GRIMES POWER SUPPLY PACK-STROBE REPLACEMENT

lawson · Post by **lawson** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:06 pm

I own a 51' Cessna 170a. The strobe system was a Grimes. The power supply pack became inoperative. My jaw dropped when I heard the replacement value($6,300.- for new or $4,200.- to fix). I'm looking for a new replacement system. Can anyone recommend some (much) cheaper options. Currently I have a belly and top of fuselage strobe(strobe housing looks like a plastic jar). Any advice on brands or strobe systems greatly appreciated. blue skies, cameron

N3243A · Post by **N3243A** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 10:39 pm

lawson wrote:I heard the replacement value($6,300.- for new or $4,200.- to fix).

Say what??? Are you sure the decimal point on the above numbers doesn't need to be moved to the left one place?

Bruce

lawson · Post by **lawson** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:14 pm

yes, you heard correct. i called honeywell(which now owns grimes). I sent in the power supply pack. i was shocked at the high price tag of fixing the unit(4,200.-). honestly, i'm not sure how it could be so expensive to fix. i'm certainly not going to go the route of fixing the strobe, and now looking for a quality replacement. cheers, cameron

N3243A · Post by **N3243A** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:38 pm

Well those numbers are so ridiculous that it is just a (bad) joke. Who would ever pay those rates...ever? They might just as well have quoted you $63,000 for new and $42,000 to fix, the response would be the same.

Don't know what Grimes part numbers you have but I googled this up just now from Kelly Aerospace....Check under strobe power supplies.

http://www.kellyaerospace.com/catalog_p ... _Price.pdf

AR Dave · Post by **AR Dave** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 12:39 am

I have a used Grimes Strobe System top & bottom of fuselage, that I just began taking bids on as of right now. Let the bidding begin! I'll take a lot less than $6300 for both and the strobe has the grooved plastic jar lense just the same.

In fact I've just started thinking about parting the plane out or as is for $130,000.
Dave

N1478D · Post by **N1478D** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 3:20 am

lawson wrote:I own a 51' Cessna 170a. The strobe system was a Grimes. The power supply pack became inoperative. My jaw dropped when I heard the replacement value($6,300.- for new or $4,200.- to fix). I'm looking for a new replacement system. Can anyone recommend some (much) cheaper options. Currently I have a belly and top of fuselage strobe(strobe housing looks like a plastic jar). Any advice on brands or strobe systems greatly appreciated. blue skies, cameron

Why don't you just buy a C150 and take the lights off of it, sell the C150 for a little more than you gave for it because it's been cleaned up a little, and put the lights on your plane.

R COLLINS · Post by **R COLLINS** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 3:44 am

Joe, you were supposed to say "Sell it to George so he can make it to fly-ins before dark"

lawson · Post by **lawson** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 4:02 pm

I ended up buying a small monkey and 2 blinking flashlights at the hardware store. i just put ' munks' in the fuselage, told him what to do....and he figured out the routine in short order. total cost 37.50. way cheaper than buying a new grimes power supply pack.

Post by **GAHorn** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:42 am

I'm not sure if you're really talking about a Grimes "strobe" system, or if you're actually referring to a Grimes rotating beacon, with a drive motor and rotating incandescent lamps within the red "jar" lens. The latter is actually easliy replaced with a Whelen HR-CFA unit designed as an exact replacement, and actually IS a genuine strobe light. It is sold by Spruce as PN 11-16216 (red/white lens) for $338. I've used them on other aircraft and they are good units. They also sell all red or all white lens units.

lawson · Post by **lawson** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 4:42 pm

hi george-
the grimes power supply pack had a burned out pc board and other issues. i called honeywell(parent co. of grimes) and(again) got the same high-dollar quote for replacement and purchasing new. it's a strobe system...and not a flashing beacon. thanks for the info on the 'rotating beacon'. my mechanic also told me about 'aeroflash'....and that it is a fairly cheap strobe/flash system. happy flying. cameron

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:23 pm

lawson wrote:I ended up buying a small monkey and 2 blinking flashlights at the hardware store. i just put ' munks' in the fuselage, told him what to do....and he figured out the routine in short order. total cost 37.50. way cheaper than buying a new grimes power supply pack.

Lawson, I think you got it going on!

The monkey can guard the hangar, turn on the preheat on those cold mornings, maybe even do oil changes & some light maiintenance. You better buy one of those series 100 service manuals & leave it in the hangar next to a bunch of banana's. (I think that how some of my A&P buddies were trained) That monkey might be the best aviation investment you've ever made. I salute you!

Eric

lawson · Post by **lawson** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 9:48 pm

it's gotten cold in montana. i drove to the hangar only to find ol' munks frozen like a popsicle. a half eaten banana in one hand....a blinking flashlight in the other.

i moved on, and decided to get a 'real' strobe system. thanks george for the advice. i went with the whelen comet flash HR-CFA R/W(aircraft spruce product number 11-16216. also purchase a mounting adapter A440(aircraft spruce #A440).

thanks to all for your comments. Munks R.I.P. happy holidays. N1787D.

doug8082a · Post by **doug8082a** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:41 am

lawson wrote:it's gotten cold in montana. i drove to the hangar only to find ol' munks frozen like a popsicle. a half eaten banana in one hand....a blinking flashlight in the other.
Munks R.I.P. happy holidays. N1787D.

A friend of mine had one of those. He ain't really dead - just not used to the cold. Just hold him in front of the preheater for 5 or 10 minutes. He'll come around.

zero.one.victor · Post by **zero.one.victor** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:56 am

Didja hear about the pilot who showed up at his home airport after his first trip to Oshkosh, with a monkey on his shoulder? The other pilots asked "where'd you get that ugly SOB?" and the monkey replied "I picked him up cheap at the flymarket".................

The International Cessna 170 Association