Odyssey Battery
- Thread starter Stephen
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Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
Kicking this old thread. I just ordered the Svenn's STC for the Hawker and ordered the battery. $155 + $189 respectively = $344.00. Replacing my 5 year old AGM battery that did not want to hot start a week ago after filling with gas. I couldn't imagine trying to prop my PA22-150 with 74 psi on the lowest cylinder at that moment. My toe brakes don't have a really reliable emergency brake feel. It trips off too easy. Never done it, hand propping, that is, and don't care to ever try. And, I have 620 skydives. 500+ scuba dives. Rock climbed Yosemite for years. Now I'm old-er... so, I guess I'm saying I measure and think about risk. I have copper cables and still have the original starter box with Master switch fuses under my front seat. Stock starter. Stock original rebuilt generator and new, but original type mechanical contact voltage regulator. 2815 total hours on plane and less than 260 hrs since major overhaul when starter, generator and vr were rebuilt and replaced. Anyway, the Hawker SBS J16 sounds great, and I'm going to install it in my stock battery box per the STC and will update you all in a couple months on issues and performance. It should all arrive in the next 7 days and I'll get it installed within a week or two of that.
Glen Geller
MEMBER
Beaverton, Oregon, United States
You might want to add a Zeftronics solid state voltage regulator.
On my PA22-150, I installed the SBS-J16 and upgraded the starter box per the STC, and replaced the aluminum battery/starter cables with new copper cables, it was a good investment and has improved starting significantly.
I still need to add a ground cable from the battery ground point to the starter, that will be a further improvement.
With respect to hand propping, it isn't difficult but of course you should be taught by a trusted, qualified mechanic/pilot who is experienced in doing it and teaching it.
Keeping a 50' roll of 1/4" nylon rope in the plane is handy to tie the tail to a fence etc for hand propping if you're alone, weak brakes, on gravel, sand, wet grass.
Sent from my SM-G955U using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app
On my PA22-150, I installed the SBS-J16 and upgraded the starter box per the STC, and replaced the aluminum battery/starter cables with new copper cables, it was a good investment and has improved starting significantly.
I still need to add a ground cable from the battery ground point to the starter, that will be a further improvement.
With respect to hand propping, it isn't difficult but of course you should be taught by a trusted, qualified mechanic/pilot who is experienced in doing it and teaching it.
Keeping a 50' roll of 1/4" nylon rope in the plane is handy to tie the tail to a fence etc for hand propping if you're alone, weak brakes, on gravel, sand, wet grass.
Sent from my SM-G955U using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
I probably should have posted my battery installation feedback here, so even tho' redundant, I'll summarize again. I put in the Hawker, but still cranked over hard/slow. Suspicious my starter is the real culprit. Here's a pic: 
It started, but slow blade over on first blade, then lit right off. Went flying for an hour to charge the new Hawker. Looking at installing a Sky Tec 122-NL starter now. Pricey at $790. from Spruce. Maybe I should charge the new Hawker once, clean all my wire contacts out to the starter and back before ordering a new starter. I was going to get a new starter 3 years ago, but cleaned the contacts and it's been good till now. Don't know how to test a starter motor really. The bendix engages fine, but the motor just hesitates/nearly stops on the first blade top dead center. Any ideas for sorting out that? Don't want to bend this thread. Will search on "starting issues" on this site.
-Subsonic
It started, but slow blade over on first blade, then lit right off. Went flying for an hour to charge the new Hawker. Looking at installing a Sky Tec 122-NL starter now. Pricey at $790. from Spruce. Maybe I should charge the new Hawker once, clean all my wire contacts out to the starter and back before ordering a new starter. I was going to get a new starter 3 years ago, but cleaned the contacts and it's been good till now. Don't know how to test a starter motor really. The bendix engages fine, but the motor just hesitates/nearly stops on the first blade top dead center. Any ideas for sorting out that? Don't want to bend this thread. Will search on "starting issues" on this site.-Subsonic
Troy Hamon
MEMBER
PAKN
I have the 122-NL and that battery. Neither solved my problem...replaced my battery cable and the whole system has been perfect ever since. If you have good cables, then that battery is plenty, it cranks my 122-NL without trouble at any temperature.
walt.buskey
FRIEND
Etna, NH
Subsonic, I read in your other thread (battery box vents) that you had 12.2 volts on your J16 battery. If that was measured at the battery, and your meter is believable, that's not enough. Most charts will show a fully-charged 12V battery to be 12.6 or higher; 12.2 is only 55-65% charged, depending on which chart you look at. I'd be charging my battery first --and then checking other connections-- before giving up on the starter.
Gilbert Pierce
MEMBER
Germantown, Tennessee 01TN
Subsonic
Crank your engine with the ignition off. Then feel each a connection. The hot one is the one with high resistance.
Crank your engine with the ignition off. Then feel each a connection. The hot one is the one with high resistance.
Glen Geller
MEMBER
Beaverton, Oregon, United States
This is a good plan, but bear in mind that Lycoming says that an engine with the original starter shall not be cranked for more than 30 seconds continuously.
Then there must be a ten minute cool-down period before cranking again.
I saw this in writing at a Lycoming Service presentation at a fly-in, and later spoke with the Lycoming Northwest regional technical advisor.
He reiterated, maximum 30 seconds continuous cranking, then a ten minute cool down.
Good luck, be careful.
GG
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
Status: 1. Checked Voltage at cig. lighter on panel upon arrival at hangar. 12.1V. Put new Hawker battery on trickle charger for half hour while lower cowling removed. Thanks Walt.
2. Cranked engine ignition off, for maybe 10 to 12 seconds. Felt connections at solenoid + and -. Plus was cool, Minus side was slightly warm. Felt starter positive post - cool, and engine ground (return) to engine mount ground - both ends cool, then battery ground under seat. All cool. Repeated cranking for about 15 seconds, and felt all connections again. All Cool, and the neg side of solenoid was still only slightly warm. Thanks Gilbert and Glen
3. Started taking apart front of plane - Yes my A&P helped. Spinner, Propeller, All cowlings, pulled generator. Tested generator on bench as motor - tested good spinning up. From this I have to guess I probably have a voltage regulator problem.
4. After 5 hours of trickle charge, the Hawker showed 13.3 Volts upon initial Master On. Decayed to 13.0 V after 5 minutes just sitting with master on, radio on, all avionics powered up.
I realize now, that since I got back from Oshkosh I've only been flying every 10 days to 2 weeks, and only for about an hour each time. Do some touch n go's, go fly along the beach, or over the swamp and race some air boats, etc. Always returning after an hour and then plugging in my trickle charger. I noticed the battery hasn't been charging the way it used to, so I assumed it was the 5 year old Concord getting old. I always plug the battery into the trickle minder and put the Engine Saver in the crankcase vent when I put her away. Bad assumption. Oh well, I can think of worse things when it comes to making bad assumptions than having a new battery that's 12.8 pounds lighter than the old battery.
As I think about it now, I think that I've been flying total-loss on the battery for some time. If I flew longer, I would have run the battery down and would have lost avionics power at some point.
I try to upgrade when I can because this plane is my baby, and if I need a new VR, I'm thinking Zeftronics as Glen suggested. $329.00 at Spruce. But, a new B and C 40 Amp alternator kit for my narrow deck O-320 is $985.00. I'm not going to mention the weight savings or bright lights at night when taxiing at low RPM. But I had to clear it with the Boss. I told my wife, I don't want to be 1100 miles from home when something in the existing 65 year old charging system fails." I said with emphasis, "Hotel expenses for 3 or 4 nites while parts are ordered and repairs are made, strange FBO mechanic repair fees"...She said, "just get it". So, The Boss has spoken.
I'm ordering it tonight. Thanks to all for inputs.
2. Cranked engine ignition off, for maybe 10 to 12 seconds. Felt connections at solenoid + and -. Plus was cool, Minus side was slightly warm. Felt starter positive post - cool, and engine ground (return) to engine mount ground - both ends cool, then battery ground under seat. All cool. Repeated cranking for about 15 seconds, and felt all connections again. All Cool, and the neg side of solenoid was still only slightly warm. Thanks Gilbert and Glen
3. Started taking apart front of plane - Yes my A&P helped. Spinner, Propeller, All cowlings, pulled generator. Tested generator on bench as motor - tested good spinning up. From this I have to guess I probably have a voltage regulator problem.
4. After 5 hours of trickle charge, the Hawker showed 13.3 Volts upon initial Master On. Decayed to 13.0 V after 5 minutes just sitting with master on, radio on, all avionics powered up.
I realize now, that since I got back from Oshkosh I've only been flying every 10 days to 2 weeks, and only for about an hour each time. Do some touch n go's, go fly along the beach, or over the swamp and race some air boats, etc. Always returning after an hour and then plugging in my trickle charger. I noticed the battery hasn't been charging the way it used to, so I assumed it was the 5 year old Concord getting old. I always plug the battery into the trickle minder and put the Engine Saver in the crankcase vent when I put her away. Bad assumption. Oh well, I can think of worse things when it comes to making bad assumptions than having a new battery that's 12.8 pounds lighter than the old battery.
As I think about it now, I think that I've been flying total-loss on the battery for some time. If I flew longer, I would have run the battery down and would have lost avionics power at some point.
I try to upgrade when I can because this plane is my baby, and if I need a new VR, I'm thinking Zeftronics as Glen suggested. $329.00 at Spruce. But, a new B and C 40 Amp alternator kit for my narrow deck O-320 is $985.00. I'm not going to mention the weight savings or bright lights at night when taxiing at low RPM. But I had to clear it with the Boss. I told my wife, I don't want to be 1100 miles from home when something in the existing 65 year old charging system fails." I said with emphasis, "Hotel expenses for 3 or 4 nites while parts are ordered and repairs are made, strange FBO mechanic repair fees"...She said, "just get it". So, The Boss has spoken.
I'm ordering it tonight. Thanks to all for inputs.
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Jim
MEMBER
Fennville, MI
Hi,
I went through the low charging hoops a while back. The generator ran like a motor, the voltage regulator checked out, all the wires were re-connected and after a lot of in between nonsense it still wouldn't charge. Swapped out for the Zeftronics, no help there. Took the generator to an old shop that at first refused to look at it, he figured it was off a plane. I pushed it back across the counter and mentioned it was hard to find anyone that still know how to fix these things, and that I didn't need a receipt for anything. He called back in a couple of days saying it was all fixed, turns out the brush springs weren't pushing hard enough. It would run like a motor. put out voltage when it was spun up, but didn't have amps to do the job of actually charging the battery. One of my chop saws does the same thing, gets hung up with sawdust in the brush tubes and looses balls.
I went through the low charging hoops a while back. The generator ran like a motor, the voltage regulator checked out, all the wires were re-connected and after a lot of in between nonsense it still wouldn't charge. Swapped out for the Zeftronics, no help there. Took the generator to an old shop that at first refused to look at it, he figured it was off a plane. I pushed it back across the counter and mentioned it was hard to find anyone that still know how to fix these things, and that I didn't need a receipt for anything. He called back in a couple of days saying it was all fixed, turns out the brush springs weren't pushing hard enough. It would run like a motor. put out voltage when it was spun up, but didn't have amps to do the job of actually charging the battery. One of my chop saws does the same thing, gets hung up with sawdust in the brush tubes and looses balls.
walt.buskey
FRIEND
Etna, NH
MHO: switching to an alternator may be the best plan overall, but before springing for a new generator (or switching to an alternator), take yours to a competent --if you can find one-- generator/alternator/starter repair shop and have it checked out. I bet it could be fixed for minimal $$, at least a lot less than complete replacement.
OTOH, there's a reason all US auto manufacturers switched to alternators in the early-to-mid 60s....
OTOH, there's a reason all US auto manufacturers switched to alternators in the early-to-mid 60s....
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Smokey
MEMBER
Fort Atkinson WI
Status:
As I think about it now, I think that I've been flying total-loss on the battery for some time. If I flew longer, I would have run the battery down and would have lost avionics power at some point.
I try to upgrade when I can because this plane is my baby, and if I need a new VR, I'm thinking Zeftronics as Glen suggested. $329.00 at Spruce. But, a new B and C 40 Amp alternator kit for my narrow deck O-320 is $985.00. I'm not going to mention the weight savings or bright lights at night when taxiing at low RPM. But I had to clear it with the Boss. I told my wife, I don't want to be 1100 miles from home when something in the existing 65 year old charging system fails." I said with emphasis, "Hotel expenses for 3 or 4 nites while parts are ordered and repairs are made, strange FBO mechanic repair fees"...She said, "just get it". So, The Boss has spoken.
Spend another 30 bucks and get the annuciator lights https://bandc.com/product/panel-mounted-warning-lamp-14v-28v/ from B&C. Yellow bus sense and Red battery temp. Both are included in the STC wiring modification. Now you will know when your charging system is not charging and your battery is gassing out from overcharging.
Todd
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Thats a good reason to have a volts gauge, I have the 2.25 inch EI VA-1A got for $50. ebay, has your volts and amps and those same red yellow volts hi low lights. Better way to go than just the lights, with the gauge you can always see your voltage and your amps, I destroyed my expensive odessy battery by letting the alternator charge it after letting it set for a couple hours with the master on, the voltage was 12.2 but still started engine, when I turned the alternator on it went right to 20 amps for 15 minutes to charge the low voltage battery, it never held a charge after being fast charged with the alternator, if that ever happens again I will shut off the alternator and charge it with a 2 amp battery charger when home. I wont buy another odyssey battery because of that, it was just over a year old and should not have died for a one time 20 amp charge for 15 minutes
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Smokey
MEMBER
Fort Atkinson WI
How did you install it without the STC? Don't you need the permission statment from EI for STC2693NM on you aircraft?
I called them and said I bought it off ebay and asked how to hook it up, they told me.
If I have to take it out I will sell it on ebay, I will have no problem getting my money back. Have to get a Davtron 475 they don't require an STC and cheaper the the EI gauge https://www.davtron.com/product-detail.php?M475VA-VAA-11
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Re: Odyssey Battery in PA-22
So if I understand correctly, neither a Sven’s STC nor a field approval is required to install the Odyssey J16 battery? Simply a logbook entry by an A&P? If correct why would anyone go STC or FA route?
Graham, Texas, United States
Re: Odyssey Battery in PA-22
Replaced G35 battery with Hawker SBJ16 Battery. Modified existing battery box and found to exceed requirements called out in AC43.13-2B Par1041 Structural Requirements. Weight and Balance revised.
Correct, unknowing or to make money. It passed the FAA smell test when a fellow mechanic called the FAA on me for doing it with a logbook entry. He never called me. Berated me over the phone later and wouldn't let me speak. Never even bothered to look up what I put in the logbook entry. I finally told him if his mouth was moving he was regurgitating what he already knew and wasn't learning anything. To say I was pissed was an understatement. The FAA agreed with me.
Replaced G35 battery with Hawker SBJ16 Battery. Modified existing battery box and found to exceed requirements called out in AC43.13-2B Par1041 Structural Requirements. Weight and Balance revised.
walt.buskey
FRIEND
Etna, NH
Thanks, Steve. That must be why I don't recall buying Svenn's STC, only the Bogert battery box mod STC, when I put in my SBJ16 battery. (Thought I was having another senior moment!)
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
Yep. What Steve said. I wasn't smart enough to know I didn't need to pay for the Svenn's STC. Don't be me. Don't buy the Svenn's STC to put a Hawker lightweight battery in your plane Unless you want the New Master Breaker to replace your original DPDT master switch. Ironically, I'm flying with my original master switch with the original two glass fuses for a while longer. I'll get to replacement of that switch someday fairly soon, and I have the STC for it at this point. So, doing the new BandC alternator STC, and the new Sky-Tec starter was more than I wanted to take on. Pain in the ass. I call it Airplane Hell. I just want to fly. I'm happy to pay for competent work but Nobody was available to work on my plane for 3 months - so I did it all myself. So, I'm an engineer and did it all myself. Don't flame unless you want to meet me somewhere to discuss in person. It came out Awesome! I'm very happy with the installation. I did extensive research to figure out routing, Adele clamp strain relief spacing, fire sleeve, etc. Now I have to get my Awesome IA out here to inspect it all and sign off my STC. Luckily the new SkyTec starter is now a log book entry. Along the way, I found my under-panel fuel line leaking at the T junction under the right side of the upper boot cowl and had to repair that, too...Life with a shortwing...I think my most recent efforts will last another half century or more. Growing happier every Day. I should be flying in a few days! That's where life happens for me.
Jim Hann
BENEFACTOR
Ballwin (St. Louis), Missouri
I was too new at this when I bought Svenn's STC for the battery but then was glad I did so that I could ditch the fuses during the rebuild back in 2015. In the process I found that someone in the past had bypassed the glass fuses so my airplane flew for X number of years with NO main circuit protection!!! So it was fortuitous that I decided to put the CB master switch in, burning up is not something I wish to experience.
I'll be using (most likely) an Odyssey PC680 on my Starduster rebuild (since I don't need a PMA battery). The "(most likely)" is because Stardusters are known for being tail heavy, I am not skinny, and the airplane originally had a big battery on the firewall. Ahh, the joys of working on airplanes.
Steve, I'm copying your info above just in case somebody needs it.
Jim
I'll be using (most likely) an Odyssey PC680 on my Starduster rebuild (since I don't need a PMA battery). The "(most likely)" is because Stardusters are known for being tail heavy, I am not skinny, and the airplane originally had a big battery on the firewall. Ahh, the joys of working on airplanes.
Steve, I'm copying your info above just in case somebody needs it.
Jim
Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
My Tri-Pacer Odyssey-Hawker battery sits with a modern high frequency battery trickle charger maintainer hooked up in "AGM battery" mode. I recently completed a B and C alternator STC installation for background info...The trickle charger display shows green (vice red - "charged/maintenance" status) and 13.6 or 13.7 volts. When I disconnect the charger, and flip on the master switch, the cigarette lighter bus voltage display drops quickly to below the 12.7V trigger point for the yellow flashing light on the "sense" circuit breaker, then, with all avionics on it continues to drop to 12.6 and on down to about 12.1V in less than 3 minutes. It persists for a few more minutes before dropping to 12.0V. That's when I turn the master off and hook the trickle charger back up. Within 20 or 30 minutes, the charger switches back to green minder mode showing 13.6V. Seems my battery is weak, to me. Are you folks with these Hawker batteries seeing the same? Engine cranks and starts fine at 12V with new SkyTec NL122 starter. Bus voltage flashing Alt. Sense light cancels immediately upon start up as bus voltage jumps up to 13.8 or higher right away. Do you guys crank and start with your "Field" switch on or off? Do you charge your battery with the Field switch on or off? Thanks, Subsonic
Gilbert Pierce
MEMBER
Germantown, Tennessee 01TN
I crank with the Alternator on.
However I don’t have a master solenoid or starter solenoid because my Clipper didn’t have one from the factory and I saw no need to have more devices to fail. They do fail, I can attest to it. So I crank the engine with Master switch off to prevent any electrical transient damage to sensitive electrical components.
If you have these solenoids I recommend you crank with alternator off and make sure you have diodes across the coil terminals to prevent voltage spikes when coil field collapse. This collapsing field can induce a transient spike into your main buss.
An extra safety measure is to have an Avionics switch and turn it off when cranking.
The rapid drop you see when you remove the charger and turn on master switch is the “surface charge” bleeding off.
That is normal.
Before testing a battery that has been recently charged the surface charge should be removed prior to testing. Putting a load on it until the voltage stabilizes will prevent a false test.
I am on my third J16 battery. 8 years on each and they will still start my emergency generator. I have never used a trickle charger and never saw the need. I have been out of the country and away from the hangar for several months, come back, flip the master on and I see 12.1 to 12.2 volts. The engine cranks normally.
If your Hawker J16 is running down when the airplane is unattended you have residual load drawing current.
The above is NOT applicable to your standard Gill Lead acid battery. The can self discharge. Never had that happen to my J16.
However I don’t have a master solenoid or starter solenoid because my Clipper didn’t have one from the factory and I saw no need to have more devices to fail. They do fail, I can attest to it. So I crank the engine with Master switch off to prevent any electrical transient damage to sensitive electrical components.
If you have these solenoids I recommend you crank with alternator off and make sure you have diodes across the coil terminals to prevent voltage spikes when coil field collapse. This collapsing field can induce a transient spike into your main buss.
An extra safety measure is to have an Avionics switch and turn it off when cranking.
The rapid drop you see when you remove the charger and turn on master switch is the “surface charge” bleeding off.
That is normal.
Before testing a battery that has been recently charged the surface charge should be removed prior to testing. Putting a load on it until the voltage stabilizes will prevent a false test.
I am on my third J16 battery. 8 years on each and they will still start my emergency generator. I have never used a trickle charger and never saw the need. I have been out of the country and away from the hangar for several months, come back, flip the master on and I see 12.1 to 12.2 volts. The engine cranks normally.
If your Hawker J16 is running down when the airplane is unattended you have residual load drawing current.
The above is NOT applicable to your standard Gill Lead acid battery. The can self discharge. Never had that happen to my J16.
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Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
My Hawker J16 shows between 12.2V and 12.6V when I check it after a few days sitting, if it hasn't been on the charger/maintainer. I thought that these batteries were supposed to indicate above 13V when fully charged. If 13.6 or so is just a "surface charge" value, without any real capacity behind it, and that is considered normal for it to drop quickly (~5 minutes under full avionics load with the engine off) to around 12.1V, then I think my battery is fine. I don't have something drawing down the voltage when it's sitting. I have no loads when master is off. My TP is a 1956 and has one solenoid in the little black box under the seat. It is a starter solenoid. I still have my original master switch with two glass fuses. I don't have an avionics master. I turn on my radio, ADS-B-out transponder, ADS-B-in receiver, and intercom switches individually after the engine is running. Thanks Gilbert.
If your alternator field switch is in the ON position your voltage will be down to 12 volts within a few seconds, but if your field switch is OFF than the battery should remain at roughly 12.7 maybe 12.8 volts and not move until you start pulling it down turning things on. Those Denso alternators that BC modifies pull about 4 amps with the field ON with the engine not running.
I have the two 30amp fuse original setup like you, and my master switch is the on/off/on DPDT with the alternator field and battery power on both poles of the switch. Does the BC stc have you wire a separate field switch to turn the alternator on or is it like the original setup and turns on with the battery master switch?
You can get a nice digital dual volt/amp meter and see exactly what is happening to your battery. I have my volt/ammeter connected right to the battery with its own toggle switch so I can see the battery state without the master on and monitor it during the start, its always at 12.7 with nothing on.
You can pick these dual volt/amps guages up on ebay for less than a hundred bucks, people upgrading and dumping them when they upgrade to all glass, they might say 2 or 300 on the auction but cash talks, I send them an offer in a message for about a third of what they want and most times they dont turn it down.
I have the two 30amp fuse original setup like you, and my master switch is the on/off/on DPDT with the alternator field and battery power on both poles of the switch. Does the BC stc have you wire a separate field switch to turn the alternator on or is it like the original setup and turns on with the battery master switch?
You can get a nice digital dual volt/amp meter and see exactly what is happening to your battery. I have my volt/ammeter connected right to the battery with its own toggle switch so I can see the battery state without the master on and monitor it during the start, its always at 12.7 with nothing on.
You can pick these dual volt/amps guages up on ebay for less than a hundred bucks, people upgrading and dumping them when they upgrade to all glass, they might say 2 or 300 on the auction but cash talks, I send them an offer in a message for about a third of what they want and most times they dont turn it down.
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Subsonic
FRIEND
Merritt Island, FL
B&C STC requires a new separate field switch to turn on the alternator. I didn't realize they pull 4A current with the field switch on and engine off. Good tip on the dual volt/amp gauge. Thanks.
I have never used a trickle charger on an AGM, but I live in the cold where an AGM thrives. I fly and my alternator is always charging it at 14.2 volts and when I shut down and check the battery during postflight its at 12.7 12.8 and will be there when I come back. It never gets down below 12.7 unless I have something on drawing power from it, I would fluke it with everything off and see what is drawing power down if its not holding 12.7 for at least a month with no tric charger connected, feb in florda is not hot enough to bring it down to 12.2 volts after sitting a few days, if it were in the 20s it would take a year of sitting without use to bring a good AGM battery down less than 12.6 volts. Return it to odysey if its not holding 12.7 for at least a month without a trick charger.
Just looked ebey and found a gauge, https://www.ebay.com/itm/VA-1A-Volts-Amps-by-Electronics-International/203827637984
Its the correct one for your plane, has an internal 50 amp shunt, send him a 50 offer and he might counter 100 reconter 75 thats how I do it and if they want rid of it you get it
Just looked ebey and found a gauge, https://www.ebay.com/itm/VA-1A-Volts-Amps-by-Electronics-International/203827637984
Its the correct one for your plane, has an internal 50 amp shunt, send him a 50 offer and he might counter 100 reconter 75 thats how I do it and if they want rid of it you get it
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Graham, Texas, United States
Battery cells are 2.14 volts each. There is always a tad of loss at the meter. Years ago when everything I maintained had standard vented lead acid batteries it was common practice to check acid level and charge the battery. They always took a charge. Most everything I maintain today uses a sealed glass mat lead acid battery and they don't normally take a charge. To test condition on these batteries I use a load tester that is available from Harbor Freight. I have had a few Hawker SBS-J16 batteries go south prematurely but they are usually long lived. I had an amphib Carbon Cub in the hangar with a new battery. When I went to start it the battery was dead. Charged it, started it and the alternator was charging. A day later I went to start it and it was dead again. I have a DC current clamp my Dad got me for Christmas several years ago. With everything off I clamped it around the main battery cable, no current draw. This Carbon Cub has a USB plug that is fused from the main battery and hot all the time. Nothing was plugged into it but it had a .36-.39 amp draw. When I inspected the back of the USB plug under the panel I discovered an avionics shop in Maine had wired the ADS-B unit off the USB plug which was hot all the time. Problem solved.
