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Battery

Abbygirl1

Well Known Member
My esteemed colleagues...... What battery do the majority of you put in as a replacement to an aging one in a 6A? O320 160 hp.
 
Sam is right - the PC680 is the default standard these days. I have found, however, that in our -6 (kit #4), the battery box between teh rudder pedals fits the lawn tractor battery perfectly, but the Odyssey is a half inch too tall. So we keep using those lawn tractor batteries (they least about 6 years, so its not a big deal....).

So....check your battery box dimension before you buy!
 
A local pilot with an old RV-6 had to remove the angles which serve as hold-downs in his battery box for the PC680. That isn't a problem because the box can be filled with spacers to keep the PC680 from moving around.

I used lawn tractor batteries in a kit car for several years with good service.
 
The PC680 has become the defacto standard for a lot of us. But if you're willing to look a little deeper, there are other useful options. I've had one similar to this:
https://www.apexbattery.com/ub1220-12v-22ah-battery.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwprbPBRCHARIsAF_7gDbCEXSyv5goNbPdxaZ06dpRLQz2d0PriRxH7MrsEqVoor-KJ5bs-uAaAtXyEALw_wcB

in my 160 HP -4 for about 4 years now, and I've used the 18AH versions for the previous couple of decades. Four to six year life, and the batteries tend to sit for weeks at a time because I don't fly much.

One potential advantage to the 22 AH size batteries like the link is that if you have an electrically dependent a/c, it has significantly more total energy than a PC680, which is a 16 AH battery (meaning longer duration with normal electrical loads in the event of an alternator failure).

If you're one of those who needs the brand-name for confidence, go with the PC680, but if you're value-oriented enough to do more research, these 'no-name' batteries are worth a look. They have the same AGM technology as the PC680. The primary difference is that they are optimized primarily for continuous load, instead of starting. But they still have more than adequate 'CCA' numbers for cranking our engines.

The 22 AH models have an almost identical footprint as a PC680, but they are slightly taller. Do your homework before purchasing; neither is a physical drop-in replacement for the old wet cell lawn tractor or a/c batteries we used to use.

Charlie
 
Deka Sports Power ETX-30L was a great Concorde RG25XC replacement, just took some MDF shim shapes. The 20L might work great and save some weight if you don't want extra amp hours.
 
battery

Sam is right - the PC680 is the default standard these days. I have found, however, that in our -6 (kit #4), the battery box between teh rudder pedals fits the lawn tractor battery perfectly, but the Odyssey is a half inch too tall. So we keep using those lawn tractor batteries (they least about 6 years, so its not a big deal....).

So....check your battery box dimension before you buy!

Paul, the existing 5 year old battery is a lawn mower battery. So why pay 6 times the price just for a name. Just ordered another one. Thanks amigo.
 
Paul, the existing 5 year old battery is a lawn mower battery. So why pay 6 times the price just for a name. Just ordered another one. Thanks amigo.

There is a little more difference between a PC680 and a lawn mower battery than just the name and price. :)

The current versions of the RV-6, the RV-7, have the battery mounted on the engine side of the firewall. The lawn mower battery just ain't gonna work in that installation. The PC680 can also be mounted in any orientation except upside down and you don't have to be concerned with it venting. The PC680 in my 1999 RV-6 is on the firewall and mounted on its "end". It is also several pounds lighter and several inches smaller than the Concord battery most older RV-6's first flew with.

Having the original, cabin-mounted battery box gives you some choices the newer installations don't allow.
 
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Freshest PC680 purchase

I finally have reached the stage where it's time to buy my battery.
Where's the best place to get the freshest PC680? I would hate to buy one that's been on the shelf for a year. Or in the case of the PC680 does it really matter?
Took a tour of a battery factory years ago and remembered the tech say that a batteries life ( lead acid anyway) starts the moment the plates are installed and to try to find the freshest battery you can find when buying one.
 
Paul, the existing 5 year old battery is a lawn mower battery. So why pay 6 times the price just for a name. Just ordered another one. Thanks amigo.

As Sam pointed out, there are significant differences. The reason you can mount an AGM battery (see my earlier post; you don't have to pay PC680 prices to get AGM tech) in any position is that there's no free liquid acid in the battery (Absorbed Glass Mat), unlike a flooded cell lawn tractor battery. Therefore, no risk of spills, and minimal risk even of venting hydrogen, as long as the battery isn't abused.

With the no-name AGMs being so reasonably priced now, there's little reason (at least for me) to buy another flooded cell lawn tractor battery.

Charlie
 
I finally have reached the stage where it's time to buy my battery.
Where's the best place to get the freshest PC680? I would hate to buy one that's been on the shelf for a year. Or in the case of the PC680 does it really matter?
Took a tour of a battery factory years ago and remembered the tech say that a batteries life ( lead acid anyway) starts the moment the plates are installed and to try to find the freshest battery you can find when buying one.

I got mine around this time in 2015 from BatteryMart with 10% off and free shipping (~$100). I wanted to use it when installing/testing avionics. First flight was Jan 2017 and I charged it periodically with an Odessey approved charger.

Wait for a Christmas special some time after Thanksgiving.

Gill ships their lead/acid batteries without fluid; maybe to retain the shelf life?
 
I have been very happy with the PowerSonic AGM batteries. THey have a model with the same dimensions as the 680 and it is 18ah rated. They also have an HD version in the same size with a 20ah rating. I chose the later when I replaced it this summer. It has held up very well and only cost about $65 on Amazon.

Larry
 
Interstate YTX20HL-BS

Really happy with my Interstate Battery. 6years in my RV6 and going strong. I top it up occasionally with a battery maintainer to keep it happy.

Fairly easy to source locally. Around $130

Battery Family: High Performance, Maintenance Free
Battery Type: YTX20HL-BS
Voltage: 12
Capacity: 18
Dimensions: 6.875" x 3.4375" x 6.125"
Weight: 12.4lbs.
Metric Dimensions: 175mm x 87mm x 155mm
MetricWeight: 5.6kg
Polarity:
Acid Volume: 0.93
Amps: 1.8
C.C.A.: 310
 
The PC680 has become the defacto standard for a lot of us. But if you're willing to look a little deeper, there are other useful options. I've had one similar to this:
https://www.apexbattery.com/ub1220-12v-22ah-battery.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwprbPBRCHARIsAF_7gDbCEXSyv5goNbPdxaZ06dpRLQz2d0PriRxH7MrsEqVoor-KJ5bs-uAaAtXyEALw_wcB

in my 160 HP -4 for about 4 years now, and I've used the 18AH versions for the previous couple of decades. Four to six year life, and the batteries tend to sit for weeks at a time because I don't fly much.

One potential advantage to the 22 AH size batteries like the link is that if you have an electrically dependent a/c, it has significantly more total energy than a PC680, which is a 16 AH battery (meaning longer duration with normal electrical loads in the event of an alternator failure).

If you're one of those who needs the brand-name for confidence, go with the PC680, but if you're value-oriented enough to do more research, these 'no-name' batteries are worth a look. They have the same AGM technology as the PC680. The primary difference is that they are optimized primarily for continuous load, instead of starting. But they still have more than adequate 'CCA' numbers for cranking our engines.

The 22 AH models have an almost identical footprint as a PC680, but they are slightly taller. Do your homework before purchasing; neither is a physical drop-in replacement for the old wet cell lawn tractor or a/c batteries we used to use.

Charlie

Charlie,
Just ordered the one you referenced. Looks like it should work fine. Mine is mounted in between the rudder pedals.
 
I've been using the PC625 in my 160 hp -4 for years. It is slightly smaller and lighter than the PC680 and is more powerful.
 
I have also used the less expensive AGM batteries in the RV-6 and now have one in the Fokker replica. However, keep in mind the terminals are not as robust as the ones on the PC680, so good installation practice includes assuring the terminals are not stressed by poor cable orientation or lack of support. But the batteries are a good value in many aircraft applications.
 
The terminals are plated steel on the Gruber batteries. You could probably lift the airplane with one of the terminals if the battery is strapped down well.
 
Good Results with AGM battery for Harley Davidson

I have just replaced a battery after four years of faithful service with another one from BatteriesPlus. I have an older RV that used to use the Concorde RG-25XC located on the pilot side firewall. I had a failure away from home, and ran to the closest store for a battery that was close in size. Turns out it was about $100 less and has worked great.

The latest one I just purchased is a Duracell Ultra brand #CYL10020 and it was $159.99 but if you ordered online, and then picked it up in the store, they give you an automatic 15% off. This battery comes with a 24 month free replacement warranty. The replaced battery was still functional, but the cranking was somewhat slower, and I could tell the reserve capacity had dropped after four years. It was a model X2-30LA. You can find many AGM powersports batteries in this size, and some are even less expensive.

The Concorde failure gave absolutely no warning. I had been keeping it charged with a trickle charger. I flew for many hours the day before its failure. It had cranked the day before in cold temperatures without issue. The next day it was at 10 volts, so a cell had failed. At that point it was about five years old though. I would have replaced it sooner, but it seemed to be working fine, and I eventually lost track of its total age.
 
Just a heads-up on 'trickle chargers'. You obviously had good luck using your particular charger, but it should be known that quite a few people have had early failures of AGM batteries when they regularly used trickle chargers.

Some things my research indicates:
AGM batteries have a very very slow 'self discharge' rate, and unless there's some sort of 'vampire' load sucking on it even when the master is off, it can go month(s) and still have a significant % of full charge. This is very different from old flooded cell batteries.

Many trickle chargers, even intelligent chargers, will either continuously, or repeatedly hit the battery with full charging voltage (some with excessive voltage), even after the battery is fully charged. At some point, it's going to be overcharged.

For me, the takeaway is that in normal use (even sporadic, once a month flying), an AGM battery won't need trickle charging to keep it topped off, and using a trickle charger *may* be actually damaging the battery.
 
... it should be known that quite a few people have had early failures of AGM batteries when they regularly used trickle chargers....

...AGM batteries have a very very slow 'self discharge' rate, ....

Low self-discharge rate indeed. I have a '66 GTO with a trunk-mounted PC-925 which I keep parked behind the RV. Last Friday I finally found an excuse to drive it (last cruise of 2017) and after 7 months of sitting without ANY charging whatsoever, it cranked the 11.4:1 Pontiac 428 beautifully.
 
My battery came from Napa, sealed tractor battery mounted in the engine compartment, been good for 5 years and cost less the $40 to replace. I can buy a lot of these for the price of one lighter weight battery.
 
My battery came from Napa, sealed tractor battery mounted in the engine compartment, been good for 5 years and cost less the $40 to replace. I can buy a lot of these for the price of one lighter weight battery.

I don't know anything about your battery mount, but be sure it can withstand a multi-G load. The weight of a tractor battery on the firewall multiplied 4-5 times is a lot of stress on the firewall. An advantage of the "old" battery box in the RV-6 cabin was how it was anchored to substantial structure.
 
I've been using the Odyssey PC 680 in my 7A. I bought the battery sometime in early 2012. Estimating that perhaps it sat on a shelf someplace for maybe 3 months and it's now September 2018.... This battery has performed admirably. I have noticed lately that starting seems a little "tired." Hopefully heading out on a couple of cross countries in October and don't want any issues.... So, I've decided it's time to get a new battery.

I was going to replace it with the same but after reading these posts.... I've decided to give the APEX referenced by Charlie a try. Seems like the exact same battery except all the numbers are better. And the price was about $30.00 plus 20 for shipping. Still that's less than half the cost of a PC 680. The best PC680 prices were amazon running $114.00 with free shipping. It's worth a try to save $64.00! Only thing is the terminals a different. Shouldn't be a problem.
 
There is a little more difference between a PC680 and a lawn mower battery than just the name and price. :)

The current versions of the RV-6, the RV-7, have the battery mounted on the engine side of the firewall. The lawn mower battery just ain't gonna work in that installation. The PC680 can also be mounted in any orientation except upside down and you don't have to be concerned with it venting. The PC680 in my 1999 RV-6 is on the firewall and mounted on its "end". It is also several pounds lighter and several inches smaller than the Concord battery most older RV-6's first flew with.

Having the original, cabin-mounted battery box gives you some choices the newer installations don't allow.

Sam, my -7 plans sheet for the firewall has drawing details for the installation of either the pc680 style battery (on the passenger side of the governor recess) or a 'standard' a/c battery (on the pilot side, lower on the firewall). Both drawings show using the aluminum angle structure to support the battery.

Charlie
 
I've been using the Odyssey PC 680 in my 7A. I bought the battery sometime in early 2012. Estimating that perhaps it sat on a shelf someplace for maybe 3 months and it's now September 2018.... This battery has performed admirably. I have noticed lately that starting seems a little "tired." Hopefully heading out on a couple of cross countries in October and don't want any issues.... So, I've decided it's time to get a new battery.

I was going to replace it with the same but after reading these posts.... I've decided to give the APEX referenced by Charlie a try. Seems like the exact same battery except all the numbers are better. And the price was about $30.00 plus 20 for shipping. Still that's less than half the cost of a PC 680. The best PC680 prices were amazon running $114.00 with free shipping. It's worth a try to save $64.00! Only thing is the terminals a different. Shouldn't be a problem.

Paul, since that post, I've replaced the battery in my -4. I need to make a slight correction to my story.

The one I bought in anticipation of my annual last year is very similar to, or the same model, as the one I linked last year. But when I opened the cowl at annual & elected to replace (for time; not performance), I realized that I had a different model in the -4. The one I removed was a closer equivalent to the PC625, which is a higher AH rated battery. It's a bit thicker than the one I linked, and has terminals that more closely resemble the PC680. If you want to 'go big', I can get you the exact model that came out of the plane. But the one I linked should work well.

Charlie
 
Thanks Charlie, I ordered the Apex battery this morning. The numbers on this one are better than the PC 680. I noticed a guy a few days ago cranking his engine and was surprised at how much gusto their battery provided. The 680 did serve me well but never came close to what I saw on that other aircraft. I'm hoping the apex will do a better cranking job.
 
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apex battery evaluation

I'm now running the apex battery referenced by Charlie in post no. 5. The install was straight forward with one exception and I could never quite figure out why. It dropped into the box the odyssey was sitting in and about 4/5 of the way down it would wedge tight. The referenced sizes of the apex/odyssey is the same thickness and the apex is actually .020 less in length and .050 shorter in height. It should have gone in fine. I finally gave up looking for the why and placed a nylon block in the bottom for it to sit on. It's above the bottom of the tray maybe 3/4 inch. The only consequence is it's sitting a little higher above the top of the holder. A couple longer hold down bolts placed in the top and good to go. As far as the terminals being different. I had a piece of copper that I bent to an L shape and drilled holes to connect to the terminals and holes on the other end for the
pos and neg connections to the aircraft. Worked great.

Operational review. I have maybe 3 hours on the battery so far with multiple starts and I have to say this battery is easily more powerful than the odyssey. It definitely swings the prop with that gusto I mentioned in the last post. So far I'm happy. This battery put $65+ back in my pocket.
 
Plug for APEX batteries

I was 120 miles from home heading to a fly in yesterday and had alt failure. After a precautionary landing to look for loose wires, broken belt, I took off again and headed back home. I did fly most all the way with master and battery off. I did use the battery for radio calls. Pulling the cowling at home I checked the battery voltage with a voltmeter and across the terminals was getting 12.8 to 12.9 Volts. With an engine start and total panel on time probably 10 to 15 minutes, I feel like showing this much voltage after getting home was terrific.

I remember Times when my odyssey battery was new, sitting in the cockpit configuring my dynon instruments, I had to do it quickly. I could watch my battery voltage drop minute by minute. Then the next time I'd start the engine, it was EASY to tell the battery was very "tired!"

After one year.... still loving this APEX!
 
I bought an Apex battery several months ago to do my avionics, and have power to test. Just did first flight couple weeks ago and battery is still holding up very well. During avionics I left them on for over an hour one day and they still had enough voltage to run the Dynon.

I just ordered 2 more, 1 for a spare and 1 for my buddy to try out. So far it has exceeded my expectation for the price.
 
Concorde 25XC, but

might look for something cheaper when time to replace (I do every three years, just because!:D) ---- never had a problem with the Concorde and my battery box was made for it.

Ron

EDIT: 11/17/2019----Decided I will not pay approx. $300 for another Concorde ----- will probably try the Gruber 35ah for 1/3 less and will fit my battery box. I always carry the EarthX Jumppac in my car and plane when I travel --- just in case.
 
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