I have legacy Whelen wingtip strobes that have LEDs added as the position lights. All of my strobes (back included) are not working. The power supply is the HDACF. It is under the floor in the baggage area. All the connections look good. When I turn on the strobes switch on the panel I can hear a little sizzle noise coming from the power supply. It is not loud but obvious. I haven't checked any of the other connections. I didn't think that noise was normal so now assume I have found the problem. Am I right or do I need to keep looking? If it is the power supply should I just switch it all out to LED? If so which LEDs? If not where do I check next? RV-9A with 1400 hrs. I have never had a problem with the lights until now. I am not the builder.
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legacy Whelen wingtip strobes are out
- Thread starter Coryb
- Start date
I just removed all 3 strobes and position lights. The power supply is coming out today. This isn't a sales pitch though I am trying to sell them all. It is a recommendation to go all led lights. There are just too many positives to not as you probably already know. I bought the WAT lights and they fit the foot print of the old legacy lights plus the rewire is simple since the wiring is already there. Sounds like your power supply is easier to remove than mine. I have to remove the baggage panels and reach back in the tube a ways.
danny
Roadjunkie1
Well Known Member
OK: it was a great system when it was the best one out there. Several questions: had the unit sat for a while not being powered up? This unit does not like to get ignored and then suddenly turned on again. Once turned on, did it flash at all, even once or twice?
Step 1. Look (don’t touch - high voltage!) at your power supply with the power on. If you see arcing at the connections, turn off the power and fix the connections (stray wire strand?)
Step 2. Look for any wiring problems. Mine wouldn’t work immediately after washing the plane. I found the drain holes in the bottom of the rudder plugged up with dirt, and the tail strobe wire was under water! Poking open the drain holes fixed the strobe. Unplug the 3 cables going to the 3 strobes (power off!), then plug them back in, one at a time and test. If any of them work the issue is likely in the wiring of the non-working strobe.
If none of the above works, then you face a choice. Because these supplies are TSO’d for normally certified aircraft, they are frightfully expensive. It’s cheaper to replace all your nav and strobe lights with modern, low current draw LEDs. I have and like the FlyLED kits (some assembly and soldering required, although FlyLED will do the soldering for an extra fee). They can also sell you an adaptor board, designed to accept the Whelan plugs to the strobes, making replacement nearly ‘plug and play’.
Step 2. Look for any wiring problems. Mine wouldn’t work immediately after washing the plane. I found the drain holes in the bottom of the rudder plugged up with dirt, and the tail strobe wire was under water! Poking open the drain holes fixed the strobe. Unplug the 3 cables going to the 3 strobes (power off!), then plug them back in, one at a time and test. If any of them work the issue is likely in the wiring of the non-working strobe.
If none of the above works, then you face a choice. Because these supplies are TSO’d for normally certified aircraft, they are frightfully expensive. It’s cheaper to replace all your nav and strobe lights with modern, low current draw LEDs. I have and like the FlyLED kits (some assembly and soldering required, although FlyLED will do the soldering for an extra fee). They can also sell you an adaptor board, designed to accept the Whelan plugs to the strobes, making replacement nearly ‘plug and play’.
Thanks for the replies. I have some things to look at. When I first noticed the problem they would work when I first started the plane but after several minutes they stopped. Now they don't come on at all except when I I turn them off once in awhile I will get one flash from the left side strobe. I don't think I will replace the power supply. I'll just get a full LED system.
