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prkaye

Well Known Member
I'm going with the Odyssey type battery. If I buy the battery now, would it still be good in a year or two or however long it takes me to finish the project? I think it will be easier to determine exact wire sizes for the heavy cables if I actually have the battery so i know exactly where the connections sit.
 
Those batteries are supposedly very good. You should see if someone nearby has an old one to use for wiring purposes.
 
Try a search and you will find some reporting 8 years of service from these batteries. Just check the battery condition from time to time and charge as needed.
 
prkaye said:
... I think it will be easier to determine exact wire sizes for the heavy cables if I actually have the battery so i know exactly where the connections sit.
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Call Van's and order the electrical drawings, that will spec out the wire sizes. Then you can either order the wires from Van's or source them locally.
 
Buy it, fit it and then store it in the refrigerator. That's what the instructions with mine recommended to store it for extended periods.
 
I would not plan on storing a $135 battery for two years. You will lose something off of the useful life, particularly if you don't maintain it by periodic charging. Ask me how I know.

You should either be able to find a dead one locally or just get the spec's (a scaled drawing) from Odyssey's website.
 
Odyssey

prkaye said:
I'm going with the Odyssey type battery. If I buy the battery now, would it still be good in a year or two or however long it takes me to finish the project? I think it will be easier to determine exact wire sizes for the heavy cables if I actually have the battery so i know exactly where the connections sit.
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Bought mine in late 03 IIRC. Used it for several months powering flaps, instrument pannel, position lights, radios, etc. First flight was in Jun 06. it is still going strong. I have an I0-360 angle valve fuel injected 200 hp engine and it has never failed me.:D

Can't say the same for the Sky-Tek lightweight starter though. Only good thing about it is, the solonoid on the starter is a commonly used item that can be found at any local starter-alternator rebuilder.
 
Odyssey

Kyle Boatright said:
I would not plan on storing a $135 battery for two years. You will lose something off of the useful life, particularly if you don't maintain it by periodic charging. Ask me how I know.

You should either be able to find a dead one locally or just get the spec's (a scaled drawing) from Odyssey's website.
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Kyle:

How do you know???????????????:confused:

Mine has lasted for years!:D
 
mannanj said:
Kyle:

How do you know???????????????:confused:

Mine has lasted for years!:D
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Mine lasted four years in the airplane, but seemed weak for a year or more before I replaced it. I believe it was purchased a year and a half before the airplane flew and I probably didn't properly maintain it (i.e. charge it monthly, or at least quarterly) during that period...
 
I bought an Odyssey PC625 in 2002. Used it to check out systems while I was building. Threw it into a 5-gallon bucket along with some bricks to hold the tail down before I mounted the empenage. Never charged it until I got the plane completed in 2006. Ran it on the finished airplane for two years (2006-2008) and now it is running my riding lawnmower. When my lawnmower goes to the scrap yard I plan on useing the battery for backup power on my mother's iron lung! (OK, Just kidding on the last part. :D) But I do like that battery!
 
Ours was purchased about two years before the first flight. I was a great help in doing what you asked--getting all the wiring properly placed. It was also a great help in testing the wiring and in spinning over the engine (without plugs) to keep it well lubed. Nearly two years after the first flight it is going strong. We did keep it charged, not at any particular time, but when it showed below about 12 volts. I can't remember ever pulling it out, once it was installed. Go for it!

Bob Kelly
 
If you don't really want to buy until closer to your first flight, you could just build a mock-up out of some scrap wood. The dimensions are readily available on-line.
 
RatMan said:
I like the battery minders as well but check the specs for Oddesey batteries. They don't recommend they not be used as the voltage is too low. (I couldn't get the link to work to find out about this one.)
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Any idea where you saw this, John? I have a NAPA 900mA automatic battery tender that I was planning to use, but maybe not a good choice?
 
The Odyssey is an amazing battery indeed.

Have been using a PC625 for 8 years now, and it still is not showing any signs of weakness. Earlier this year, left the master on and drained the battery. Put on a charger for 20 minutes, and that was enough to start the O-360. And just let the alternator do the rest with normal running, and it has been good since.

From what I understand, these batteries tend to lose their power gradually, and are not susceptable to sudden death. So, I keep watching mine for signs, but have no immediate plans for replacement.

Walter
 
I'm a little more conservative when it comes to maintenance, I replace parts before they wear out, the battery gets changed every 2 years whether it needs it or not. All electric airplane, dual electronic ignition and I hate surprises :p
 
Walt said:
I'm a little more conservative when it comes to maintenance, I replace parts before they wear out, the battery gets changed every 2 years whether it needs it or not. All electric airplane, dual electronic ignition and I hate surprises :p
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Would you mind sending me your two-year-old Odysseys?? :D
 
My Powersonic (I need the extra weight up front) typically lasts 6 to 7 years. Cost is about $75.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Would you mind sending me your two-year-old Odysseys?? :D
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I would let you have it but I usually donate them to the locals that are to "trifty" to buy a new one themselves and I get tired of hand propping them or loaning them my little battery tender (which is not really made for charging stone dead batteries)!

Heck I even replace my tires before they are totally bald and I usually have somebody asking for them as well.

Kinda reminds me of when I was a kid and used to get all my tires from behind the tire shop for free (they looked good to me), and I could never figure out why I was always having blow-outs :eek:

Very strange phenomenon how some folks will build a $75-100K plane but then "cheap out" on the maintenance. Certainly not unique though, the same thing held true when I was in GA maintenance many moons ago (and the airlines more recently for that matter), folks would bring in their 1/4 million dollar aircraft and then whine and complain about the cost when you wanted to fix them. To many if it wasn't broke it didn't need fixin and you were trying to rip them off, but they wanted you to sign their annual anyway and pay you in 30 days (or never).

Please folks take care of your baby, pull the cowls often look her over good and if you're not a real maintenance type person have somebody else go over your plane to help you keep it properly maintained.

I admit I'm anal about maintenance.... if you're not you should be.

OK off my soapbox :)
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
Any idea where you saw this, John? I have a NAPA 900mA automatic battery tender that I was planning to use, but maybe not a good choice?
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From Odyssey's website....

Proper Charger Selection​

A critical factor in the proper use of a rechargeable battery is charging. Inadequate or improper charging is the most common cause of premature failure of rechargeable lead acid batteries.

Small, portable automotive chargers may be used to charge your ODYSSEY? battery. These chargers are essentially designed to bring a discharged battery to a state of charge (SOC) that is high enough to crank an engine. Once this is successfully accomplished it is up to the engine alternator to fully charge the battery. It is important to keep this design philosophy in mind when using this type of charger.

There is another class of chargers that is designed specifically to maintain the battery in a high state of charge. These chargers, such as the 1.25 amp Battery Tender? from Deltran are not capable of charging a deeply discharged ODYSSEY? battery. This is due to the fact that these chargers have very low output power. They should only be used either to continuously compensate for parasitic losses or to maintain a trickle charge on a fully charged stored battery.

(A) Selecting the right charger for your battery

Small portable automotive chargers can also be used, as long as certain suitability criteria are met. Qualifying these chargers for your ODYSSEY? battery is a simple two-step process.

Step 1 - Charger output voltage

Determining the charger output voltage is the most important step in the charger qualification process. If the voltage output from the charger is less than 14.2V or more than 15V for a 12V battery do not use the charger. This output voltage is measured on the battery terminals with the charger charging, the voltage is steady and the output current has begun to decline. For 24V battery systems the charger output voltage should be between 28.4V and 30V. If the charger output voltage falls within these voltage limits when the battery approaches a fully charged state, low output current, proceed to Step 2; otherwise pick another charger.

Step 2 - Charger type ? automatic or manual

The two broad types of small, portable chargers available today are classified as either automatic or manual. Automatic chargers can be further classified as those that charge the battery up to a certain voltage and then shut off and those that charge the battery up to a certain voltage and then switch to a lower float (trickle) voltage.

An example of the first type of automatic charger is one that charges a battery up to 14.5V, then immediately shuts off. An example of the second type of automatic charger would bring the battery up to 14.5V then switch to a float (trickle) voltage of 13.6V; it will stay at that level indefinitely. The second type of automatic charger is preferred as the first type of charger is likely to undercharge the battery.

A manual charger typically puts out a single voltage and has to be manually switched off to prevent battery overcharge. Should you choose to use a manual charger with your ODYSSEY? battery, do not exceed charge times suggested in Table III below.

(B) Selecting battery type on your charger output

While it is not possible to cover every type of battery charger available today in a product guide such as this, this section will try to give the ODYSSEY? battery user some general charger usage guidelines to follow, after the charger has been qualified for use with this battery.

In general, do not use either the gel cell or maintenance free setting, if provided on your charger. Choose the deep cycle option, should there be one on your charger. Table III below provides suggestions on charge times based on charger currents.

Table III: Suggested charge times for ODYSSEY? batteries


Model - Charge time for 100% discharged battery - 10A charger - 20A charger

PC 310 48 minutes 24 minutes

PC 535 1.5 hour 45 minutes

PC 545 1.5 hour 45 minutes

PC 625 2 hour 1 hour

PC 680 2 hour 1 hour

PC 925 2.5 hour 1.25 hour

PC 1200 4 hour 2 hour

PC 1700 7 hour 3.5 hour

PC 2150 9 hour 4.5 hour



Note that the charge times recommended in Table III are based on an assumption that the ODYSSEY? battery is fully discharged with an open circuit voltage of 11.6 volts. If the battery is only partially discharged the charge times should be appropriately reduced.
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Walt said:
I would let you have it but I usually donate them to the locals that are to "trifty" to buy a new one themselves and I get tired of hand propping them or loaning them my little battery tender (which is not really made for charging stone dead batteries)!

Heck I even replace my tires before they are totally bald and I usually have somebody asking for them as well.

Kinda reminds me of when I was a kid and used to get all my tires from behind the tire shop for free (they looked good to me), and I could never figure out why I was always having blow-outs :eek:

Very strange phenomenon how some folks will build a $75-100K plane but then "cheap out" on the maintenance. Certainly not unique though, the same thing held true when I was in GA maintenance many moons ago (and the airlines more recently for that matter), folks would bring in their 1/4 million dollar aircraft and then whine and complain about the cost when you wanted to fix them. To many if it wasn't broke it didn't need fixin and you were trying to rip them off, but they wanted you to sign their annual anyway and pay you in 30 days (or never).

Please folks take care of your baby, pull the cowls often look her over good and if you're not a real maintenance type person have somebody else go over your plane to help you keep it properly maintained.

I admit I'm anal about maintenance.... if you're not you should be.

OK off my soapbox :)
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Walt, I understand the point you are making.

But.......I don't think somebody who is willing to run an Odyssey battery longer than two yours should be branded as slipshod in their maintenance. Different aircraft have different missions. My plane is only flown day VFR and if the Odyssey conks out after six years of service there is no reason for my flight to end in panic. Those that are familiar with my plane would vouch for the obsessive maintenance it receives. :)
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Walt, I understand the point you are making.

But.......I don't think somebody who is willing to run an Odyssey battery longer than two yours should be branded as slipshod in their maintenance. Different aircraft have different missions. My plane is only flown day VFR and if the Odyssey conks out after six years of service there is no reason for my flight to end in panic. Those that are familiar with my plane would vouch for the obsessive maintenance it receives. :)
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Sam,
I didn't mean to imply that is true for everybody, but I have seen more "slipshod" maintenance on RV's than I care to.

That day VFR flight could turn into unplanned night VFR flight one day, then if the alt quits your battery will die pretty quick if it's past it's prime. Even if the fan keeps running night flight with no electrics is an accident waiting to happen.

With dual EI's I also run the SD8 which will keep all the vitals alive indefinately, but I still change the battery evey 2 years just to be on the safe side.

Accidents are always a series of little things gone wrong.
 
Walt said:
Sam,
I didn't mean to imply that is true for everybody, but I have seen more "slipshod" maintenance on RV's than I care to.

That day VFR flight could turn into unplanned night VFR flight one day, then if the alt quits your battery will die pretty quick if it's past it's prime. Even if the fan keeps running night flight with no electrics is an accident waiting to happen.
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Huh?? Now, not only am I slipshod about maintenance with my three year-old battery, I'm now so sloppy with flight planning that I can't get my plane on the ground before dark-thirty?

Give us a little credit for common sense, Walt. ;)
 
Sam, don't assume that Walt's comments are directed at you. Let's face it. Too many pilots do stupid things that end up in crashes/fatalities. I can name one from the recent LOE fly in that resulted in two deaths.

Personally, I would rather replace batteries preemptively than be stranded somewhere because of a dead battery. So for this discussion, practical Odyssey lifetimes would be nice to know. I replace mine after three years. Perhaps I can go four. I would not be likely to go six or seven based upon reports of eight years useful life.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Huh?? Now, not only am I slipshod about maintenance with my three year-old battery, I'm now so sloppy with flight planning that I can't get my plane on the ground before dark-thirty?

Give us a little credit for common sense, Walt. ;)
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Sam,
You seem to be taking my post as some kind of personal attack, which it most definately is not!@

I am only trying to convey how important the little things are, and I will be the first to admit that I am somewhat of a freak when it comes mechanical stuff, just ask my wife, I even get on her when she abuses the vaccum or overloads the washing machine :D

Mechanical "things" have feelings too, they need lots of love :confused:
 
Walt said:
Sam,
You seem to be taking my post as some kind of personal attack, which it most definately is not!@

I am only trying to convey how important the little things are, and I will be the first to admit that I am somewhat of a freak when it comes mechanical stuff, just ask my wife, I even get on her when she abuses the vaccum or overloads the washing machine :D

Mechanical "things" have feelings too, they need lots of love :confused:
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Walt, I'm not taking your comments personally, just think you are painting with an overly broad brush.

I too am very conservative when it comes to maintenance and safety and I appreciate your concern about casual safety practices. Guess the point I'm trying to make is that a flight/maintenance protocol that may be risky for one pilot is not necessarily dangerous for another when all factors are considered.

It may very well be that your Odyssey batteries need to be replaced every two years to satisfy your personal limits, that is your decision. However, since these batteries have a proven field history of yielding several years of satisfactory service, blanket statements about abbreviated service life aren't applicable to all situations, and could be misleading to new builders just now exploring battery options. We have a lot of new builders prowling these forums. :)
 
Xantrex Battery Charger

As posted earlier about proper battery chargers, I have used the Xantrex chargers and they are just excellent. You can leave them on continuously, that is what they are designed to do, and the battery will be maintained properly.

There website is: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/185/p/1/pt/7/product.asp

These chargers were the most advanced available at one time but there are a number of others now available. Check the Solar Power people as they have very good battery chargers available that will not kill batteries, either by over charging and boiling off the electrolyte or under charging and shortening the lifespan of the battery.

I likely would try and find an old battery for wiring purposes rather than buy an expensive battery two years ahead of when it is required.

As a mechanic I was taught to never leave a battery on concrete as it will self discharge very quickly. I later worked for years in the Fuel Cell industry with a number of "Battery Experts" and no one knew for sure if this is an old wives tale or not. Some said there was truth to it others said it was an OWT. I still do not know but I always put a piece of wood under any battery that I put on the garage floor. Just a little aside to the battery issue.

Bob Parry
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Walt, I'm not taking your comments personally, just think you are painting with an overly broad brush.

I too am very conservative when it comes to maintenance and safety and I appreciate your concern about casual safety practices. Guess the point I'm trying to make is that a flight/maintenance protocol that may be risky for one pilot is not necessarily dangerous for another when all factors are considered.

It may very well be that your Odyssey batteries need to be replaced every two years to satisfy your personal limits, that is your decision. However, since these batteries have a proven field history of yielding several years of satisfactory service, blanket statements about abbreviated service life aren't applicable to all situations, and could be misleading to new builders just now exploring battery options. We have a lot of new builders prowling these forums. :)
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According to the Odyssey factory site, they have a design life of 8-12 years and a service life of 3-10 years. As mentioned before, my PC625 is 8 years old and still going strong.
http://www.odysseyfactory.com/batteries.html

Walter
 
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