newt
Well Known Member
I have a Skytec light weight starter on an O-320 160hp carbed engine. Odyssey PC625 battery.
I don't usually have any trouble starting, as long as the battery is in good condition. I push the red knob in, hit the fuel pump until the pressure gets into the bottom of the green, crack the throttle, and crank. Usually starts after 3-4 blades.
I replaced the battery last year, so it should be in good nic.
However-- I've always had this problem, where if I don't fly it for more than about 2 weeks, its ability to crank its way past the first compression stroke is very hit and miss, especially if it's cold outside. I don't know enough about the Odyssey battery chemistry to know whether that's normal behaviour, or whether I have a very very slow electrical discharge somewhere in the system when everything has shut down.
It's rarely a real problem because I usually fly every week or so, so it's unusual for it to be idle for more than 2 weeks; and if it is, I put it on the charger for 20 minutes during my preflight inspection anyway.
But I'm still curious about whether there's some current leakage somewhere that's slowly, ever so slowly, draining my battery. I know batteries don't hold their charge forever, but how much decrease is "right" for these AGM's?
Can anyone reset my expectations? Is it normal for a PC625 that's left idle for 2 or 3 weeks to have trouble turning over a 160hp Lycoming on a 50 degF morning?
- mark
I don't usually have any trouble starting, as long as the battery is in good condition. I push the red knob in, hit the fuel pump until the pressure gets into the bottom of the green, crack the throttle, and crank. Usually starts after 3-4 blades.
I replaced the battery last year, so it should be in good nic.
However-- I've always had this problem, where if I don't fly it for more than about 2 weeks, its ability to crank its way past the first compression stroke is very hit and miss, especially if it's cold outside. I don't know enough about the Odyssey battery chemistry to know whether that's normal behaviour, or whether I have a very very slow electrical discharge somewhere in the system when everything has shut down.
It's rarely a real problem because I usually fly every week or so, so it's unusual for it to be idle for more than 2 weeks; and if it is, I put it on the charger for 20 minutes during my preflight inspection anyway.
But I'm still curious about whether there's some current leakage somewhere that's slowly, ever so slowly, draining my battery. I know batteries don't hold their charge forever, but how much decrease is "right" for these AGM's?
Can anyone reset my expectations? Is it normal for a PC625 that's left idle for 2 or 3 weeks to have trouble turning over a 160hp Lycoming on a 50 degF morning?
- mark