Whelen LED Beacon problem

ahkahn

ahkahn

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Oct 1, 2014
Messages
872
Location
Chicago, IL
Display Name
Display name:
92E
Hey guys,

Cross-posting this with another forum to see if maybe some different eyes can help me out... but anyway, went for a $100 dinner run tonight, and tested the lights out beforehand. Noticed the beacon was extremely dim. Anyone ever seen anything like this before? The beacon is around 2 years old.

 
I would suspect a bad ground.
 
Your battery is dead or week and possibly a dead cell dropping voltage way down.
 
BGF_Yankee said:
It's probably the airplane...you should sell it ;)
Click to expand...

Ha! Not in a million years!! :lol:

Update: I called Whelen tech support, and ran into my mechanic, and both said the exact same thing as Tom-D.... probably that the ground went bad. They said that where it is grounded it usually corrodes or gets dirty.

So... I'll have to find a ladder and climb up there and do some cleaning... I'll let y'all know what I find!

Don't think there is anything wrong with the battery... it starts fine and all other lights function just fine.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

-Andrew
 
ahkahn said:
Ha! Not in a million years!! :lol:

Update: I called Whelen tech support, and ran into my mechanic, and both said the exact same thing as Tom-D.... probably that the ground went bad. They said that where it is grounded it usually corrodes or gets dirty.

So... I'll have to find a ladder and climb up there and do some cleaning... I'll let y'all know what I find!

Don't think there is anything wrong with the battery... it starts fine and all other lights function just fine.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

-Andrew
Click to expand...

+1 on a bad ground......
 
Can't be a bad ground. Not while Weird Jim is watching.

I have numerous LED flashlights that have failed that way: they go real dim and I can't fix them. New batteries, clean all the contacts, short the switch--nothing works. The LED has a small electronic power control circuit that fails; it's the weak point of the system, as far as I can see. An 80,000-hour bulb means nothing if the supply isn't good for the same period.

I would measure the voltage right at the input and ground terminals of the LED assembly and see that it's at battery voltage. If not, you could have a tired breaker or switch or connection or even--gasp!--a bad ground.

Dan
 
Not enough pressure to push the electrons up hill all the way to the top of the tail. Move it to the belly. Electrons flow downhill much easier.

;)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
SkyDog58 said:
Not enough pressure to push the electrons up hill all the way to the top of the tail. Move it to the belly. Electrons flow downhill much easier.

;)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Ha! I did put it into a steep power-on stall attitude, and just before the stall point I popped the door open, climbed out onto the wing (I held onto the seatbelt as a harness, of course), and took a quick look at it. It was still doing it... so I don't think the downhill theory is the problem in this case. Thanks for the tip, though! :D
 
ahkahn said:
Ha! I did put it into a steep power-on stall attitude, and just before the stall point I popped the door open, climbed out onto the wing (I held onto the seatbelt as a harness, of course), and took a quick look at it. It was still doing it... so I don't think the downhill theory is the problem in this case. Thanks for the tip, though! :D
Click to expand...

:D
:yes:
:lol:
:)
:rolleyes:
:rofl:
:goofy:
:redface:
:yesnod:
 
ahkahn said:
Ha! I did put it into a steep power-on stall attitude, and just before the stall point I popped the door open, climbed out onto the wing (I held onto the seatbelt as a harness, of course), and took a quick look at it. It was still doing it... so I don't think the downhill theory is the problem in this case. Thanks for the tip, though! :D
Click to expand...


Damn it! I have been out smart assed.

Great reply!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Update: Took the beacon out and it had been completely rigged by whomever installed it. Electrical tape, caulk, extensions twisted on, and a bunch of rusted screws.

Me and a buddy (who happens to be in the electrical installation business) cut out all of the old wires (which were extended 3 times), he soldered new wires onto the end of the beacon, connected some aviation-grade connectors to the wires, and then we rehooked everything back up.... voila! Working like a champ!

Thanks for your help!
 
Dang it...I wanted you to get me the model number of that beacon while you had it off! Love the way yours looks every time I see it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top