Kuntzleman Red LED tail beacon fault

[Jim188]

Thanks Skippydiesel, for that information, did you happen to get the name of the beacon.

 

Believe me, I have been looking for a direct replacement of a manufacture unit that we could use. 

 

Jabiru did not know of any or have a  direct replacement, either.

 

Cheers

Jim188

[skippydiesel]

Pilot/builder/owner is based at Wedderburn (soon to move the Shellharbour (WGong). If you have no contact there, I will try & get you a name.

[skippydiesel]

Jim,

 

Have reached out to the President of the Wedderburn Club/Airfield on your behalf - will see what he finds out for me.

[RFguy]

Also, footnote - Flashtube is still best option , probably about the same complexity as driving high power LEDs. 

[skippydiesel]

Ask & ye shall receive:

 

Fly Leds

 

https://flyleds.com/products/

 

😈

[Tasmag]

this might be a cheaper option, seems to be the same thing. (I suspect this is the original provider) I have one on my aircraft and it works a treat 

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/vehicle-lights/emergency-strobe/led-hideaway-strobe-lights/led-hideaway-strobe-lights-mini-emergency-vehicle-led-warning-lights-with-built-in-controller-surface-mount

[RFguy]

interesting lens

no specs on luminosity.  limited on brightness I think on the small number of LEDs.

but probably fine in the circuit on a dark night 

[Jim188]

Many thanks guys for your help and time with my posts.   

 

Boy, my googling skills are not as good as I thought or is it that Google, now days drops large numbers of web listing of those that don't pay to be founded.   

 

I agree with Glen, about the FlyLed having lesser brightness.

 

But, I also think the FlyLed Beacon seems a good option, if you don't want to waste your time trying to re-manufacture the Kuntzlman's Beacon with its higher lumen power and the FlyLed Beacon price is great as well.   

My Kuntzeman Beacon still works, after you tap or twist the base and lens, it will start to flash properly and last about month or so, then the LED array will go dim to a point where you can hardly see the LEDS, but they are lighting up, going red and flashing. But as time has gone on, it's now getting harder and harder to twist the unit to start it flashing properly again. 

 

So I am pondering the idea, if the FlyLed Beacon electronics could drive the Kuntzleman LED Array which seems to work fine when the power is getting to the LED Array.  

 

I thinking there is about a 20% chance the FlyLed Beacon electronics would be able to supply the required amperage needed for the Kuntzleman LED Array to operate.     

 

 

Cheers

Jim188
      

[Jim188]

Hi All, 

 

Well, I finally got around to parting the lens off the tub of my Kuntzleman Beacon to see if I can fix what seems to be a dry joint. 

 

As pictured below, I removed the Lens, by putting the Tail Beacon in my lathe and I hand turned the chuck whilst using a 3mm parting tool. 

 

As you can see, I cut the lens off just above the top of the tub. But now having seen the inside, I would make this cut next time down 15mm's from the top of the Tub/bottom of the lens.

 

This 15mm down from the Tub/lens line would make the cut just below the bottom of the Lens and a few mm's above the epoxy level in the Tub, the depth of cut into the tub wall will be about 3 to 4 mm's. 

 

So be careful when cutting through the side of the Tub as there are some electronic components that stick up past the top of the epoxy, so if you go a mm to deep when cutting into the Tub's side wall, you could be cutting into these electronic components, see my second picture below.  

 

 

 

Now, I need to see if I can repair Kuntzleman electronics, I was hoping there would be a crack or a dry joint that I could see around LED tower. 

  

But after cleaning the LED tower's solder joints from the old flux residue and inspecting it under my electronic microscope, I can't see any cracks or dry joints around the LED tower, so it's not looking very good for a simple fix and looks like my issue might be in the electronics which is covered with epoxy.

 

RFGuy, Glen, do you think this epoxy could be removed?  

 

I am going find some Tub's online, my tub is made by NIBCO a PVC 447-015 1 1/2" SCH 40, slip on end cap PVC water pipe fitting.   

 

So Glen, I am hoping you are still able to help with some electronic so to rebuild and used the Kuntzleman LED tower.

 

I am pretty sure the lens from the link below and the red one shown in the background of the pic below, will work as the replacement with a little lathe work on the top of the lens to take the Kuntzleman LED tower and heatsink. 

 

 

Cheers

Jim188  

 

 

Link to the same type of lens, https://www.menacemarine.com.au/small-red-beacon-light?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsJO4BhDoARIsADDv4vCyz24FiTrWPaQZ8PJgj3cpTYWsOZnHLeATGp4-ZhlWKzSmFpRd2ZEaAg7aEALw_wcB  for about AU$ 19.00 each. 

[RFguy]

Hi Jim. yes. you can send me the decapitated kit, or,  do we make some new led assys.... I got one of those lens, its around somewhere.

I think a small xenon flashtube beacon might be easier, all in the lens . I'll talk to my LED man do see if he has any super high brightness sticks, also, tomorrow I will investigate if I can get a flexible circuit board done at a reasonable price , essentially high brightness leds on a tape so it can be wound helically inside.

Edited December 4 by RFguy

[skippydiesel]

On 15/10/2024 at 6:00 AM, RFguy said:

interesting lens

no specs on luminosity.  limited on brightness I think on the small number of LEDs.

but probably fine in the circuit on a dark night 

The RV4 pilot who recommended this unit, seemed to think it met  all of the standards for this sort of device.

[Jim188]

Thanks Skip, ok, I will follow this up with the specs for the unit. 

 

Thank you both for your advice and help. 

 

Cheers

Jim188 

Edited December 4 by Jim188

[onetrack]

There's virtually no possibility of dissolving the epoxy that is poured and set around electronic components. It is specifically designed to ensure that electronic repairs cannot be carried out.

[Jim188]

Ah, One-track, I am pretty sure having now taken off the lens and not seeing any solder joint issues around the LED tower.

I am now wondering if I could heat the epoxy to either remove it or maybe even heat it up so to reflow the solder joint that are in the epoxy tub 

Cheers

Jim188 

[onetrack]

I've never seen anyone successfully repair an epoxied PCB, but I guess there could always be a first time. I doubt whether the epoxy melting point is low enough to melt and flow out, without causing major damage to the electronics.

[Jim188]

Hi All,

 

Well its a bit of a problem that Kuntzleman no longer make their Tail Beacons so we can't just buy a replacement.

 

Well, I have made another parting cut on the beacon's tub, this time 15mm down from the Tub/lens joint line, the depth of cut was 4.5 to 5mm through the Tub's wall. 

 

So now having the benefit of hindsight, if anyone is looking to do this, I would say, this should be the position of your first parting cut, then you would be able to lathe back PVC off the Beacon Lens threaded area so you should be able to use this Beacon's lens again with a new NIBCO PVC End Cap for the Tub.

 

As you can see in the pic below, there are some electronic components sticking out of the epoxy resin so be careful.

 

Anyway, I can now get a good look at the LED tower and all it's soldier joints around the bottom of the tower and the wires coming out of the epoxy.  

 

Sadly, it seems my electronic fault, is now pointing towards being in the electronics that are in the resin. 

 

So I am thinking my next step will be to lathe off the remaining side walls of the tub to expose the epoxy resin. I am hoping the attachment bolt coming through the bottom of the tub will be attached to the LED Tower and this can be used to help hold the unit by screwing it into threaded hole in a round bar that is then being held by the chuck.  

 

Until next time.

Cheers

Jim188 

 

 
 

 

 

  

 

Edited December 10 by Jim188