Jump starting RV series of aircraft

[s_tones]

Occaisionally my Piper gets a little finicky and doesn't want to start.
I've yet to actually get stuck somewhere though I nearly did one evening in Monterey. Anyway, the thing is, it is jumpable. That is to say you could manage to input the requisite 12V and get her going if you ran the battery down.

Sooo...the question is, how do you jump an RV with the battery sitting up there under the cowl? Do any of you guys put in power recepticles?

Steve

[prporter]

.


Yes.

[AX-O]

Some people run wires and a plug to a point on the rear of the fuselage. Most that I have seen are behind the left wing.

[Mike S]

There are no stupid questions.

Mike

[robertahegy]

I ran leads off the battery with a plug that connects to my trickle charger. I suppose I could get a slow charge off another charger in a pinch. Couldn't jump start it, though. So far my venerable PC680 hasn't failed me in over 3.5 years.

Roberta

[mgomez]

Originally Posted by Mike S

There are no stupid questions.

Mike

...where there are male nouns and female nouns. Female nouns get female adjectives.

Thus "Pregunta estupida", not "Pregunta estupido." But we native Spanish speaker appreciate the effort!

But I'm glad you asked, because I've been wondering what to do about an external power receptacle. So some of you run big starter wires all the way back to behind the wing?

Otra pregunta estupida: How do you route those big wires?

Thanks,
Martin

[Ironflight]

I mounted a Piper-style external power jack under the fuselage (rear mounted battery in the -8) so that I could jump it if required, and more importantly so that I can power the ship while working on avionics (all glass - lots of software loading and configuring). Bob Knuckolls has an article on his site about how to modify it to work well - easy and cheap (like $18 for the receptacle!).

Paul

[jclark]

Originally Posted by s_tones

Occaisionally my Piper gets a little finicky and doesn't want to start.
I've yet to actually get stuck somewhere though I nearly did one evening in Monterey. Anyway, the thing is, it is jumpable. That is to say you could manage to input the requisite 12V and get her going if you ran the battery down.

Sooo...the question is, how do you jump an RV with the battery sitting up there under the cowl? Do any of you guys put in power recepticles?

Steve

I have a power plug (actually two) attached to the engine mount and accessible via the oil door.

The first one was for trickle charge of the battery during old weather etc. It is a female part of the "cigarette lighter" jack/plug. The male end is attached to the trickle charger and I just plug it in as required.

But ... back in February, while in Punta Gorda, FL with a "weak" battery, an **ICE-STORM** (or was it freezing rain or something) came through overnight with the plane on the ramp. It did not want to start (I knew I had a weak battery ... was going to replace it as soon as I got back).
Had a bit of trouble getting the jumper cables attached for a start. :-)

So I vowed to not get caught like that again. Went to a "Marine" store I think and got one of their "power plugs". Flip top cap (spring loaded) and two large prongs. Not much bigger than the 12v receptacle mentioned above but with much bigger wire. Connected that to the battery and attached the other end to a small set of jumper cables that I keep in the plane. I can now get a jump start just about anywhere.

Hope I neve *have to* use it. :-)

James

[s_tones]

Thanks you guys. That was really buggin me.
Y, lo siento por mi muy estupido mistako!

Steve

[N941WR]

I wired one of my two "cigarette lighter" jack/plugs on the "Always Hot Bus" so I can leave a trickle charger on it while in the hangar.