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I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:51 am
by 8451
The Concorde RG-25 that was in my plane when I bought it no longer puts out enough cranking amps to turn the starter. My quick research here seems to indicate there are a couple different camps for which battery brand is the go-to. To put it all in one place, what battery do you use? If you had to buy one now, would it be different?
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 9:18 am
by 6795
Odyssey J-16 FAA/PMA.
You will need a field approval from your IA but most have no problem with this.
Odyssey sells a support bracket that fits nicely inside the original battery box.
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 4:54 pm
by 8244
Odyssey for me , 6 years never touched it ( how long do they last) lighter too! No acid to worry about
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 7:31 pm
by 8451
I spoke to my IA earlier this weekend about the approval process on an Odyssey. I'll forward him the 337 in the document library on here.
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:56 am
by 6643
The battery is PMA approved for other aircraft. AC43-13.2b Chapter 10 discusses battery installations and is approved data for our aircraft. Based on this, the IA I have worked with for 30 years determined it is a minor modification and can be accomplished with a log book entry. If your IA doesn't agree then he can file a 337 citing AC43.13-2b as approved data. No further approval (i.e. a field approval) should be necessary.
A note: do not use the available mounting bracket attached to the back of the existing battery box. The battery box is designed to contain the battery in the event of a frontal crash by supporting the load with the forward face of the box. If you transfer the load to the back of the box it may tear loose in a crash. AC43.13-2a (not the current revision) discusses using wooden blocks to space the battery side to side and front to back. That section has been omitted from the current version. IMHO, 12 year old data should be good for a 75 year old airplane.
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:44 am
by 8451
6643 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 6:56 am
The battery is PMA approved for other aircraft. AC43-13.2b Chapter 10 discusses battery installations and is approved data for our aircraft. Based on this, the IA I have worked with for 30 years determined it is a minor modification and can be accomplished with a log book entry. If your IA doesn't agree then he can file a 337 citing AC43.13-2b as approved data. No further approval (i.e. a field approval) should be necessary.
A note: do not use the available mounting bracket attached to the back of the existing battery box. The battery box is designed to contain the battery in the event of a frontal crash by supporting the load with the forward face of the box. If you transfer the load to the back of the box it may tear loose in a crash. AC43.13-2a (not the current revision) discusses using wooden blocks to space the battery side to side and front to back. That section has been omitted from the current version. IMHO, 12 year old data should be good for a 75 year old airplane.
A minor would definitely be easier than a major alteration. A question on the bracket - looking at the illustration on the 337 here it appears that person attached the bracket to the bottom of the battery box rather than one of the walls. What say you on that method?
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 10:29 am
by 6643
I'm pretty sure the only way to use that bracket is to attach it to the rear wall of the box. If the cables were a little longer you could attach it to the front. All you would need is a wooden box to transfer the forward load to the front face of the box, but once you have that the bracket becomes superfluous (pretty much)...
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 3:10 pm
by V529
6643 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 10:29 am
I'm pretty sure the only way to use that bracket is to attach it to the rear wall of the box. If the cables were a little longer you could attach it to the front. All you would need is a wooden box to transfer the forward load to the front face of the box, but once you have that the bracket becomes superfluous (pretty much)...
Yes, the provided bracket only works with the back of the battery box. A small piece of wood inbetween the "bracket" and the front of the battery box would transfer the load to the front battery box wall?
Re: I need a battery - what brand?
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:44 am
by 6643
V529 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 3:10 pm
A small piece of wood inbetween the "bracket" and the front of the battery box would transfer the load to the front battery box wall?
Yes.