LED conversions for 500's

[dhuffman]

Just started looking for LED's to switch all lights. I had previously started the process on the Baron and later the 340 and am now looking to do it on the 500. I have not researched the reading light (1495 bulbs) and initially struck out on the PAR 46 ldg lt (Now it has become a mission). Has anyone solved this yet?

[Badger]

Nope.  No ideas here.  Will want to hear what you find out... ;-)

ed

[Bruce Byerly]

I put LED's on the 500B for landing lights.  Can't recall the part number but they didn't work that great.

[donv]

I have LEDs on the 980, for both landing and taxi lights. The bulb is a Whelen bulb, and it's a direct replacement for the standard bulb. I've found they work great, so I guess your mileage may vary...

In the case of the taxi lights, I'm really hoping for an increase in bulb life. Otherwise I was replacing them pretty often.

[Bruce Byerly]

I shouldn't say they don't work great - they do.  But they aren't as bright as original nor the latest generation of LED's.  Anyway, I suspect anything that Whelen puts out for a landing light is probably pretty nice and bright. Get the brightest ones you can if there's any option.

[Adam Frisch]

It was also a case of money. The PAR46 size ones from anyone else but Whelen was like $800/each!

[ghancock]

Yeah, it is funny.  We were sold the BS that LED lights last a life time and they do.  What they failed to tell us is that LED lights need a control board and the control board doesn't last as long as the old style bulbs.  So if you are going to replace with LED make sure they are super bright as that is all the difference you'll likely get :-)

And the lighter load.  And yes, I'm running LED :-)

Glenn

[donv]

Since my old taxi light bulbs lasted a year at best, I'll be very unhappy if the LEDs don't last much longer. The taxi lights take a beating from every landing, and I think the filaments just can't stand up to it. The LEDs almost have to be better.

[SKYFLYER]

I think that Don is correct in that the filament is the weak link in any of the incandescent lights...

The "third" generation of leds is brighter but like Glenn says the control boards may in fact be the weak link for the leds.

I have been considering 50 or 75 watt HID replacements for the taxi and landing lights as they are hundreds of times brighter than the original lighting and heaps brighter than the newest of the leds.  I have been using them (50w) in all of my ground vehicles and a couple with pretty rough use without any failures for the past 6+ years.

The Hawker I fly now and then has hids and they are head and antlers above anything else I have seen.

Up front cost is more than I would like but there is NOTHING cheap on a Commander.

[ghancock]

brake pads aren't too bad :-)

Glenn

[donv]

Replacing the old, crazed plexiglas covers for my nose landing lights made a big difference-- more than made up for any decrease in brightness of the LED bulbs.

[donv]

See if you can guess which one is the LED...