SBS J-16 battery

[Taracka]

Hello,

I’m thinking about seeking a field approval to install a Powersafe SBS J-16 battery in my M20C and wondering if anyone has done this and has a copy of the field approved 337 I could use as a basis?

thanks,

Rich

[MB65E]

I’m not sure where you are going with this. That battery has less than 1/2 the amp hour rating that the TCDS requires. I would find another route. There are some amazing Li-Po batteries on the market now, but I still would be careful with li-po. 

Nothing like cranking amps when it’s cold to turn the little lycoming over. Also, having more Ah is a plus if your alternator/gen ever fails. 

-Matt

[Taracka]

I am not aware of any lipo batteries that are approved for any certified aircraft. The SBS J-16 is approved for several models, just not any Mooney’s.  This makes it easier to get field approvals on other types of aircraft.   While the amp hour capacity of the Powersafe battery is less than the Concorde I have installed now, so is the demand with all the lighting changes to LED.  also I have no intention of flying this aircraft IFR which is usually where they draw the line on field approving these batteries.  Besides, if I change my mind and decide to fly IFR I could switch back.

[carusoam]

 

Rich,

What is it about that battery interests you? (Me, wondering out loud)

A challenge comes up... just because you don’t fly IFR today... doesn’t mean it won’t be flown IFR tomorrow...

Meeting the TCDS requirements seems to be the need for replacement items...

even then...

The TCDS didn’t mention anything like having an annunciator for when the generator goes off line... The amp meter should have been enough... in VFR conditions, my generator croaked, my single battery drained, the real warning occurred when things started failing...

The usual battery companies list which model meets the requirements for which Mooney...

They have so many models of nearly the same thing to meet the requirements of various airplanes...

It may be best to dial up the new battery company with your old battery specs and ask how long it will take to make one like you have with the new technology...

Great MSer challenge... MSers love making phone calls to find out more about a product... then give a pirep here...! 

Best regards,

-a-

[Gee]

I too am examining the Powersafe SBS J-16 battery to replace an aged Concorde RG-35AXC in my 64' M20C .  At this point the consideration is mostly due diligence.  On paper the weight savings & cost of the SBS are appealing.

Bttry    wt (lbs)    $       CCA     Ah

SBS      15         169     220       16  

AXC     32         335     440       33    

=========================

Rich,

It isn't Mooney specific, but I found a thread at  http://www.shortwingpipers.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-4378.html  that discusses 337 approval of the SBS J-16 battery in certified PA-22.  Might that be helpful ?

Gee

Edited April 4, 2019 by Gee
keep thread on track

[MB65E]

It’s a Half price battery... for half of a battery. 

-Matt

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Gee.

I read through the swp details...

They had the same challenges... proper documentation, and proper fit, and proper function...

They also included people that were willing to help document and submit the required details... that gets expensive when you’re paying a man’s wages for a day or two...

First step any owner could do... determine if there are enough electrons stored in this diminutive battery to meet the requirements that the Mooney has....  modern radios and cockpit displays may have altered the electrical requirements that you may have...

This particular battery was sized for some pretty tiny, minimal electric Pipers...

Call the battery company to see if they have any full sized batteries that a Mooney can use... Long x-countries, in IMC, using high tech like a waas gps.... not a piper tri-pacer doing laps around the traffic pattern... and short hops across the state.

Best regards,

-a-

[tangogawd]

many IFR cessna 180's and 185's are running the sbsj16. Even a few 24v guys, running in series. These two guys that come to mind are starting IO-550 with garmin glass everywhere. 

I run it in my personal 180, and my citabria. 

These are great batteries, last far longer than anything Gill or Concord. One battery was given to me and was about 4 years old. I ran it turning a 0-360 for about 4 years, then, about 6 years ago, gave it away to guy with a cub. I think we got our money out of that battery.

Caveat that, we do move the battery to the firewall most times. shorten the distance the battery has to work. 

If the amp hrs becomes an issue, you could run 2 in parallel. Now that cancels out any weight or price savings you were shooting for, but I do strongly believe they would last much longer than any of the other batteries.

[hypertech]

I'm all for upgrading battery technology - aviation batteries are stupid expensive.  But as noted above, this battery has half the capacity and half the cranking amps of what you want to replace.  That is just bad news.

Everything is all good and fine if you are starting on a nice warm day and it fires on the first go.  But now make it a cold day, and you've stopped for fuel in some random place with a cheap self serve pump and no one around, and it doesn't start the first try, and now you are stranded.

It might feel like the numbers on paper are good enough, but I do not want to be the one staring at a still prop because the tiny battery gave out.  

[N201MKTurbo]

I've worked a lot with lithium batteries. They are temperamental little things. If you had a charging system specifically designed for them is one thing, but our charging systems were designed for lead acid batteries. They are kind of apples and oranges. 

Be aware if you over discharge it, it could be ruined, where a lead acid battery will usually recover. If you over charge it, even a little bit it may explode or catch on fire.

I would make a stainless steel battery box.

[N201MKTurbo]

I just looked it up, it is a valve regulated battery just like the Concord. If you got two of them and put them in parallel you would be at about the same size and same capacity as the Concord, and about the same money and weight. Which makes sense, same battery technology, same energy density.

[kerry]

I have a J-16 in my Stinson.  Love it.  No problems.

[Yetti]

I had an Odyssey battery in my motorcycle.   Ran it for 5 years.   Then moved it to the big 4wheeler.  ran another 3 years.