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Thread: Odyssey Battery

  1. #101
    JPerkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    Rocket, I appreciate the advice. The plane is new to me so no cannot account for the last owner but I fly whenever I get the chance which lately between weather and work has been once a week at best. And when the plane sits idle for a week there's just not enough grunt to kick it off. This weekend I flew multiple times, and even then it wouldn't start the plane. According to the logs the battery is two years old, and after tonight I suspect there might be a charging issue. Tommorow I'll hook a voltmeter to the battery and do a runup and see what numbers I get.

  2. #102
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    So, went to plane at lunch, hooked up a multimeter, gave the prop a toss and here's what I got. At idle it was OCV (open circuit voltage) around 12.5V, a little low. At 1300 rpm no loads (master off) I saw 13.5V, voltage climbed to 15.6V at 1500 rpm and stayed at that voltage clear to WOT which saw 2300 rpm (which seemed a little low for static load). Then with a full load (everything electrical on including keying the mic), I got 13V at 1700 rpm which told me that the generator isn't weak and I ended the test at there. Now as I'm writing I wish I'd have done a full runup like I did with no load.

    So my question is, if I'm seeing 15.6V could the system be overcharging? Or do you think it was overcompensating for a junk battery? Currently I do not have a good one to try in the plane. Generators are a little before my time and I'm not an a&p, but if it was an alternator I'd be replacing the voltage regulator for overcharging.
    Thanks again folks, this forum really helps a guy in the bush that doesn't have a lot of brains around to pick on these sorts of topics.

  3. #103
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    The regulator field voltage is what controls the generator out put. 15.6 is to much. Good charging/operating voltage is between 13.4-ish to 14.8 volts. I was taught 13.8-14.8 VDC. Replace the regulator and battery. The battery charge state is the only thing the regulator cares about.

  4. #104
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    That's the same numbers I was taught as well, I was unsure if a generator was different. I've got another regulator here in the shop I'll throw on next time I get a chance and see what happens.

    Thanks Mark.

  5. #105
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    Default preference on battery

    The sole reason alternators and generators fail...wait...two reasons. First and foremost is a poor battery. Second is when jump starting someone's dead battery with your perfectly good charging system with the engine running ....the voltage regulator senses the shoddy battery....increases field voltage to full field....phbbt....there goes your alternator or generator... Test your battery before installing another regulator. Charge the battery...then with the alternator field open (off). Crank the engine while monitoring the battery voltage....mags off..... 20 seconds is along time to crank the engine... A fully charged battery that is in good condition....will not drop below 10.8 volts.
    Mark
    Last edited by mmoyle; 10-15-2014 at 07:43 PM. Reason: correction

  6. #106
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    Well my battery coming straight off a trickle charger won't flop more than four or five blades, was like that since I got he plane, figured it was just the nature of aviation batteries. I'll get a new battery, then check for overcharging and if so then I'll replace the regulator not before.
    Thanks again Mark.

    I'm a little ashamed of how much base knowledge I've forgotten. Cars these days are like a switch, it works, it don't work. And everything is plug and play. Nothing gets rebuilt anymore you just buy a new one. Guess I better sit down intro to automotives books from college and refresh myself

  7. #107
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    Don't feel bad... We've been programmed to toss out the old or broken and replace with new from Chi-Mart.. And since your last name is related to a recent repair problem.... A Perkins C4.4 injector pump...doesn't get rebuilt...replaced with new. Thing is. You can't time the pump.. Has to be locked by the manufacturer, install a couple steel pins to hold the crank and cam in position. A second locked pump later..none of the pins fit...had to go old school to set the engine timing... Was told when I bought the genset...when worn out...pitch it and buy another. I'm not that way....at 22k hours...things don't wear out...people just get tired of fixing them...

  8. #108
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    Quote Originally Posted by JPerkins View Post
    voltage climbed to 15.6V at 1500 rpm and stayed at that voltage clear to WOT
    The starting motor and alternator specialist at my office (engineering center for a major manufacturer of off-road diesel engines) once told me that the battery type and the alternator voltage are a pretty big deal. A conventional battery is OK up to 14.8 volts but a hybrid "low maintenance" battery will "boil off" the water at about the same voltage. We had to change the design on one of our alternators because of this (changed to a 14.4V regulator). 15.6 just sounds way too high to me. I think Mark is spot-on with what he's recommended.

  9. #109
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    I do have a digital voltage regulator and the old generator..if interested. Both were working fine when I munched the pacer. I set the voltage down to 14.4 for the err...um 3.4 pound battery I used Arkansas to Anchorage... Officially it was for my friends C-pap machine. It now is used to power the red dragon heater fan. Turned it back up to 14.7 volts after that battery was no longer part of the charging system. Aerovolts....will crank a big bore 550. Installing an Odyssey battery. What is the max charging voltage for those?

  10. #110
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    Default Re: preference on battery

    I've got another delco Remy mechanical regulator, and just realized I may be able to adjust that. I'll have to look. If the odyssey is an absorbed glass mat (AGM) like I'm thinking it is then you'll want to keep voltage below 14.4VDC.

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