Airplane Batteries

Thanks again, everyone, for the info/discussion.

My mechanic came out this afternoon and took the battery and battery box
out of the airplane. There was some liquid on top of the battery and
inside the box, and a fair amount had drained out of the drain tube.

He removed the battery from the box, checked the levels and wiped it
off, washed the battery box with baking soda and water, dried it, and
took it with him to repaint the bottom inside. He also took the battery
to charge it on the bench and check it tomorrow. He said when you remove
water from an overfilled cell, you are also removing acid and changing
that balance which can also cause the overheating and boiling over.

He concurred with the person here that said the proper way to service
the battery is to remove it from the airplane, especially if it is in
the cockpit (like mine) vs. in the engine compartment. He also agreed
with the person that suggested that since my battery is in such an
inaccessible spot and I'm not a mechanic, a sealed battery would be a
good choice.

Thanks again for the discussion, everyone. Personally, I don't care if I
have to replace it more frequently, I'd rather have the sealed variety
that doesn't involve all this!

I am, however, still curious about the trickle charger. Is it
advantageous to have this plugged in between flights if you fly at least
once/week or is it actually detrimental to the life of the battery?

Nope, the acid in the electrolyte has to be replaced if you
drain. The water is what breaks down during the
charge/discharge cycle, so you only add water to a working
battery.

The act of draining the sludge would move the sludge into
the spaces between the plates, destroying the battery. Just
buy a new one and re-cycle the old one, they will melt it
down and make bullets, wheel weights and more batteries.


--
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.


"Jose" wrote in message
m...
| 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.]
|
| Would it make sense to periodically drain the sludge and
refill with
| fresh water?
|
| Jose
| --
| Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
| for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jim Macklin" wrote

Of course NiCad batteries used in KingAirs and
jets cost as much as a small car.

Anyone ever seen a cutaway or the real insides of one of those big Nicads
used in Jets? I sure would like to see how they are made.
--
Jim in NC

Each cell is a metal case with terminals. They are slide
into the larger case and connected with bus bars to complete
the circuit.

http://www.saftbatteries.com/020-MS_..._advantage.asp

http://www.saftbatteries.com/020-MS_...cteur=Aircraft

--
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.


"Morgans" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
|
| Of course NiCad batteries used in KingAirs and
| jets cost as much as a small car.
|
| Anyone ever seen a cutaway or the real insides of one of
those big Nicads
| used in Jets? I sure would like to see how they are made.
| --
| Jim in NC
|
|

Blueskies

You can also get from your wife if she uses it for her steam iron
(like she should) )

Been doing that for years.

Big John
`````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 22:03:02 GMT, ".Blueskies."
wrote:


"Jim Macklin" wrote in message news:lSaBf.69242$QW2.68282@dukeread08...
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.



You can also get distilled water from the de-humidifier....

If you go to the battery room at a place that sells a lot of batteries
you will see that they have them on a trickle charge. Last I remember
seeing was at a Sears shop.

I keep my electric handicap scooter on a trickle after I charge after
use.

If you have a lead acid, then do the math and get the correct trickle
charger and won't hurt the battery and it will be 'hot' when you go to
start.

Big John
``````````````````````````````````

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 18:14:59 -0700, unicate wrote:

Thanks again, everyone, for the info/discussion.

My mechanic came out this afternoon and took the battery and battery box
out of the airplane. There was some liquid on top of the battery and
inside the box, and a fair amount had drained out of the drain tube.

He removed the battery from the box, checked the levels and wiped it
off, washed the battery box with baking soda and water, dried it, and
took it with him to repaint the bottom inside. He also took the battery
to charge it on the bench and check it tomorrow. He said when you remove
water from an overfilled cell, you are also removing acid and changing
that balance which can also cause the overheating and boiling over.

He concurred with the person here that said the proper way to service
the battery is to remove it from the airplane, especially if it is in
the cockpit (like mine) vs. in the engine compartment. He also agreed
with the person that suggested that since my battery is in such an
inaccessible spot and I'm not a mechanic, a sealed battery would be a
good choice.

Thanks again for the discussion, everyone. Personally, I don't care if I
have to replace it more frequently, I'd rather have the sealed variety
that doesn't involve all this!

I am, however, still curious about the trickle charger. Is it
advantageous to have this plugged in between flights if you fly at least
once/week or is it actually detrimental to the life of the battery?

wrote

I am, however, still curious about the trickle charger. Is it
advantageous to have this plugged in between flights if you fly at least
once/week or is it actually detrimental to the life of the battery?

Depends on the type of battery. Recombinant, Jim has said hates that. Lead
acid would rather be full than sit around discharged. Gel cells (lead) hate
to sit around fully or partially discharged.

The key to any trickle charger is the cut off voltage, too. If one is set
too high, then it is always bad. A correct cut off, and IMHO, you can't
hurt lead acid.

Real world, is probably flying it once a week or even twice will not require
anything, if your charging system is working correctly.
--
Jim in NC

Peter Duniho wrote:
"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).

Most bottled water is dead water. You couldn't find a mineral in there
to save your life.

It is your battery, use what ever water you want. But most
bottled water has minerals added so there is a flavor, some
waters now have flavors.

Only distilled water is pure, deionized water is OK too, but
that is harder to find on the store shelves.


--
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
. ..
|
|
| Peter Duniho wrote:
| "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).
|
| Most bottled water is dead water. You couldn't find a
mineral in there
| to save your life.

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..
Most bottled water is dead water. You couldn't find a mineral in there to
save your life.

So? Even if more than half the bottled waters out there have had every
molecule of minerals filtered out (and I doubt that's true), that doesn't
make the water distilled.