Battery cables in a -6A

pczar3 · #1 06-12-2008, 07:13 PM

Well the second question of the week. Does anyone have any pictures or can you describe how you routed the battery cables out of the battery box on a 6A? I am thinking of putting marine feedthroughs like mentioned in another post on the site but do you come out the side or top of the box and where do you penetrate the firewall? I thought about the 7A battery mount under the cowling but living in the freezing weather of Chicago I think I may need a more substantial battery. Any help or pictures would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Paul

pczar3
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L.Adamson · #2 06-12-2008, 07:26 PM

Mine is the old design, with the battery box in the cockpit. The positive cable comes out the left side near the top, through a large rubber grommet, and some additional tubing rapped around it. From there it curves up to the master relay which is mounted above the left brake pedals on the firewall.

The negative cable is out of the right side, and is connected to a large bolt which penetrates the firewall, and has the engine ground cable attached to the other side. An additional ground cable connects a grounding buss to this bolt.

Since the battery box was originally designed for larger battery's, it has wood and plastic spacers to fit the newer smaller battery.

L.Adamson -- RV6A

pierre smith · #3 06-13-2008, 06:47 AM

....since you can then use the Odyssey 680 on the firewall where it's so much easier to access.

Regards,

pczar3 · #4 06-13-2008, 02:11 PM

Thanks for the info. That is pretty much how I thought it would have to go. Pierre, I haven't compared the cold cranking capacity of the Odyssey to the Concorde style but I'm guessing the smaller battery has less cold cranking hours. Might not be an issue but I am looking for ideas. Many thanks to you both.

Paul

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painless · #5 06-13-2008, 03:53 PM

Paul:

I have a recently minted 6A that I did the 7A battery box on the firewall mod, among others. In actuality, mine is more like a 6.5A.

Anyway, I have found that the Odyssey is more than up to the task. My battery is going on year number 3 (if you count all the futzing around getting the electrical system all rigged up during construction) and it still cranks with the best of them.

One thing that I do is keep the battery warm all winter. I do this by covering the cowl with water heater insulation blankets, as well as regular old blankets that are also stuffed into the air inlets. Then I have a simple space/ceramic heater with a duct attached to it that is inserted in the cowl exit. This in turn is connected to a thermostat used for heat tape placed inside the cowl. This all keeps the engine compartment, including the battery, at about 40F all winter. Cost me about $17.00/month last winter to run.

With the above setup, I have no trouble at all turning the engine over in temps around 20F.

I would not be concerned about the Odyssey at all. Its nice not having that battery box down there in the cockpit. More room to spread out if you want to.

Regards,

pczar3 · #6 06-13-2008, 06:46 PM

Thanks Jeff and I see you're from farther north than I am. Sounds like I have some battery mods to do. I fly a Piper that is a club plane now and they use the oil sump heaters and it seems to crank fine. I really appreciate your input. Maybe I'll see you at OSH this year! I have family roots in the Green Bay (actually Pulaski) area.

Paul

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painless · #7 06-13-2008, 07:54 PM

So that means you have some cheeshead in you then!

I plan to fly in on Tuesday to OSH. Look me up if you are there!

Regards,