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Blackout Drive Bulb

dmetalmiki

Well-known member
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Location
London England
use stock bulbs

I simply replace all and any of my M series truck bulbs with regular 24 volt commercial truck bulbs. and they are so cheap " trade" I buy a box at a time. 24V 3 or 6 watt side lamps for side and driving plus markers. (includes the black out and marker lights) and 24 V stop light bulbs (single fillament ) comercial truck bulbs for the rear STOP lamps and all turn signals.
 
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Ferroequinologist

Resident railroad expert
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Liberty Hill, SC
Which blackout light do you mean? the ones in the composite light housings, or the large one on the front of the truck?

The ones in the composite housings are the same bulb as the markers. I've seen some of them in the tail lamps replaced with LEDs.
 

2old2humps

New member
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Location
New Effington SD
It's in a composite housing recessed in the drivers side front bumper on my m35A3. the bulb has a reflector that slips over it ( like a flashlight ). On a dark night it will shine a blue light about 20' ahead . No real use in the civilian world, but looks cool for show and tell.:) A 24V marker bulb will work but the reflector will not fit so it won't focus the light.
 

Rustygears

New member
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Location
Ramona, CA
This is a Halogen specialty bulb

This bulb is made by Welch Allyn, which also makes the lights that doctors use to look in your ears, etc. Their P/N is 998601-1. I too have an A3 with the BO headlight out. There is no other source that I have been able to find for this lamp. It is a 19 watt lamp, so it is not easy to find a 24V replacement that has the same high light output in such a small bulb that fits.

I am contacting W-A to see if they will sell these lamps directly or if they have a stocking distributor that carries them.

BTW - The lens of the lamp housing is tinted blue to remove any IR output.
 

Unforgiven

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Las Vegas, NV
I've never flipped the light switch to that position. What does it do, open the brake light circuit & energize infrared bulbs to be used with night vision goggles?
 

Rustygears

New member
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Location
Ramona, CA
As I promised, here's the source I found for a replacement 998601-1 bulb for the M35A3 BO headlight:
Original Mfg: Welch-Allyn
Price: $32.59 + Shipping & Tax
Phone: 315-685-4172
email contact: killmored@welchallyn.com

They were very prompt in responding and providing price/ordering instructions. I have 2 on order!

Cheers!
 

Rustygears

New member
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Location
Ramona, CA
I have seen them listed in some GL lots, but then you have to buy a few pallets of other junk just to get one or two bulbs which may still be no good. After searching for another source & cross to a common lamp and getting the detailed specs for this lamp, I realized that it was likely only W-A had it. Prior to jan 1, you could get the specs, drawings, etc. from the W-A website and even order it on line. They seem to have changed all that in the past couple weeks and after a few email referrrals I struck pay dirt with the contact info I provided. Even though the lamps are expensive, I figure one or two will outlast me given how much I expect to use it.
 
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Location
Independence, OH
The blackout light system was intended to make the vehicles stealthy at night. ( How's that again? Kind of hard to imagine a deuce as stealthy.) Well, make them harder to spot from that air anyhow. My brother says that although they provide enough (usually) find the curb on the road he'd rather tape a flashlight to the front bumper and drive by that.
 
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