BATTERY TENDER?

[MATTS875]

Has anyone ever used the battery tender? I have been told they are great to use about once a month but I looked them up and it says not to use with concorde or gill batteries.It is suppose to cut off after the battery is fully charged.I have looked at them on aircraftspruce.

[rbridges]

Quote: MATTS875

Has anyone ever used the battery tender? I have been told they are great to use about once a month but I looked them up and it says not to use with concorde or gill batteries.It is suppose to cut off after the battery is fully charged.I have looked at them on aircraftspruce.

[danb35]

According to the battery manufacturers, the RG batteries require a slightly different charging profile than flooded cells.  I've been using a BatteryMINDER, which is fairly pricey, but is a pretty smart charger tailored to aircraft batteries.  They have a "trade-up" program that knocks about $60 off the price if you have (or buy) any trickle charger of the appropriate voltage.  See http://www.batteryminders.com/batterycharger/files/pdf/Aviation_Trade_Up_Form.pdf for details.

[Piloto]

If using the GPU power cord that connects to the side of the fuselage you may end up with a a discharged battery if disconnected at the charger end. The three contacts A/C connector has a jumper that enables the ext power relay using battery power. If the connector remains plug in but no charging power is provided at the other end the ext power relay will drain the battery. To avoid any discharge remove the connector from the aircraft when power is not applied. 

José   

[wylie]

I had a Battery Tender connected to a Gill 35 battery in the M20C last year and came back the next day and had a battery acid all over the battery box, firewall, and hangar floor.  I believe it was due to a failed cell in the Gill battery however, not due to the BT.  I had used the BT for years without previous problems.  I now have a Concorde sealed battery to avoid any problem like that again, and the BT is working fine with it, despite what the site says about it.  

[PTK]

The batteryminder is indeed very good.  I keep mine plugged in all the time when in the hangar.  Just follow the instructions on how to install. 

[xftrplt]

Quote: allsmiles

The batteryminder is indeed very good.  I keep mine plugged in all the time when in the hangar.  Just follow the instructions on how to install. 

[OR75]

mine is also on any time the plane is in the hangar.  Works very well. The wire goes through the hat rack but it is not hard wired but rather permanently temporary. Hard wiring would require a form 337 .... 

[PTK]

Quote: xftrplt

Ditto. Mine is hard-wired with cords coming through a small hole in the hat rack.  If you follow this route, don't forget to disconnect the cord to the battery when flying--and more importantly overnight.  The battery will power the charger, resulting in a dead battery in a few days.  DAMHIK.

[FBCK]

I have the external power unit plugin on the side of my Mooney but I was under the impression you could not use that to charge your battery, is this correct.

[xftrplt]

My earlier post was imprecise.  I didn't  mean to suggest disconnecting the BatteryMinder every night.

It should read:

Ditto. Mine is hard-wired with cords coming through a small hole in the hat rack.  If you follow this route, don't forget to disconnect the cord to the battery when flying--and more importantly for any extended period when not connected to AC.  The battery will back-power the charger, resulting in a dead battery in a few days.  DAMHIK.

[xftrplt]

Quote: FBCK

I have the external power unit plugin on the side of my Mooney but I was under the impression you could not use that to charge your battery, is this correct.

[jetdriven]

A 337 is required for a "major alteration".  Are you sure its needed for a hard-wired battery charger plug?

Quote: OR75

mine is also on any time the plane is in the hangar.  Works very well. The wire goes through the hat rack but it is not hard wired but rather permanently temporary. Hard wiring would require a form 337 .... 

[OR75]

anything that is to be installed (hard wired) on a certified aircraft needs to have some sort of approved data. Not sure what the log book entry would have to say.  

[danb35]

Quote: OR75

anything that is to be installed (hard wired) on a certified aircraft needs to have some sort of approved data.

[KSMooniac]

My IA (and DER) friend determined the BatteryMinder harness was a minor alteration.

[Seth]

I use Battery Minder on my Missile.  On the F Model, I did not use a batter tender, and the battery did fine for three years, then it started cranking slower and slower.  I had to jump it tiwce and then replaced the battery with a sealed concord. 

The missile uses two batteries on a rack deep in the tailcone (part of the STC to offset the weight of the heavier engine) and my A&P who installed the overhauled engine reccomended a tender, specifically battery minder, to keep the batteries in good shape.

It's really easy to use, and I just hook it up after the flight in my hanger.  You do have to have an electical outlet available.   It charges the batter using a trickle charge and a second connection monitors temparture.  It shuts off the device when a certain charge is reached and if it gets too hot.

-Seth

[jetdriven]

somerthing like this, which is in my logbook :

"Lighting circuit added for Mitchell attitude indicator, Mitchell directional gyro, and Castleberry attitude indicator.  Increase in light load is 360 milliamps, light load remains less than 80% of circuit breaker value."

or this

"Utilized existing ADF power wire and 2A circuit breaker for Garmin 11- 08088 power/data cable for Garmin Aera series. Relabeled circuit breaker from “ADF” to “GPS”."

in your case, maybe "added molex connector and circuit to battery terminals for battery charger.  Protected with 2A fuse mounted inline next to positive battery terminal."

Quote: OR75

anything that is to be installed (hard wired) on a certified aircraft needs to have some sort of approved data. Not sure what the log book entry would have to say.  

[OR75]

you hit the nail on the head ...

The FAA like to be able to trace / have data on what's hard wired on a certified plane.  That's why there are STCs, TSOs PMAs, Part Numbers, etc ...   

Just wondering how you reference the battery minder tail if it is hard wired in a maintenance log book entry ?

If it is not hard wired , then no need to worry about it.

[danb35]

Quote: OR75

Just wondering how you reference the battery minder tail if it is hard wired in a maintenance log book entry ?

[jetdriven]

AC 43.13 is also a source of aproved data.  You just need to be sure your wiring does not exceed the recommended amps for the size and it has some sort of circuit protection. A 337 is not needed. We didnt even file one when installing a KLN-89B GPS for VFR.  It was not a major alteration.

[fantom]

Quote: jetdriven

We didnt even file one when installing a KLN-89B GPS for VFR.  It was not a major alteration.

[marky_24]

Where did you guys run the wires thew the hat rack, mine has no holes. Did you drill one?

[chrixxer]

Reviving a dead thread... The F has a couple of holes under the electronics shelf in the tale, left over from old antennae. Is there any sort of bracket / plug / receptacle that can be dropped into one of those for external battery tender hookup? While installing the SureFly, might as well...

[steingar]

I’ve been using an inexpensive motorcycle battery tender for many years. My batteries last a long time too.