Airplane Batteries

I am a new airplane owner (since May). My mechanic replaced my battery
last June. No choices, I figured he bought the one it needed.

Just serviced it (added water). It's in a REALLY awkward spot to get at
and see inside the cells -- on the floor under the instrument panel of a
plane with no doors (climb in over the sides). I understand if the water
level is not just right, it will boil over and then needs to be cleaned
with baking soda and water. I've heard since that the battery should be
removed when servicing. Today I heard you can buy a dry battery, that
there is controversy about which lasts longer, but that maybe since mine
is so difficult to access, the dry type would be a better choice.

Thoughts/Opinions?

I use a recombinant gas (RG) battery in my aerobatic plane, since acid
leakage could be catastrophic. They won't leak at all, and there's nothing
to check.

The down side is that they need replacement every two or three years as
compared to a regular lead acid battery.

"Viperdoc" wrote in message
news
The down side is that they need replacement every two or three years as
compared to a regular lead acid battery.

Hell, that sounds *exactly* like a regular lead acid battery...

The down side is that they need replacement every two or three years as
compared to a regular lead acid battery.

Hell, that sounds *exactly* like a regular lead acid battery...

We've replaced two lead-acid batteries. Both were 7 years old.

We've got our first RG battery on board now. We'll see how long it lasts...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Grumman-581 wrote:
"Viperdoc" wrote in message
news
The down side is that they need replacement every two or three years as
compared to a regular lead acid battery.

Hell, that sounds *exactly* like a regular lead acid battery...

Not mine. The Gill batteries in my C-150 lasted about 6 years.

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

"George Patterson" wrote

Not mine. The Gill batteries in my C-150 lasted about 6 years.

What is your secret for success? Do you have it inside,heated, trickle
charge it, fly often?
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

"George Patterson" wrote

Not mine. The Gill batteries in my C-150 lasted about 6 years.

What is your secret for success? Do you have it inside,heated, trickle
charge it, fly often?

I kept it tied down in New Jersey, charged the battery once a year during the
annual, and flew 70-100 hours a year. Flying was pretty regularly spaced out
over the year except for those periods when unexpected maintenance was
necessary. I flew few really long flights, though I did make Sun'n Fun once.

Prior to my buying the plane, it was kept tied down in West Virginia. It flew
about 4 hours in the year before I bought it. I had to replace the battery a few
years after I bought the plane in 1989. According to the logs and the tags on
the battery, it was a little over 6 years old. I sold the plane in 1996. The new
owner is also in New Jersey and kept it tied down. As of 1998, the battery was
still going strong, but I haven't spoken with the man since then. The plane is
still registered to the guy who bought it from me.

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

My thought is this should be posted under "owning" not piloting.

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

Sorry if it's a problem here. I just figured if we can discuss hotels
and restaurants, airplane batteries shouldn't bother anyone.

I just figured if we can discuss hotels
and restaurants, airplane batteries shouldn't bother anyone.

Hotels and restaurants have nothing to do with aviation, so they are
fine in an aviation newsgroup. OTOH, aircraft batteries have to be OT
in an aviation newsgroup or the penguin would explode.

Jose
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.