4 cylinder. No more sleet damage to cooler fins. And, you clear space and a pre-made opening for a second landing light or taxi light. This would be a minor change compared to cutting into the wing. My 65E has the dog house or I would have done this long ago. Thanks I did not think of that the oil cooler is already relocated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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