Where to put a battery in an RV-4
Hi everyone,
My battery is mounted between my knees and behind a vertical console making it next to impossible to access (former builder's idea, not mine). Now that I'm totally redoing my panel I'd like to move it forward (I plan to buy a smaller, lighter Shorai LFX18A1-BS12 battery). Suggestions for the best, easiest to access location? On the engine side of the firewall? The aft side of the firewall? Up high? lower? On the engine mount?
Ah, the things people do to their airplanes!
And what one has to put up with after they acquire said airplane!
I wanted my (heavy lead) battery as far forward as possible to compensate for having a wooden prop but also a Landoll balancer. It is mounted on the floor, foward in the "tunnel". I also needed space to put a radio, TPX, intercom, fuel system gauges, switches and circuit breakers that would be handy. And also a place to put......what were those things called.....? Oh, yeah: charts!
I designed and built a stand-alone center console that is held in place by 4 bolts, 7 screws and 5 quick-release electrical connections with two antennae connectors. Takes less than 5 minutes to pull out giving access to my far-forward battery. I also have a quick-connect terminal on the port side of the tunnel for charging the (heavy
) battery without removing the console. I
really like my setup. I have flown behind this panel for over 1100 hours and the only thing I have recently changed was to put a Dynon where the RMC mUcomputer was (upper panel) and replace the (very antiquated) Trimble GPS with a remote iFly 740b. The 6 panel instruments are mounted on a shock-absorbing removal panel that I can pull out and modify without disrupting the entire panel.
My W&B turned out great and, with just me and full fuel, the elevators are perfectly lined up with the horizontal and trim is neutral. I have packed a 190 pounder back there, which was interesting, but no freaky control changes, other than a pretty light elevator! What would I change? Nothing. Long live steam gauges!!
The front office photograph was taken MANY years ago. Not much has changed except as above and the hours on the tachometer!
And the throttle and mixture nobs are painted!