[weblacky]

Ok, I got a call back today from my bulb supplier - not bad news, but not great.

First off, we’re going off specs, not pictures:

The agent found what he thinks are the last bulbs on earth for this within their distributor network. He claims they are the actually marked as being indicator lamps at 5V and the tolerance of dimensions, + or - are stated in spec sheets, seem to match. There is a somewhat high charge for them but he found them in a California distributor warehouse.


After import fee (because they are clones produced overseas), for 20 bulbs (minimum order is packs of 10), I’ll be on the hook for ~$43 USD. So not terrible, but priced higher than one might expect.

This distributor is listed as having only 90 bulbs left!

These are rated at 40,000 hours. There is a similar bulb rated 100,000 hours but it’s much dimmer, from another internet supplier I found, in the same part family but a different part number.

My only concern now is, amperage. Each bulb is rated @ 115mA. The next bulb down is more like an LED @ 60mA. I’m unsure where the 5v comes from for these lights. While I know the circuit will destroy two LEDs without resistors (so I know it can do so over 60mA x 2 ), I’m worried about overdraw.

However, I currently believe these sound right for several, anecdotal, reasons:

1. 40,000 hours would mean about 3 years of being on, if they were 100,000, we’d see many more working light bars (even 10 years ago). Light bars pretty much are always burnt out, so they can’t be using a 100,000 hour bulb (numbers don’t make sense with observation).

2. We are still talking like 230mA. That’s not a lot for the other voltage lines on these things so it’s not far out in imagination land.

3. SGI put two of these into a light bar and it’s still not that bright, so I’d believe they used the brightest versions they could find, else they’d have gone with one bulb.

This sounds believable.

Obviously the bulb has been discontinued, I don’t know for how long (my guess would be since the early 2000’s given the need for incandescent indicator lamps, in aerospace I believe).

Once I can confirm, I’ll post the part number. It is a 4-digit code like all miniatures use. Hopefully I have an octane that can roared to life to test this...I’m trying to repair things slowly now. I’ll obviously test one in a bench power supply before I ever solder it into the board just to make sure it caps out at the draw it states.


I’ll start looking at other sources as well. But considering the collector community, 40,000 hours is a lifetime.

[weblacky]

OK, I called today on this...as their purchasing department feels my small order is like a nuisance or something...

My customer agent claimed the supplier has confirmed the order and is suppose to ship out the bulbs today, so I should be able to get them around middle of next week. I'm still on this and don't feel like letting up. I'll update when I have more.

[GeekLucanis]

I would buy 4 for my Octanes as well. The original bulb would be nice.

[weblacky]

Understood, I've been thinking of three issues:

1. Testing on a bench PSU (not hard), I'll try the bulbs first individually, then installed them on the lightbar to see what the draw is and the visual effect.

2. Probing out the lightbar port on the Octane to see where the power comes from. I was hoping it comes from the PSU 5v rail, I'm a tiny bit concerned about overdraw...I'd like to see the power source.

3. Monetizing, I do want to help others here. And yeah, bulbs are small. I'd like to maybe (since I have three Octanes right now under fix) come up with the best way to replace without ruining the rubber bumpers around the OEM bulbs. I think the best bet is my desoldering gun for FAST rework. I removed a single bulb with a normal iron against both legs and it nearly permanently distorted/destroyed the rubber bumper on that bulb. I think fast solder sucker will take care of that (install is a similar issue).

Given the delicate nature of those bumpers, I'm actually leaning towards doing a lightbar "service" when I have people send me their light bars, I install the bulbs, test the light bar on the bench PSU, and send it back. I could of course sent extra bulbs along with it for a fee.

However, that brings to mind big issues (returns/fraud/complaints) - so I'm of the mind that I'll need to test each bulb before selling and basically say...no refunds..only lost shipment insurance. The bulbs don't have markings (as far as I know) so I cannot tell if someone switches them on me, nor will I be responsible if someone destroys one through either the wrong voltage during test, or the oil from your hand getting on the bulbs and causing hot spots after install (leading to burn out). So if this turns out I'll be testing each bulb before sale/install. Then testing after install/cleaning.

If I do that, I think things will turn out fine. In terms of those that don't want the rebuild service and just want the bulbs...I'll have to be a firm and say I will selling you the bulbs...but I'm not responsible for the outcome at all. As I have found you need to be quick and delicate with rework and install. Each person will take the risk. However, I don't expect the bulbs to be so expensive that people will care too much. I'd rather do the whole lightbar so I know the product worked when it left and all the user has to do is plug it in (without touching the bulbs) and they will be fine. But if someone's willing to agree to my terms...yeah I'll sell the bulbs directly.

I've found possibly one other supplier for these (maybe) but I'm of coursing waiting on my current order to confirm these are them. I'm hopeful to have my order by the end of this week.

[rbz]

I think the best bet is my desoldering gun for FAST rework. I removed a single bulb with a normal iron against both legs and it nearly permanently distorted/destroyed the rubber bumper on that bulb. I think fast solder sucker will take care of that (install is a similar issue).

The gun would def help, but the 4 bulbs I removed all of the bumpers survived just fine, might just need to adjust your iron settings or tip size? If I recall I used a bit of wick and a fairly small wedge tip on my old as heck Metcal (no idea how hot these run its just on and off).

That being said I do have 2 of the bumpers from the last light bar I removed the bulbs from if you want them. I can toss them in an envelope and throw a stamp on them and snail mail it.

Fingers crossed the bulbs in your order are correct.

[weblacky]

I have a composite HAKKO FX-951 station, I run a standard 650f with kester 63/37 solder, used a general chisel tip as it was broad, I normally use a hoof tip). All I did was touch BOTH legs at once and remove the bulb with tweezers (cleared the holes later with wick, clearing while removing would have increased the dwell time). I think sending heat on both legs is what got me, so better to do fast solder removal on single leg (one at a time) to minimize body heating).

[weblacky]

Just got off the phone with the bulb distributor, there appears to be a "miscommunication" and the supplier in California is waiting for some fictitious release information until shipment. My customer agent claims the order should have been shipped on November 2, it was not. So my "checking up" was caused my customer agent to now call the supplier directly and ask why in the world they (my bulb distributor) haven't received this order yet. So more hoops to jump through (why would this be any different :-).

I did make it clear that this is a sample order and if it helps the supplier to know that I intend to clear out their small inventory of these bulbs, if they are in fact the correct part. To see if that helps or not.

I guess we'll keep waiting, I've not paid or given payment info for anything yet, so it's zero-risk to me (other than not ever getting the bulbs).

[weblacky]

I picked up the bulbs today, I won't be able to do definitive work for awhile but I'll do a bench PSU test soon. Right they are look EXACTLY the like the original (only the legs are longer and brass/gold colored). Putting them side-by-side...you cannot visually tell a difference (which is the original?). So hopefully these are them, I'll try to solder them to a lightbar and do a bench test soon. But I don't have a running octane right now, so until that happens they may not be definitely tested. But I'll check mA draw on the bench PSU to see if they are within spec...PICS AND MORE TO FOLLOW!

[dexter1]

Hope you can solder them in without too much heat transfer to the rubber. I'd suggest not using flux to prevent hot flux from creeping into the rubber.
Let us know how you manage

[weblacky]

I’m considering a few options. Right now my plan is to use heat transfer clips and solder paste for a lower temp melt. I think the combination may sneak under immediately distorting the rubber for 2-3 seconds. We’ll see.

The new bulbs have long legs, so I could attach heat clips and lower temp solder, then trim to length.

But that’s not final, I’m still considering other options.