Whelen lights

[[email protected]]

I was just curious about ya'lls experience with Whelen lights on your
aircraft. The reason I'm asking is that I work at the USA's largest
firetruck manufacturer and I deal with Whelen lights daily. My experience
with Whelen lights on firetrucks is that while they tend to be
technologically advanced and fairly reliable, they also have terrible
problems with water leaking into them. Whelen hasn't figured out how to
make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
common complaint among aircraft owners.
Scott Wilson

[Jay Honeck]

> Whelen hasn't figured out how to
> make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
> common complaint among aircraft owners.

Just one data point, but I've never had trouble with Whelen lights on either
of the planes I've owned.

Of course, they're always hangared (except for a couple of weeks each year,
when we're flying around the country), and I rarely fly in rain...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[zatatime]

On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 00:43:55 GMT, wrote:

>I was just curious about ya'lls experience with Whelen lights on your
>aircraft. The reason I'm asking is that I work at the USA's largest
>firetruck manufacturer and I deal with Whelen lights daily. My experience
>with Whelen lights on firetrucks is that while they tend to be
>technologically advanced and fairly reliable, they also have terrible
>problems with water leaking into them. Whelen hasn't figured out how to
>make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
>common complaint among aircraft owners.
>Scott Wilson


In a word: Yes. Been through an overhaul and now need a second, all
because of water.

z

[tony roberts]

My plane isn't hangared, and often flys in rain.
I haven't had a problem.

Tony
--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article >, wrote:

> I was just curious about ya'lls experience with Whelen lights on your
> aircraft. The reason I'm asking is that I work at the USA's largest
> firetruck manufacturer and I deal with Whelen lights daily. My experience
> with Whelen lights on firetrucks is that while they tend to be
> technologically advanced and fairly reliable, they also have terrible
> problems with water leaking into them. Whelen hasn't figured out how to
> make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
> common complaint among aircraft owners.
> Scott Wilson

[Michelle P]

My plane is hangared and flies in the rain. No problems.
Michelle

wrote:

>I was just curious about ya'lls experience with Whelen lights on your
>aircraft. The reason I'm asking is that I work at the USA's largest
>firetruck manufacturer and I deal with Whelen lights daily. My experience
>with Whelen lights on firetrucks is that while they tend to be
>technologically advanced and fairly reliable, they also have terrible
>problems with water leaking into them. Whelen hasn't figured out how to
>make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
>common complaint among aircraft owners.
>Scott Wilson
>
>

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 00:43:55 GMT, wrote:

>I was just curious about ya'lls experience with Whelen lights on your
>aircraft. The reason I'm asking is that I work at the USA's largest
>firetruck manufacturer and I deal with Whelen lights daily. My experience
>with Whelen lights on firetrucks is that while they tend to be
>technologically advanced and fairly reliable, they also have terrible
>problems with water leaking into them. Whelen hasn't figured out how to
>make a decent gasket, in my opinion. I was wondering if this is also a
>common complaint among aircraft owners.
>Scott Wilson

I've had no problems at all with Whelen strobe lights.

I just purchased one of their new LED (flashing red light) to replace a
Grime's beacon I had on the top of my airplane. However, that has not been
installed long enough to have any data regarding water leakage. Because of
potential leakage, there are different instructions for installation if the
unit is used as a belly light; involving sealing up certain holes in the
body that don't get used.
Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[Don Tuite]

I think firefighters wash their equiqment far more often that we wash
our planes or fly them in the rain. Could be a factor.

Don

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:37:15 GMT, Don Tuite
> wrote:

>I think firefighters wash their equiqment far more often that we wash
>our planes or fly them in the rain. Could be a factor.
>
>Don

Frequency of exposure could certainly be an issue. But I know I've flown
through some pretty intense rain; and I doubt the fire trucks get washed
with 175 mph sprays of water <bg>.

I don't know where the tradeoff is between frequency and intensity.

I wonder if there is an installation issue in the firetrucks.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[[email protected]]

The trucks I work on are brand new, so firemen washing the trucks isn't an
issue. I e-mailed Whelen from my house to tell them they have problems they
might not be aware of, and they e-mailed back sying the water intrusion was
our fault because we use pressure washers to wash the trucks just before the
customers come for them. But we frequently find water inside the lights of
trucks that have been parked outside in the rain, before they go to the
washrack. Poor installation isn't the issue either; my job is to
troubleshoot and repair electrical issues on the trucks after completion of
assembly and a final product evaluation inspection. I work off the FPE
gigs, and write up and repair anything I come across that the FPE inspectors
missed. The light installations are always correct. We don't have these
water intrusion problems with Tomar, Code-3, or any other brand of light we
install; only Whelen. I also spoke to a fireman from a town in Connecticut
the other day. He said Whelen's lights have a bad reputation among fire
services, but his department had to buy them because the Whelen factory is
fairly local to where he is from, and they wanted to support the "local
business". Whelen lights are on well more than half the trucks we
manufacture. I never see what our customers pay for various options, so I
can only guess Whelen are cheaper than the other competing lights.
Thanks to everyone who replied. It seems Whelen's aircraft lights are
probably better than the emergency vehicle lights, but at least one of you
has had water intrusion problems too.
Scott Wilson

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 19:07:16 GMT, wrote:

>The trucks I work on are brand new, so firemen washing the trucks isn't an
>issue. I e-mailed Whelen from my house to tell them they have problems they
>might not be aware of, and they e-mailed back sying the water intrusion was
>our fault because we use pressure washers to wash the trucks just before the
>customers come for them. But we frequently find water inside the lights of
>trucks that have been parked outside in the rain, before they go to the
>washrack. Poor installation isn't the issue either; my job is to
>troubleshoot and repair electrical issues on the trucks after completion of
>assembly and a final product evaluation inspection. I work off the FPE
>gigs, and write up and repair anything I come across that the FPE inspectors
>missed. The light installations are always correct. We don't have these
>water intrusion problems with Tomar, Code-3, or any other brand of light we
>install; only Whelen. I also spoke to a fireman from a town in Connecticut
>the other day. He said Whelen's lights have a bad reputation among fire
>services, but his department had to buy them because the Whelen factory is
>fairly local to where he is from, and they wanted to support the "local
>business". Whelen lights are on well more than half the trucks we
>manufacture. I never see what our customers pay for various options, so I
>can only guess Whelen are cheaper than the other competing lights.
> Thanks to everyone who replied. It seems Whelen's aircraft lights are
> probably better than the emergency vehicle lights, but at least one of you
> has had water intrusion problems too.
>Scott Wilson

Well, I hope I don't develop the problem with the new Whelen LED flashing
red beacon I just installed on my aircraft. I probably won't know for a
year or three, though, given the exposure required.
Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)