LED conversion

ircphoenix

ircphoenix

En-Route
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
2,531
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Display Name
ircphoenix
Home Airfield
KTOA
Hi party people.

Anyone happen to know what they paid for installing Orion 650's in the wings of a PA-28-140? Ideally you also would have had a split or toggle switch installed in the panel for the strobe function. =D
 
No. Requires a 337. You can do owner assist with sign off if your MX is cool wit dat.
 
Unit74 said:
Yes, about $1200. Labor rate $55/HR.
Click to expand...

I think you can do the landing light since that's a PMA drop in replacement.

But did you pay 1200 total? Parts and labor? I'm assuming so 'cause that seems CRAZY expensive for labor only.

Also, did you add an individual switch for the strobes, or did you do a split switch for nav/strobes?
 
You do realize each light is about $500 whith shipping, right? It was $9xx ish in parts and the new wire snaked through the the wing. I reused the split switch for beacon and strobe and the nav rocker stayed the same.


There is debate on the landing light. Some say it's owner MX and other say it's a 337. I feel it's owner MX.
 
Call Whelen....the STC paperwork is onlin. After speaking with Whelen, you'll understand that it's owner mx with logbook entry. This is relatively new ( last 5 yrs or so, maybe longer). When I installed mine, the shop verified I did it right and wrote/filed the 337. Times changed, the FAA saw it was no longer needed.

Call Whelen. Get it official if you want.
 
You are referring to the landing light, correct? I can see that being part 43. No way on the nav/strobe though.
 
Unit74 said:
You are referring to the landing light, correct? I can see that being part 43. No way on the nav/strobe though.
Click to expand...
The OP was talking about Orions 650 is wing tip position and strobes, the 500 is the tail light combo, very bright, have gotten comments from towers. If you have old style strobes with power supplies, then upgrading is still expensive but so would replacing power supply.
 
The position lights are not owner maint. You'll need an AP sign off. Especially if you are removing a strobe power supply. The landing light replacement is questionable. Same with the the Orion 500, which I also had. OMG it's bright.....stupid bright though.
 
Unit74 said:
You do realize each light is about $500 whith shipping, right? It was $9xx ish in parts and the new wire snaked through the the wing. I reused the split switch for beacon and strobe and the nav rocker stayed the same.


There is debate on the landing light. Some say it's owner MX and other say it's a 337. I feel it's owner MX.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I realized the 650s are 900-ish alone. Just wanted to make sure your 1200 included the 900. Not that it took the A&P 20 hours to do it. LoL

The plane I'm buying doesn't have strobes. Just the navs and the beacon. So the plan is ditch the beacon, add nav/strobes and the 500 combo tail light. Also drop in the landing light... but I can save myself 85 bucks by doing that myself. Unfortunately, since I don't have stock strobes, that necessitates adding another switch. Though since I'm planning on ditching the beacon I guess that's a net zero in the switch panel.
 
Unit74 said:
The position lights are not owner maint. You'll need an AP sign off. Especially if you are removing a strobe power supply. The landing light replacement is questionable. Same with the the Orion 500, which I also had. OMG it's bright.....stupid bright though.
Click to expand...

Straight replacement of lights is owner mx all day, if it's a drop in I'd imagine it would also be owner MX

Removing power supplies and stuff, yeah probably need some ink from your AP.
 
My assumption would be if it is replacing a bulb, it's owner mx. If it's replacing an entire module, that's A&P.
 
Unit74 said:
You are referring to the landing light, correct? I can see that being part 43. No way on the nav/strobe though.
Click to expand...
Everything concerning maintenance is part 43 in some respect. Do you mean that replacing a landing light is preventive maintenance that an owner/operator may do and sign off while the nav/$trobe replacement needs a A&P?
 
Witmo said:
Everything concerning maintenance is part 43 in some respect. Do you mean that replacing a landing light is preventive maintenance that an owner/operator may do and sign off while the nav/$trobe replacement needs a A&P?
Click to expand...

Yes. The nav strobe is an assembly. There is argument about if the landing light is or not.
 
James331 said:
Straight replacement of lights is owner mx all day, if it's a drop in I'd imagine it would also be owner MX

Removing power supplies and stuff, yeah probably need some ink from your AP.
Click to expand...
Yep.
 
Unit74 said:
You are referring to the landing light, correct? I can see that being part 43. No way on the nav/strobe though.
Click to expand...
Correct, only the landing light is now owner replacement, no 337 needed.
 
Now that the strobes are installed, they're crazy bright. The 500 in the tail is STUPID bright as you all have stated. I love it.

Only problem now is I'm getting a faint high frequency chirp when the strobes blink. Asked the AP about it and he said "Well the instructions didn't call for shielded wire..." Seems that every time they flash, I'm getting about a 10 amp jump. Seems a little high for an LED flash, no? Bad ground maybe?
 
ircphoenix said:
Now that the strobes are installed, they're crazy bright. The 500 in the tail is STUPID bright as you all have stated. I love it.

Only problem now is I'm getting a faint high frequency chirp when the strobes blink. Asked the AP about it and he said "Well the instructions didn't call for shielded wire..." Seems that every time they flash, I'm getting about a 10 amp jump. Seems a little high for an LED flash, no? Bad ground maybe?
Click to expand...

Are your strobes synced? 3 strobes firing at once would be 10 amp draw (3.6amps/strobe)
 
ircphoenix said:
Yep. They're synced. They're all LED strobes. If that is it, then good. And the tone on the comms? Bad ground or lack of shielded wire?
Click to expand...

They don't require shielding, as least mine aren't, I am going to guess its coming through the intercom, not the radio. Try turning off you radios (obviously be careful when and where you do this), see if you still get the noise? If you have easy access to the switch were the strobes are wired, try removing 2 of the 3 wires, no noise then you eliminated that lights wiring, do this test 3 times, if you are lucky it will be just 1 wire.
Hopefully you can recreate this on the ground, if it is a radio, see if it affects both.
 
Last edited:
You're absolutely right... Because I hear it just in cruise with the switch on. So that's gotta be the intercom right? I'll see what I can do about checking the wires individually. Good tip! Thank you!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top