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Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

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mwcreek(at)frontiernet.ne
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

The Sept 2007 edition of LPM has an article on strobe lights.  I'm curious

as to how accurate the following excerpt is:



"A strobe power supply that has been left "off" for long periods - weeks or

months - is subject to eventual failure because the electrolytic capacitors

used in the device will loose polarity formation.  As a rule, a strobe that

has been inactive for one year can be considered eligible for sudden

failure"



I have two Areoflash power supplies that were purchased new six months ago

and have since been waiting for final installation.  Do I need to "exercise"

this strobe system to keep it from going bad?



Thanks,

Mike Creek

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matronics(at)rtist.nl
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

In the radio tube era (when Lycoming engines were designed  this was true

for equipment that was shelved for many years, but with modern parts this is

not true anymore. Elco's are indeed getting worse when left without power

for extended periodes of time, but not in the 'weeks or months' timeframe.



All electronic equipment has electrolytic capacitors in them, and if this

was the general timespan for elco's then you'd also have to replace your ELT

transmitter every so many weeks or months. They have elco's too, and I hope

for your sake you do not have to run them every six months...



I think the article has been inspired by an over-active marketing department

who would like to see you replace perfectly good parts. Can you imagine

their revenue increase if their 'rule' would be mandatory? Every owner who

doesn't fly their plane for 6 months (winter or so) replacing all

electronics with elco's in them? I'm gonna buy me some stock...



Rob



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wrmaxwell(at)bigpond.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:31 am Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

I doubt it.  The message is greatly exaggerated.  Electrolytic capacitors 

will eventually lose their capacitor ability if left on a shelf for a long 

time, but that is many years in my experience.  They rely upon being 

connected in circuit with a voltage across them, so an oxide layer can form 

on the aluminium foil from which they are constructed. It provides the 

necesary dielectric layer. However, a capacitor which has lost that layer 

can be re-formed by connecting them up andprogressively increasing the 

voltage to the rated working voltage.



If the LPM article were correct, every set of strobes would need to carry an 

"instal by" date. I imagine that most would have a period between 

manufacture and sale of greater than 12 months.



Bill

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blackoaks(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:08 am Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

Just an additional comment.. In the Whelan strobe installation manual it cautions you not to apply full voltage to a power supply that has not been charged for a long time,  such as on initial installation.   If I remember correctly it says to start by applying half power initially.  I am on the road so cannot look it up until the end of the month, maybe someone else can confirm my recollection. 



On 8/24/07, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckollsr(at)cox.net (nuckollsr(at)cox.net)> wrote:[quote] --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckollsr(at)cox.net (nuckollsr(at)cox.net)>



At 10:54 AM 8/24/2007 -0400, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Ernest Christley 

<echristley(at)nc.rr.com (echristley(at)nc.rr.com)>


	


   <snip>



 	  Quote: 	
		  -A strobe power supply may or may not be stored in a way to control

temperature.  Ambient temps have exceeded the 25C that the article suggest 

for weeks now here in NC.  If it were buried in a wing stored in the

rafters of a hanger, the temps could be much higher still. Could that be

the nexus of the problem?



-If the strobe is using cheap caps...well, I'd just be upset about that one. 


	


   Which speaks to the value of conducting tests per DO-160.

   One cannot attract many customers in the type certificated

   aircraft world without jumping these hoops. Further, given

   the exceedingly small fraction of the world represented by 

   aviation circles, it's impossible to keep the astute mechanics

   from knowing about poorly crafted products or less than

   helpful customer support. Stack these notions with the

   idea that really good capacitors are not that much more 

   expensive than mediocre devices. Given the blood, sweat and

   tears sacrificed to the altars of regulation, it's

   unlikely that a company like Grimes or Whelen is going

   to compound their grief-to-market by cutting corners in 

Lancair Super ES, S/N 170, N9637M (Reserved)  [quote][b]

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matronics(at)rtist.nl
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:19 am Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

Just looked at the manual, and it does indeed hold a warning for older units 

only. Below is a quote from the manual.



Rob

===

WARNING: Strobe light power supplies are meant to be used, not to

remain in an inactive state. Use them at all times, this will improve their

proper functioning. Any strobe light power supply that has been out of

service for a long period of time is subject to failure because the 

electrolytic

condenser loses the polarity formation. A strobe light power

supply not having been used for one year or longer is vulnerable to

failure, applies to 1993 & older units.



If this is the case, it is recommended to start operating the system on

a voltage that is reduced by 25 percent for 10 to 15 minutes before putting

the power supply into normal service. This will prevent overheating

of the condenser while they reform. If the power supply, after a long

period of non use, is operated at full voltage immediately, there is an

excellent possibility that the condenser will become overheated.

===



---

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trumanst(at)netins.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 6:22 am Post subject: Strobes - Light Plane Maintenance Article

I called Wheelen when I had a "new in the box"  twenty year old power supply.I was told three volts for an hour, then six, nine, twelve. Each for one hour. That was three years ago, still works fine. 

 Kevin Boddicker

Tri Q 200 N7868B 63.5  hours

Luana, IA.

 



On Aug 27, 2007, at 8:06 AM, John McMahon wrote:

[quote]Just an additional comment.. In the Whelan strobe installation manual it cautions you not to apply full voltage to a power supply that has not been charged for a long time,  such as on initial installation.   If I remember correctly it says to start by applying half power initially.  I am on the road so cannot look it up until the end of the month, maybe someone else can confirm my recollection. 



On 8/24/07, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckollsr(at)cox.net (nuckollsr(at)cox.net)> wrote: 	  Quote: 	
		   --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckollsr(at)cox.net (nuckollsr(at)cox.net)>



At 10:54 AM 8/24/2007 -0400, you wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Ernest Christley 

<echristley(at)nc.rr.com (echristley(at)nc.rr.com)>


	


   <snip>



 	  Quote: 	
		  -A strobe power supply may or may not be stored in a way to control

temperature.  Ambient temps have exceeded the 25C that the article suggest 

for weeks now here in NC.  If it were buried in a wing stored in the

rafters of a hanger, the temps could be much higher still. Could that be

the nexus of the problem?



-If the strobe is using cheap caps...well, I'd just be upset about that one. 


	


   Which speaks to the value of conducting tests per DO-160.

   One cannot attract many customers in the type certificated

   aircraft world without jumping these hoops. Further, given

   the exceedingly small fraction of the world represented by 

   aviation circles, it's impossible to keep the astute mechanics

   from knowing about poorly crafted products or less than

   helpful customer support. Stack these notions with the

   idea that really good capacitors are not that much more 

   expensive than mediocre devices. Given the blood, sweat and

   tears sacrificed to the altars of regulation, it's

   unlikely that a company like Grimes or Whelen is going

   to compound their grief-to-market by cutting corners in 

Lancair Super ES, S/N 170, N9637M (Reserved)  	  Quote: 	
		  

href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List

href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com



	
	


[b]

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