Airplane Batteries

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 21:04:34 -0700, Newps wrote:



Jim Macklin wrote:

Because they are different. The automotive charger is high
amperage

It might be, depends on the charger. My automotive charger is a 50 amp
car starter and a 20 amp charger. The charger will vary as the battery
gets charged. As the battery gets topped off the current drops to an
amp or so.

snip

hook your charger up to your automotive battery and check the final
voltage after it has charged overnight.

if it is below 14.5 volts, it is likely not to harm your aircraft
battery if used to charge at a low rate. if it is above 14.5 volts,
depending on how long it is left "charging", it might.

it really doesn't matter to me, useta sell a lot of batteries to
people that used the monsta-charger set @ 50 amps to charge their
flooded-cell aircraft batteries. pull the electrolyte out and it looks
like dirty weak tea with black flecks on it. btw if your plane's
voltage regulator is set much above 14.5 volts, the battery will look
the same way...

TC

Jim Macklin wrote:


If I recall, the maximum recommended charge rate is 10% of
the amp/hour rating, so a "dead" battery will take 10 hours
to charge.

That is true for any battery. Aircraft batteries are no different in
construction than car batteries.

Actually, aircraft batteries are constructed differently,
mostly lighter weight components, small volume, less
electrolyte, etc.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
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But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
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"Newps" wrote in message
...
|
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
|
| If I recall, the maximum recommended charge rate is 10%
of
| the amp/hour rating, so a "dead" battery will take 10
hours
| to charge.
|
| That is true for any battery. Aircraft batteries are no
different in
| construction than car batteries.
|

wrote:

btw if your plane's
voltage regulator is set much above 14.5 volts, the battery will look
the same way...

Just curious. Do the solid-state regulators have adjustments? Is it possible for
one to put out too much voltage?

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

George Patterson wrote:

wrote:

btw if your plane's
voltage regulator is set much above 14.5 volts, the battery will look
the same way...

Just curious. Do the solid-state regulators have adjustments? Is it possible for
one to put out too much voltage?

Seems like just under 14V may be better from airport talk.

Ron Lee

Ron Lee wrote:
George Patterson wrote:

wrote:

btw if your plane's
voltage regulator is set much above 14.5 volts, the battery will look
the same way...

Just curious. Do the solid-state regulators have adjustments? Is it possible for
one to put out too much voltage?

Seems like just under 14V may be better from airport talk.

Ron Lee

Depends how often you fly/how long you spend in the air. With frequent
use and longer legs, the voltage should be set a little lower.

The battery manufacturers useta publish charts that recommended bus
voltage based on battery operating temperature. The higher the battery
temp, the lower the voltage.

Problem is, you are "supposed" to set them according to the aircraft
manufacturer's specs.

TC

wrote:

Problem is, you are "supposed" to set them according to the aircraft
manufacturer's specs.

I take it this means that the solid state regulators *can* be adjusted?

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 03:35:09 GMT, George Patterson
wrote:


I take it this means that the solid state regulators *can* be adjusted?

depends on the unit. old lamar (sp?) regulators had an adjustment
screw. I don't think the newer zeftronics units do.

TC

Trickle charger or float charger--are they the same? I understood a
trickle charger to supply a low amperage charge continuously while a
float charger will stop charging once the battery is fully charged and
then turn itself on again when the voltage drops below a certain
amount. I've got my airplane battery hooked up to a float charger
between flights. I understand a trickle charger will overcharge a
battery if left on continuously.

Has anyone any experience with the battery desulfator (or desulphator)
units that are supposed to break up the crystals that form on the lead
plates that eventually cause the battery to fail?

150flivver wrote:

Trickle charger or float charger--are they the same? I understood a
trickle charger to supply a low amperage charge continuously while a
float charger will stop charging once the battery is fully charged and
then turn itself on again when the voltage drops below a certain
amount. I've got my airplane battery hooked up to a float charger
between flights. I understand a trickle charger will overcharge a
battery if left on continuously.

You can give any battery 1-2 amps constantly and it will never hurt it.