Removing an ELT to change battery

[[email protected]]

I have a Piper Archer III and want to change the battery. The ELT is
an Artex 110-4. I can open the panel and found two thumbscrews which
only remove the cap of the ELT, I can also remove the BNC and Molex
connector. There are four screws on top, however these serve only to
open the ELT, exposing the circuit board, they do not allow it to be
removed from plane. However, I can't remove the ELT itself from the
plane to change the battery. It can't be hard, but it's not obvious
either. Any ideas ?

[Mike Murdock]

Many pilots don't realize this, but they are required to have the proper
documentation before they work on their airplanes, even when only performing
preventive maintenance.

http://www.artex.net -> Support & Resources -> Documents -> Manuals -> ELT
110-4/ 110-6 / 100 HM Description, Installation, Operation and Maintenance
Manual

-Mike

> wrote in message
...
>I have a Piper Archer III and want to change the battery. The ELT is
> an Artex 110-4. I can open the panel and found two thumbscrews which
> only remove the cap of the ELT, I can also remove the BNC and Molex
> connector. There are four screws on top, however these serve only to
> open the ELT, exposing the circuit board, they do not allow it to be
> removed from plane. However, I can't remove the ELT itself from the
> plane to change the battery. It can't be hard, but it's not obvious
> either. Any ideas ?

[Jay Honeck[_2_]]

> It can't be hard, but it's not obvious
> either. Any ideas ?

I had the same problem with mine during my owner-assisted annual last year.

You practically have to dislocate your wrist in order to maneuver the
screws/latches, etc. to remove it. I could not do it.

I finally got my A&P to do it. He, of course, smirked, reached in, (blind,
of course -- once your arm is in the access hole, you can't see the ELT) and
had the thing removed in seconds.

Putting it back in was even harder...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Margy Natalie]

Jay Honeck wrote:
>> It can't be hard, but it's not obvious
>> either. Any ideas ?
>
>
> I had the same problem with mine during my owner-assisted annual last year.
>
> You practically have to dislocate your wrist in order to maneuver the
> screws/latches, etc. to remove it. I could not do it.
>
> I finally got my A&P to do it. He, of course, smirked, reached in,
> (blind, of course -- once your arm is in the access hole, you can't see
> the ELT) and had the thing removed in seconds.
>
> Putting it back in was even harder...
>
> ;-)
Ours is an easy to get out of the bracket, but the bracket is located
half-way down the tail. One of my mechanics prefers that I change it as
last time she did the plane tilted back on the tail and she was
head-first... Well, you get the picture.

Margy

[RST Engineering]

One of the no-go items on my annual list is a 55 gallon barrel under the
tail tiedown ring for that very reason. 225 pounds has one hell of an aft
moment arm halfway down the fuselage tunnel lookin' at the pulleys going
round and round.

Jim


> Ours is an easy to get out of the bracket, but the bracket is located
> half-way down the tail. One of my mechanics prefers that I change it as
> last time she did the plane tilted back on the tail and she was
> head-first... Well, you get the picture.

[Margy Natalie]

RST Engineering wrote:
> One of the no-go items on my annual list is a 55 gallon barrel under the
> tail tiedown ring for that very reason. 225 pounds has one hell of an aft
> moment arm halfway down the fuselage tunnel lookin' at the pulleys going
> round and round.
>
> Jim
>
The time I found the mechanic using her walker (recent hip replacement)
as a tail stand I almost lost it.

Margy

[John Godwin]

I didn't realize how fortunate I am. Ours is in plain sight in the
baggage area; I just reach over the back seat and voila. :-)

--