Airplane Batteries

"Ash Wyllie" wrote:
Clearly, discussing airplane batteries is out in this news group.

How ever, it is perfectly permissible to talk about batteries for hotel
emergency lighting.

I didn't mean to pick on Jay, I have no objections to reading his
hotel/restaurant topics.

But his aren't the only non *piloting* topics here -- we have a topic
about two women perpetrating a scam (yeah, that's really about piloting
.... NOT!), guns, and many other non-piloting topics. I didn't see anyone
tell them to post that stuff elsewhere, so yeah, I was just a little
miffed to be told that *my* topic about airplane batteries didn't really
belong here! Obviously many rec.aviation.piloting participants are
airplane owners that no doubt have info about this.

Distilled water is cheap and can even be drunk in an
emergency. Using tap water in a battery will introduce
whatever minerals are in the local water and that will
damage the chemical reaction in the cells.

A solidly mounted battery, isolated from heavy vibration,
not over charged and always kept a "full charge" will last a
long time. Having a battery adequate for the starter loads
and maintaining the electrical system so that excessive load
doesn't over-heat the plates and cause them to warp is
important.

If you fly day/VFR, a good battery is a luxury that lets you
get started. IFR and night makes the battery essential.
Even replacing the battery every year or two is cheaper than
a funeral.
--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"nrp" wrote in message
oups.com...
| I've gotten at least 9 years each on the last three Gill
batteries on
| my 172M. I make sure the plates never get exposed - even
filling with
| tap water or from a nearby mud puddle. Rarely a trickle
charger unless
| it has been or going to sit for a couple of months. I
always get
| starts in one or two revolutions. Cessna has a good
electrical system
| in my book.
|

("150flivver" wrote)
My thought is this should be posted under "owning" not piloting.


IMHO, it's a 50/50 call - it's of interest to pilots, so it's fine here.
However, yes, r.a.owning is another option.

Hey, crosspost to both. g


Montblack

IFR and night makes the battery essential.
Even replacing the battery every year or two is cheaper than
a funeral.

I agree - although I've always been able to see an impending failure
(except when I've left the master on......)

IFR and night makes the battery essential.

Even replacing the battery every year or two is cheaper than
a funeral.

I agree - although so far I've always been able to see an impending
failure thru charging current anomalies except when I've left the
master on......

On the other hand there just might be an infant mortality among 15 - 30
batteries that would have been needed to cover the 30 years I've had
this 172M. I'm glad I have a 12 V system though.

unicate wrote:
George Patterson wrote:

RG batteries are very sensitive to being left in a partially
discharged state.


I plug in the trickle-charger every time I come back from a flight and
leave it on until I go again (lead-acid battery). Mechanic concurs that
this is a good idea. I usually fly once or twice/week. Sounds like this
would be a good thing for an RG battery as well?

I can't imagine why this would be a good idea for a plane flown at least
once a week regardless of what type of battery you use. I use a regular
lead acid battery in my Bonanza and used the same in my 182 when I had
that. No reason a battery won't last 5-6 under these conditions.

Jim Macklin wrote:

Distilled water is cheap and can even be drunk in an
emergency.

Well sure, that's essentially what bottled water is anyways.

"Newps" wrote in message
...
Well sure, that's essentially what bottled water is anyways.

Distilled is hardly the same as filtered (which is actually what bottled
water typically is).

Bottled water is filtered tap water and often is enhanced
with "minerals for taste" or spring water which also has
minerals.

Distilled water has been BOILED and the steam condensed, it
is as pure as chemically possible. Less than a dollar a
gallon. A gallon will keep the battery in your car and
plane filled for about 25 years. Use a basting syringe to
add distilled water, an ounce at a time, six cells. If the
electrolyte level is low in all cells that means that it is
working evenly, but if just one or two cells are low, there
is likely to be a problem developing.

FAR preventative maintenance does allow the pilot to check
electrolyte levels and add water, also use a hydrometer to
check specific gravity to see that the battery is fully
charging. That combined with a voltage check to be sure
that the system is not charging at too high a voltage is the
most important things a pilot/owner can do to get maximum
life.

But all batteries wear out because lead flakes off the
plates and collects in the bottom of a standard lead/acid
battery [that's why the plates do not extend all the way to
the bottom of the case, the space is there to collect lead
sludge. When the sludge touches the plates they short out
and the cell is dead.]


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

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Newps" wrote in message
...
|
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
|
| Distilled water is cheap and can even be drunk in an
| emergency.
|
| Well sure, that's essentially what bottled water is
anyways.

If you are servicing the battery more than once per year there may be
something wrong. I replace my battery every 2-3 years. The only
othertime the battery box is opened is during annual.

-Robert