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                           AeroElectric-List Digest Archive
                                      ---
                     Total Messages Posted Wed 12/11/13: 3
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Today's Message Index:
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     1. 11:55 AM - Whelan capacitor substitute  (Joe Dubner)
     2. 03:59 PM - Re: Whelan capacitor substitute  (Robert L. Nuckolls, III)
     3. 07:54 PM - Re: Whelan capacitor substitute  (Joe Dubner)
 
 
 
________________________________  Message 1  _____________________________________


Time: 11:55:55 AM PST US
From: Joe Dubner <jdubner@yahoo.com>
Subject: AeroElectric-List: Whelan capacitor substitute


Does anyone have firsthand experience replacing the Whelan 51-3361401-42 
capacitor assembly in a strobe power supply?  Specifically, can you give me a 
DigiKey, Mouser, Allied, etc. part number for a suitable photo flash capacitor

substitute based on firsthand experience?

The Whelan parts (and complete assemblies) are crazy-expensive.  It's enough to

make me change out the entire system to LEDs :-(  But I'd really rather just 
repair the power supply and keep on flying.

Thanks,
Joe
Independence, OR


________________________________  Message 2  _____________________________________


Time: 03:59:17 PM PST US
From: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com>
Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Whelan capacitor substitute


At 01:54 PM 12/11/2013, you wrote:
>
>Does anyone have firsthand experience replacing the Whelan 
>51-3361401-42 capacitor assembly in a strobe power 
>supply?  Specifically, can you give me a DigiKey, Mouser, Allied, 
>etc. part number for a suitable photo flash capacitor substitute 
>based on firsthand experience?
>
>The Whelan parts (and complete assemblies) are 
>crazy-expensive.  It's enough to make me change out the entire 
>system to LEDs :-(  But I'd really rather just repair the power 
>supply and keep on flying.

   Consider patching "non flash rated" capacitors
   in. The worst that happens is that they don't
   last as long as the original parts. But as long
   as you can do the work yourself, the price differences
   might make the shorter service life an attractive
   alternative.

   Can you read capacity and voltage values off
   the parts?


   Bob . . . 


________________________________  Message 3  _____________________________________


Time: 07:54:38 PM PST US
From: Joe Dubner <jdubner@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Whelan capacitor substitute

Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote, On 12/11/2013 15:58:
> <nuckolls.bob@aeroelectric.com>
> 
>   Consider patching "non flash rated" capacitors
>   in. The worst that happens is that they don't
>   last as long as the original parts. But as long
>   as you can do the work yourself, the price differences
>   might make the shorter service life an attractive
>   alternative.
> 
>   Can you read capacity and voltage values off
>   the parts?

There are no markings other than a "Whelen" brand name and part number.  But a

web site selling replacement parts gave me a tip when it called them 400uF at 
360WVDC.  There are two of them in series and I measured 230VDC across each so

that 360 WVDC rating seems reasonable.

I "patched" in a couple of junkbox 470uF/450WVDC capacitors.  Alas, the power 
supply still does not work.  Upon close examination I now see some charred 
components and a swelled filter capacitor in the low voltage section.  Rather 
than make the huge effort to reverse engineer and fix it, I think I'll buy a new

Nova power supply for under $100 and move on.

Thanks for the idea, Bob.  I'm attaching a picture of the HV capacitors if for

no other reason than to to satisfy peoples' curiosity.

Best,
Joe
Independence, OR

 

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