Odyssey Battery

[8224]

I use a blue styrofoam that seems to be impervious to everything and weighs practically nothing.

[a64pilot]

Deja vu! John C covered this in recent past probably before you came back aboard, Jody. I suggest you read the preamble to AC 43.13-!B & 2B. Yes, the data therein can be used for a "basis" for an approval but it can also be used as "approved" data if the 3 criteria are met that are listed therein. I have done just that on a 337 major alteration and coordinated the case with my FSDO contact and he said "send it in" and I asked for clarification, "do you mean send to you for review", and he said "no" send it direct to OKC!

I'm only addressing the approval issue - not the issue of updated info cancels previous published data.

The new 43.13, the one with all of the deleted data can be used as approved data, but the old ones weren’t, if I’m not mistaken. I believe he is using data from the old ones.

However it’s my opinion based on my interpretation of what’s in the TCDS that any PMA 12V battery with 24 AH or greater reserve is acceptable, just update the W&B.
In my opinion then it’s a minor modification, and therefore needs no substantiation, If you start substantiating it, that could move it into a major modification in my opinion.
I threw all that in my opinions in there, because I believe it’s up to the installer to determine minor or major, and 43.13 gives examples of what a major is

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14 ... to_part_43

I could look my PMI in the eye and with a straight face say that any PMA 12V battery that will fit in the box and has a 24 AH rating to not be a major
alteration.

He or she may disagree and then I’m off filing a 337, or more likely installing a Concorde as the battle wouldn’t be worth it.

Now that I said that, you should stay within the weight of the original battery due to the box’s strength, making another box could get you into a major as you should substantiate the box is strong enough to hold the battery, and the underlying aircraft structure

[a64pilot]

I didn’t mean to start a “bun” fight.
If I had done some research I could have answered myself, just posted the question thinking it was an easy answer.
But the tripping point I believe is PMA.
However if you consider a battery a standard part, and I don’t think it’s too big a stretch to get there, then PMA isn’t necessary.
But using a non PMA battery and looking at the PMI without grinning might be hard.

I think they are more lenient as to what you do to your own aircraft than to others too

[a64pilot]

So, all of you that have a modern (Gil, Concord) 25 amp battery, what are you using to take up the extra space in the battery box?

I glued a couple layers of the orange silicone baffle seal. it’s not a real tight fit, but with the lid closed, where can it go?
Wood is flammable, just about anything has issues. I’m not constructing an aluminum assy.
Other than the Gill or Concorde and I guess the 680, what else is there? Whatever the factory used is long gone isn’t it?
Oh, and I wouldn’t put a Gill in an enemies airplane. I’ve seen too many boil over and leak acid.