davidv.lewis
Registered User
Taked to Earth X today and they told me that the testing is finished on the 900 and the STC should be forthcoming in early 18. The new model is the exact same as the EXT900-VNT.[h=3][/h]
....From everything I have researched you are on your own installing an Earth X in a certified aircraft at this point, kinda like those Catto props.
You fly a certified plane in cold weather, battery mounted in the back so pre-heat won't touch it, and plane is left outside for a few days at a time so gets cold soaked.
You tell the guy that tomorrow you are going to be inspecting the battery compartment and that you hope that the EarthX battery isn't there in the morning. :lol:If you are doing an annual on a plane and a guy has a non-approved battery, what do you do?
Kinda similar to the customer who, drops his plane at your place while you are gone to lunch. He needs an annual done, but, says "a buddy needed to borrow his prop", when you inquire why the prop is missing...
Be careful about the advice you put out. Did you know that there is a world of difference between Lithium_iron_phosphate (LiFePo) that EarthX uses and lithium cobalt oxide(LiCoO[SUB]2[/SUB]) that Boeing chose. Did you also know that good old lead acid batteries can also pose some very exciting fire hazards?Li-ion or Li-iron. I would be very careful about putting anything lithium in an airplane without a charging system and electrical cutouts specifically designed. Lithium fed fires cannot be put out with any extinguisher you might carry. Boeing's solution to their fires on the 787 was to create a two inch thick stainless steel battery case machined out of a single billet. The design criteria was to allow the battery to burn itself out completely without fire fighting action.
Now WHO would do something like that ?!You just need a McGill decal (just like those McCatto props!)
Should mention: O-540 in a Maule.
Be careful about the advice you put out. Did you know that there is a world of difference between Lithium_iron_phosphate (LiFePo) that EarthX uses and lithium cobalt oxide(LiCoO[SUB]2[/SUB]) that Boeing chose. Did you also know that good old lead acid batteries can also pose some very exciting fire hazards?
..Between my rudder pedals? Easiest but specs advise not to mount in cockpit and also not minimising cable length? Is it not recommended because of fire or fumes? If it is fumes, I am not sure that would be a problem in a cub....
He is really knowlegeble about all kinds of batteries. He said he would not sell me a lithium battery if it is going into an airplane, and then said heres why. Went out back and got this battery. Its a Shorai, which is a pretty big name in lithium. If you look close at the pix, you can see the bottom cells are swelled up and getting ready to burst. It popped the battery top off. His opinion is most lithium batteries are not ready for primetime yet. I dunno, sure was eye opening
Jim
We just started installing lithium iron batteries in Caravans! True Blue Power STC'd. (EarthX needs to get with the program). The first Caravan to get one has the Blackhawk P&W PT6A-140 (867SHP). The lithium spins the start Ng past 20%, the lead acid would get maybe 18%. The charge rate after start is noticeably higher for a short duration. The lithium weighs 32lbs less than the lead acid...