Beacon - replacement bulb

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ateamer

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ateamer
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The bulb in my 175’s Whelen “jelly jar” beacon burned out. A new one is $100+, and it looks to be a proprietary bulb, so no luck so far in finding a substitute. Does anyone know of an adequate bulb that fits the beacon, or a way to convert to LED without spending $800? It’s times like these that I really regret selling the RV-8. Seriously, what is so special about a flashing red light that we’re beholden to the one or two companies that make certified ones and can charge whatever they want?
 
Do you have a link for the replacement? If you know the wattage, you can find a suitable replacement that you can then graft on the base of the burnt one.
Find an A&P that is willing to sign it off as a minor alteration.
 
Looks like a 35W halogen bulb. Probably similar to what you have in a fog light. Measure the filament length and distance from the base, find a similar bulb and then mod the existing base to attach the new bulb.
 
Bell206 said:
Whats a jelly jar? Part number or model of the light assy?
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1760830416972.pngwhite, red or yellow. By the way, I typed in "whelen jelly jar" into google and it "knew" exactly what I was looking for.
 
ateamer said:
he bulb in my 175’s Whelen “jelly jar” beacon burned out. A new one is $100+,
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I'm surprised they are that much, I with a little searching you could probably find a site that has them for a LOT less. BUT before you go searching for that old bulb, do a little searching for an LED plug-in replacement. I eventually had trouble with the motor that turned the lenses and went with a new LED unit, but prior to that I had put in an LED bulb that was a lot brighter than the original and much less wattage.

I looked but I don't have the info on which bulb I got and you do have to be careful to get the right one. The first one I ordered the little pins on the sides were too big and I couldn't get it in to the socket. Not sure if it was poorly made or really not a compatible fit. Next one I found fit perfectly. And the cost was under $20 if I recall. And actually, I'd check the regular aircraft supply places to see if they have LED replacements. It wouldn't shock me if they do now days.
 
murphey said:
white, red or yellow. By the way, I typed in "whelen jelly jar" into google and it "knew" exactly what I was looking for.
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Never heard the term and don't always have google available. And aviation lights only come in red or white by regulation. But without a Whelen P/N can't offer much more.
 
ateamer said:
www.aircraftspruce.com

Whelen Model 70509 Flasher | Aircraft Spruce ®

Whelen Model 70509 Flasher Totally new self-contained, flashing anti-collision light
www.aircraftspruce.com www.aircraftspruce.com
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There's no LED replacement for this bulb due to it takes a separate power supply. Its old school so your option is replace the system or buy the 70509 bulb. Was a time I kept a spare in my tool box to troubleshoot. But to add, its technically a strobe vs a beacon which has a mechanical drive system hence my questions.
 
Bell206 said:
Never heard the term and don't always have google available. And aviation lights only come in red or white by regulation. But without a Whelen P/N can't offer much more.
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You asked what was a jelly jar. That's a jelly jar.
Aviation only uses red & white however Whelen also provides lighting systems for other industries.
 
Kiddo's Driver said:
but these guys do and have been playing
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That looks like an older 2020 discussion about Halogen bulbs. Now days you can find LED replacements for just about anything, sometimes it just takes a little digging to find the right manufacturer that has the direct replacement.
 
M20K said:
That looks like an older 2020 discussion about Halogen bulbs. Now days you can find LED replacements for just about anything, sometimes it just takes a little digging to find the right manufacturer that has the direct replacement.
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Even a $12 halogen is better than a $170 assembly.
 
Well, after some troubleshooting with bench power, the bulb and base are fine. The problem is somewhere else - hopefully a broken wire or connector somewhere easy to see and reach. Hopefully not the breaker, as it would be a pain to get to.
 
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