REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit

[John Dibble]

I use the same technique with the drill.  I also grip the other side of
the rivet with cutters, pliers would probably do, to prevent it from
spinning.

John

Jorge Bujanda wrote:

> Hiroo,
>
> I am always weary of the Dremel when using it for certain critical
> tasks like this one. Those Dremel bits can really damage a part in no
> time if they get stuck in the material for whatever reason. My
> approach may be somewhat unorthodox but it has proven to be fast,
> simple and secure every time. When I want to remove a rivet, I use a
> drill bit of the same rivet size in a slow drill and very carefully
> drill the rivet head until it separates from the body.The hole in the
> rivet head acts as a guide for the drill bit.Sometimes I just stop
> slightly short of separating the head and just brake it off with a
> slight pull. If done slowly and carefully, it allows easy removal of
> the rivet parts leaving the hole intact for the new one
Just a
> thought.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jorge Bujanda
> Velocity XL FG
>
> Palmdale, CA
> Website:  http://members.dslextreme.com/users/jbujanda/
>
> "Make your best case... not the best case."
> "Spare the noise... convince through silence."
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
> [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Hiroo Umeno
>
> Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 10:06 AM
> To:Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit
>
> Thanks y’all.  I am taking that thing apart this evening.  They
> riveted the case shut so it will take a bit of handi-work with a
> Dremel.
>
> Hiroo
>
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
> [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Ron Brown
>
> Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 9:42 AM
> To:Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit
> Hiroo,
> For $5, its worth a try!  By the way, Whelen has a similar problem if
> left unused.  I got this out of my notes:
>
> "Just firing up after a long period of not using your
  strobes WILL ruin the capacitors.  Maybe even cause them to
  explode!
  Whelan warns against this.

  Proper procedure is to remove the flash tube, apply 75% of
  normal supply
  voltage for 10 to 15 minutes. Wait until the capacitor
  discharges ( hour).
  Re-install the flash tube. You can then use full voltage without
  harming the
  capacitor. All this and the full story in the November Issue of
  the Experimenter, p 39! (don't know what year - 2000?)

> Speaking of strobes - I found that if the inside of the heavy glass
> strobe tube cover is turning milky colored, it is a sign that moisture
> is leaking in.  After buying two replacement tubes over two years, my
> I/A friend had a used spare he had pulled.  We sealed the glass to the
> rubber strobe seat with RTV.  That strobe is still working after 10
> years!
> Ron
>
>      ----- Original Message -----
>      From: Hiroo Umeno
>      To: reflector at tvbf.org
>      Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 11:53 AM
>      Subject: REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit
>      Hello folks,
>
>      In inspecting my plane this weekend, I found out that my
>      left wing flasher wasn’t flashing.  After a rather lengthy
>      contortionist acts with the wrenches, I pulled both left and
>      right side flasher power unit and determined that the
>      failure follows the power unit that came out of the left
>      wingroot.
>
>      In reviewing the FAQ from the Aeroflash’s web site, I
>      discovered that these things have “shelf life” where if they
>      sit inactive for over a year, they are likely to fail when
>      you get it started up.  Given that the thing has sat for
>      over five years without running power to them, I can imagine
>      them going “bad”.  According to the site, the problem is in
>      the electrolytic capacitor that loses its polarity and
>      overheats when powered back up.
>
>      That gives me enough information to “refurb” the unit for
>      probably less than $5 when the new one is over $100.  I am
>      quite handy with soldering iron and am comfortable messing
>      around in the electronics.  The question is
  Is that
>      advisable?  Has anyone seen this happen and successfully
>      repaired it?
>
>      Hiroo
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