Battery for PA18-150

What are you guys recommending for a replacement battery for my 1960 PA18-150, SN 7592? Still has a generator.

The one that I just removed is a REMY 4000 that came with the plane . I am looking at the Concorde RG -25 and the RG-25XC. I would prefer to go with Concorde vs. Gill.

Because I know what you are thinking...., I am getting up to 12.3 V from the Generator according my G396 digital V reading. I took the battery out and load tested it at Auto Zone. The readout said "bad battery."

Despite that report, I charged the REMY for 3 days with the 1.3A charger with a de sulphation pulser and it failed the load test again.

Looks to me like it's new battery time. I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

Tom

Go with the Dan's Aircraft under seat Odyssey battery. You'll lose about 12 to 15 pounds of weight, and it cranks like a mother.

Can't go wrong.

MTV

The Odyssey is the only way to go. 13 pounds vs. 23 pounds and it has plenty of cranking power.

Gill 35 if you dont want to go with the under seat Odyssey. But if you want the best go with the uderseat set up !!!

Is the Odessy certified? (model, PN?) Is there an STC for the under seat installation?

OK. I found it on Dan's website.. Thank you for all of your opinions.

I will try to order tomorrow. :lol:

I have installed the Odyssey battery in the battery box in several aircraft with field approvals, and one as a minor. It is just a battery, by the way.

Dan's kit is the way to go, though, well thought out, and gets rid of a lot of weight and junk.

Note: The CC-18-180 from Cub Crafters uses one of these batteries, mounted just forward of the upper aft baggage. So, it is standard equipment on at least one certified aircraft.

I believe that particular battery is also used somewhere as the "doomsday" backup to the backup to the backup in some Boeing or other.

MTV

A source for the Odyssey http://www.batterymart.com/p-hawker-sbs-J16-aircraft-battery.html Batterymart is usually substantially cheaper than elsewhere. Believe Dan's will sell the kit w/o the battery.

There are several "flavors" of the Odyssey. Make certain you get the one that's called out in the Dan's stc. It will be a bit more expensive than the motorcycle battery, but it's legal.

MTV

Quick side note on the Odyssey Battery.

Ten years ago, when I did my change over, with STC, to the Odyssey (which is located in the rear underseat storage), and replaced the old oxidized aluminum battery cables with copper (longer lasting but still lighter because shorter - is copper the way other Cub mechanics are setting them up?), my AI also placarded the aircraft for NO INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS. This was because there is less long term amperage in the smaller battery (though as noted, the initial output is HUGE), so there is less radio duration after an alternator/generator failure.

Now I don't portend to ever want to fly the Cub IMC - the vacuum system is gone as well. But just a word to the wise - being mentally "prepared" for a potentially no electric Cub is a healthy concept that promotes longer Darwinian life.

On a practical side, it is possible to ruin (it has cost me two) an Odyssey battery by leaving a normal 6 amp car charger on too long - the smaller battery is quite sensitive to the amperage put into it.

So I have found longer life in the battery by not letting it ever run dead in the first place, and not using a car charger - except for a few minutes to be enough to excite the alternator - which will then stop charging because of the built in regulator.

Others may have small trickle chargers that can be left on the battery until fully charged, but I don't have one yet.

My .02.

Bob Breeden


www.AlaskaAirpark.com

Bob,

Your mechanic was a little over the top on that one. The PA-18 is approved on the TC for day and night VFR only. Adding a placard that says no IFR is redundant and unecessary, since the Cub's not approved for IFR anyway. There have been a few owners who did get specific one time approvals to put the airplane into the IFR category, but not many.

I've never found it really necessary to charge the Odyssey's. They seem to hold a charge better than most batteries. Note that they come fully charged, and are rated to hold that charge for two years on the shelf. I don't know any other battery like that.

MTV

Mike,

Right, I don't think my AI was aware of that on the TC.

Ok, I'm human. The reason for charging the battery once or twice was that the MASTER was left on..... 8) after putting stuff into or getting something out of the plane in the dark hangar, without the tail strobe left on to alert me to such an oversight.....

Anybody else ever done that?

The battery is a grand improvement over the former lead anchor....nothing like a light SuperCub....

Bob Breeden


www.AlaskaAirpark.com

The stock battery would be a G35 Gill. Concorde says a 25. Something to think about is how and with what you fly. If you fly a light SC by yourself most of the time without any gear you might like the battery in it's stock location. Moving the battery forward also moves the CG and in my opinion on a light no load Cub it doesn't land as nice with the battery under the pilot seat.

Thanks again for all of these opinions. Now, will someone loan me the money for a new battery? Just joking.

I will investigate Dan's STC.

Tom