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Strobe switch problem

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chasb(at)satx.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: Strobe switch problem

Fellow RVers,



My strobe system blew its fuse. Replaced, the fuse blew again when  

the Master Power was turned on with the strobe switch OFF.  

Investigation found the switch shorted internally and the fast on  

connectors charred from heat. The switch was a B&C 700 series 1-3  

toggle operating a 12v Whelen single pack strobe system.



I put the above info on the AeroElectric list. It turns out switch  

failures on Whelen Strobe systems is fairly common. There were  

several cases where the switch had not failed, but the fast on  

contacts were blackened from heat. Bob Nuckolls is investigating just  

why a strobe system would cause switch failures and switch heating  

with reasonable 12 v amperages.



I would like to recommend that every RV owner with a strobe system,  

check the strobe ON-OFF switch for signs of over heating.



Charlie Brame

RV-6A  N11CB

San Antonio

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pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject: Strobe switch problem

Bob knows far more than I do, but from this side of the computer I think 

the inrush current for a single supply system must be higher than the 

switch likes.  How many hours are we talking here???  What size fuse???  

There may be a clue there.

Linn ..... just musing

do not archive

Charles Brame wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Fellow RVers,



 My strobe system blew its fuse. Replaced, the fuse blew again when the 

 Master Power was turned on with the strobe switch OFF. Investigation 

 found the switch shorted internally and the fast on connectors charred 

 from heat. The switch was a B&C 700 series 1-3 toggle operating a 12v 

 Whelen single pack strobe system.



 I put the above info on the AeroElectric list. It turns out switch 

 failures on Whelen Strobe systems is fairly common. There were several 

 cases where the switch had not failed, but the fast on contacts were 

 blackened from heat. Bob Nuckolls is investigating just why a strobe 

 system would cause switch failures and switch heating with reasonable 

 12 v amperages.



 I would like to recommend that every RV owner with a strobe system, 

 check the strobe ON-OFF switch for signs of over heating.



 Charlie Brame

 RV-6A  N11CB

 San Antonio

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Vanremog(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject: Strobe switch problem

In a message dated 9/6/2008 2:54:06 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  chasb(at)satx.rr.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  My    strobe system blew its fuse. Replaced, the fuse blew again when  

the    Master Power was turned on with the strobe switch OFF.  

Investigation    found the switch shorted internally and the fast on  

connectors    charred from heat. The switch was a B&C 700 series 1-3  

toggle    operating a 12v Whelen single pack strobe system.



I put the above info    on the AeroElectric list. It turns out switch  

failures on Whelen    Strobe systems is fairly common. There were  

several cases where the    switch had not failed, but the fast on  

contacts were blackened from    heat. Bob Nuckolls is investigating just  

why a strobe system would    cause switch failures and switch heating  

with reasonable 12 v    amperages.



I would like to recommend that every RV owner with a strobe    system,  

check the strobe ON-OFF switch for signs of over    heating. 	


 

 ===================================

  

 Odd.  I am using a Carlingswitch DPST rocker switch to run three  Whelen single strobe Power Supplies triggered together for wing tip and tail  coverage.  I have seen no such situation with this combination and I run  them every time I fly, day and night.   

 N1GV (RV-6A, Flying 900hrs, O-360-A1A, C/S, Silicon  Valley) 





Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.

  [quote][b]

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bicyclop(at)pacbell.net
Guest

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: Strobe switch problem

If the inrush current is the culprit, I may be doing exactly the right 

thing to mitigate it, although for another reason entirely. I just leave 

the strobe switch on so that when I turn on the master, pre-engine 

start, anybody around can see that it is a live airplane and liable to 

spin a prop. The contactor deals with whatever inrush current there may 

be. Harder to walk away from a plane with strobe flashing, too. It helps 

me remember to turn off the master.



Pax,



Ed Holyoke



linn Walters wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Bob knows far more than I do, but from this side of the computer I 

 think the inrush current for a single supply system must be higher 

 than the switch likes.  How many hours are we talking here???  What 

 size fuse???  There may be a clue there.

 Linn ..... just musing

 do not archive

 Charles Brame wrote:

> 

>

> Fellow RVers,

>

> My strobe system blew its fuse. Replaced, the fuse blew again when 

> the Master Power was turned on with the strobe switch OFF. 

> Investigation found the switch shorted internally and the fast on 

> connectors charred from heat. The switch was a B&C 700 series 1-3 

> toggle operating a 12v Whelen single pack strobe system.

>

> I put the above info on the AeroElectric list. It turns out switch 

> failures on Whelen Strobe systems is fairly common. There were 

> several cases where the switch had not failed, but the fast on 

> contacts were blackened from heat. Bob Nuckolls is investigating just 

> why a strobe system would cause switch failures and switch heating 

> with reasonable 12 v amperages.

>

> I would like to recommend that every RV owner with a strobe system, 

> check the strobe ON-OFF switch for signs of over heating.

>

> Charlie Brame

> RV-6A  N11CB

> San Antonio

>

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chasb(at)satx.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:03 am Post subject: Strobe switch problem

In my case, the strobe system had less than 50 hours of intermittent  

use when it blew a 10 amp fuse. Some of the others also blew fuses.  

But, in several other situations, the fuse/circuit breaker never  

blew, but the switch showed signs of overheating. Bob, and others,  

are hypothesizing that the strobe system cycles cause repeated inrush  

currents that don't blow the fuse, but which produce overheating of  

the switch. The overheating sometimes results in the switch shorting  

out which does blow the fuse. All of the failed switches so far are  

Carling 700 series switches. A more robust switch seems to be the  

short term fix.



Charlie Brame

RV-6A  N11CB

San Antonio



-----------------------------------------------------



Time: 04:08:17 PM PST US

From: linn Walters <pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.net>

Subject: Re: Strobe switch problem

Bob knows far more than I do, but from this side of the computer I think

the inrush current for a single supply system must be higher than the

switch likes.  How many hours are we talking here???  What size fuse???

There may be a clue there.

Linn ..... just musing

do not archive

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.
Guest

Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:51 am Post subject: Strobe switch problem

Charles Brame wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 In my case, the strobe system had less than 50 hours of intermittent 

 use when it blew a 10 amp fuse. Some of the others also blew fuses. 

 But, in several other situations, the fuse/circuit breaker never blew, 

 but the switch showed signs of overheating. Bob, and others, are 

 hypothesizing that the strobe system cycles cause repeated inrush 

 currents that don't blow the fuse, but which produce overheating of 

 the switch. The overheating sometimes results in the switch shorting 

 out which does blow the fuse.

This is really odd!  The switch is designed to short ......
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   All of the failed switches so far are Carling 700 series switches.

I googles 'carling 700 switch' and got:
	


Rotary /switch Carling/ Technologies. /700/-Series: four position single 

pole rotary /switch/; 1 to 4 amp, 125 to 250VAC; self-cleaning wiping 

contacts; *...



*Which confuses me more since this isn't really a rotary switch 

application ..... what am I missing???  And it's only rated at 4 amp.  

AC though.  I never knew exactly why, but AC rated switches aren't 

supposed to work as good in a DC environment.

 	  Quote: 	
		   A more robust switch seems to be the short term fix.

If we're really talking about the same switch, I agree.
	


Linn

do not archive

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Charlie Brame

 RV-6A  N11CB

 San Antonio



 -----------------------------------------------------



 Time: 04:08:17 PM PST US

 From: linn Walters <pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.net>

 Subject: Re: Strobe switch problem

 Bob knows far more than I do, but from this side of the computer I think

 the inrush current for a single supply system must be higher than the

 switch likes.  How many hours are we talking here???  What size fuse???

 There may be a clue there.

 Linn ..... just musing

 do not archive

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

chasb(at)satx.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:18 am Post subject: Strobe switch problem

You are right. None of the Carling Technologies site toggle switches  

have the S700 designation.



My switch was purchased from B&C Specialty Products and was not  

listed as a Carling product. See: http://www.bandcspecialty.com/    

However, The AeroElectric Connection in several places has refered to  

the S700 series switch (a 7+ amp, 125 to 250 VAC, toggle switch) as a  

Carling product. Several of the individuals that have had strobe  

system switch problems also referred to Carling toggle switches. I  

think Carling was stamped on the side of my shorted out switch, but I  

can't confirm that as the switch is no longer available.



For a description of a similar switch failure, See: http:// 

www.aeroelectric.com/articles/Anatomy_of_a_Switch_Failure/ 

Anatomy_of_a_Switch_Failure.html



Bob Nuckolls has recommended a more robust toggle switch for my  

system, the Honeywell 11TS95.



Charlie Brame

RV-6A  N11CB

San Antonio



Do Not Archive



--------------------------------------------------------------



Time: 02:51:17 AM PST US

From: linn Walters <pitts_pilot(at)bellsouth.net>

Subject: Re: Re: Strobe switch problem

 	  Quote: 	
		  

This is really odd!  The switch is designed to short ......
	




 	  Quote: 	
		   All of the failed switches so far are Carling 700 series switches.



I googles 'carling 700 switch' and got:
	


Rotary /switch Carling/ Technologies. /700/-Series: four position single

pole rotary /switch/; 1 to 4 amp, 125 to 250VAC; self-cleaning wiping

contacts; *...



*Which confuses me more since this isn't really a rotary switch

application ..... what am I missing???  And it's only rated at 4 amp.

AC though.  I never knew exactly why, but AC rated switches aren't

supposed to work as good in a DC environment.



 	  Quote: 	
		   A more robust switch seems to be the short term fix.



If we're really talking about the same switch, I agree.
	


Linn

do not archive



 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Charlie Brame

 RV-6A  N11CB

 San Antonio

- The Matronics RV-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV-List

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