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PA-18A Battery

kiwicubber

PATRON
Te Kowhai, New Zealand
Hi, we are in the process of restoring an ex top dressing (crop sprayer) PA-18A and trying to figure out where the battery is supposed to go. There are no tabs on the frame to give us a hint and it looks a bit vague in the parts book. Does it go in the top of the fuselage or on the floor behind the luggage locker?

cheers Bill

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Hi, we are in the process of restoring an ex top dressing (crop sprayer) PA-18A and trying to figure out where the battery is supposed to go. There are no tabs on the frame to give us a hint and it looks a bit vague in the parts book. Does it go in the top of the fuselage or on the floor behind the luggage locker?

cheers Bill

View attachment 30751

Oh Man are you gonna have fun with that!! keep us updated.
 
On our A model we moved it with the under seat STC when we did the last rebuild... better location than on the baggage floor and gives you more room back there...

e6dfe100fffce227d23d23cf60012095.jpg


Brian


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On our A model we moved it with the under seat STC when we did the last rebuild... better location than on the baggage floor and gives you more room back there...

e6dfe100fffce227d23d23cf60012095.jpg


Brian


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bill:

I recently sold my '56 18A which began its life as a top dresser in NZ. The battery was located in the top of the fuselage, right hand side just aft of the rear header tank. It was accessed via a hatch in the top of the fuselage.

Kindest Regards;

Chris


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Our 58 A model had it on the baggage floor and our 59 18-95 has it mounted up top. We did the same as Brian at rebuild.
 
This is where Piper put it. Bolts pass through the ply floor. The box part number, if I recall correctly, is unique to the PA-18A, so you're going to have find your own way for a box. Note in the photo the centre cover for the elevator cables is not fitted, but you need one.

There are two New Zealand AD's on the PA-18A battery box, or is it one AD but you have to do two things. The placard on top of the box that you can see in the photo and the requirement to insulate the inside of the lid. Also don't stow your rifle down the left side the battery box; the barrel will short out the terminals and cause some problems which is what one hunter did!

Andrew.
 

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Had a PA14 catch fire because a previous mechanic removed the wood strip in the top of the battery box. Battery terminal made contact with the box.
 
This is where Piper put it. Bolts pass through the ply floor. The box part number, if I recall correctly, is unique to the PA-18A, so you're going to have find your own way for a box. Note in the photo the centre cover for the elevator cables is not fitted, but you need one.

There are two New Zealand AD's on the PA-18A battery box, or is it one AD but you have to do two things. The placard on top of the box that you can see in the photo and the requirement to insulate the inside of the lid. Also don't stow your rifle down the left side the battery box; the barrel will short out the terminals and cause some problems which is what one hunter did!

Andrew.


The box in the photo is from a standard 18. The original 18A box was a flat top and had a couple of cheap latches on it. The standard 18 box is much better.
Piper put it there for weight and balance reasons when the hopper was installed. The baggage door was developed for access to the battery and when installing the spray equipment. Didn't need any baggage when spraying.

Relocate it. Leaving it there will always be a pain for cargo, third seat or extended baggage.
 
Thanks for all the posts. On our PA-18-95 we returned the battery from the floor behind he baggage compartment to the upper right side behind the rear header tank as is standard. We also installed the battery access cover, as supplied by Univair. I’m in favour of doing the same with our PA-18A-150 currently under rebuild. We are also fitting a rear seat with dual controls. The battery access cover is listed on Univair website, but no door frame. Does anyone have photos/drawings of the door frame.
 
Thanks for all the posts. On our PA-18-95 we returned the battery from the floor behind he baggage compartment to the upper right side behind the rear header tank as is standard.

Just a trivial technicality but some of the earlier cubs came with the battery in the baggage compartment so "returned" may not technically be correct.
 
So far we have covered all control surfaces and flaps, sandblasted and painted fuselage, temporarily fitted new floor, and new boot cowl. Have dismantled the wings, cleaned and repaired or replaced ribs as required, and obtained 4 new spars. Today was day two of reassembling left wing. Other odds and sods have been cleaned and painted along the way.
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