A aviation & planes forum. AviationBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AviationBanter forum » rec.aviation newsgroups » Soaring
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Experience with Lithium Iron Phosphate Glider batteries?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
  #1  
Old May 17th 16, 05:58 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
SF
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 214
Default Experience with Lithium Iron Phosphate Glider batteries?

During the winter of 2009 I was bored, and aggravated with the sealed lead acid batteries that I was using in my sailplane. They didn't hold the voltage above 12v for very long, they needed replacement every few years, and I had one die 5 miles away from the airport at the end of a 300K badge flight. My argument that I had 2,000 FT over final glide at that point didn't sway the FAI from rejecting that flight for my badge attempt.

My search at the time led me to the K2 (Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry)batteries that were the subject of my spring of 2010 battery article in Soaring.

Reaction to the article was mixed, and a partial retraction was printed the following month after an FAA DER (Designated Engineering Reviewer)with experience in certifying Lithium Ion batteries for some type of usage in commercial airliners, objected to the use of Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries in sailplanes because they hadn't been certified for that use by the FAA.

It's now 2016, and I see a lot of K2 batteries in other sailplanes. Soaring supply companies in the U.S. seem to be providing K2 batteries or a similar battery from a different manufacturer on a regular basis. The K2 battery I purchased in 2009, and it's twin purchased a year later, are still providing power to my sailplane without incident. There seems to be no degradation in performance, and other than switching to Anderson Power Pole connectors, I have not made any changes to my battery set up.

Has anyone out there had an issue with the usage of Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry batteries in sailplanes?

Just curious because, a lot of dire consequences were predicted after my article came out.

SF
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Any Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries come in Lead-acid 12 amp hourcase sizes [email protected] Soaring 9 July 13th 14 06:16 PM
Nonflammable lithium batteries Ron Gleason Soaring 0 February 12th 14 02:08 AM
Lithium Batteries Orval Fairbairn[_2_] Piloting 21 October 17th 10 10:21 PM
Still interested in Lithium batteries for your glider? Eric Greenwell Soaring 5 March 5th 05 02:32 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AviationBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.