Best Battery for our Carbon Cubs?

[1473C]

Jim,
I have the same battery in 829CC. It has performed very well since April. Some time ago, I inadvertently discharged it to 3.4 volts because the back up GPS was plugged into the the auxiliary with the screen dimmed but the unit on. I now always pull the plug.
Since Andy was not around to offer advice, I took a chance in an effort to restore the battery rather than junk it. According to what I was told by Andy at the time of purchase, the battery had to be returned to him for recovery in the event of a deep discharge.
Using the balancer/charger I first set the voltage to 6 volts and selected charge. That brought the voltage up to just over 6 rather quickly. Next, I did the same with a setting of 9 volts. That worked but took longer. After that I used 12 volts which worked but took several hours. The battery has worked flawlessly since and seems to hold a voltage of 13.3 between flights. Jake

[James B (Jim) Hawkes]

Jim,
I have the same battery in 829CC. It has performed very well since April. Some time ago, I inadvertently discharged it to 3.4 volts because the back up GPS was plugged into the the auxiliary with the screen dimmed but the unit on. I now always pull the plug.
Since Andy was not around to offer advice, I took a chance in an effort to restore the battery rather than junk it. According to what I was told by Andy at the time of purchase, the battery had to be returned to him for recovery in the event of a deep discharge.
Using the balancer/charger I first set the voltage to 6 volts and selected charge. That brought the voltage up to just over 6 rather quickly. Next, I did the same with a setting of 9 volts. That worked but took longer. After that I used 12 volts which worked but took several hours. The battery has worked flawlessly since and seems to hold a voltage of 13.3 between flights. Jake

Thanks Jake. I had very good luck with my battery until the cell went to zero, which is where it was yesterday. As you see in an update to my post, I'm sending the battery back to Andy for replacement. I see you are in ME. If you are near KBVY in MA, let me know.

[rlinford]

I originally installed a Shorai 315amp LiFePo4 battery on my EX which was pretty marginal to get the CC340 to turn over without bumping the ignition switch. I killed it by leaving the master switch on (although surprisingly after a long balanced charge it seems OK as a spare) so I ordered a Moty Designs 360a 12 cell OEM battery. It's smaller than the Shorai but turns the engine over better. Only 6 hours on it but so far so good - it strains a little to get over TDC on the first turn but then it's fine. $185 http://www.motydesign.com/product.ph...-cell-oem-case

I'm checking to see if they can make one that's a bit larger, the 12 cell fits in the original seat base battery box with quite a bit of room to spare vertically.

[randylervold]

I originally installed a Shorai 315amp LiFePo4 battery on my EX which was pretty marginal to get the CC340 to turn over without bumping the ignition switch.

Rob (and all), please don't ever "bump" the CC340 with the starter, here's why: when you turn the key off momentarily the ignition computers lose track of where the engine is in its rotation since they have no power and can't sense the position sensor on the back of the starter ring. When you then apply power to it you can get a nasty backfire that can break the starter ring. We had that happen on our first demo early in the program.

[1473C]

With Andy's 1000 CCA Lithium Iron installed, I have never had the engine fail to rotate as it passes the first compression point. It slows slightly and then the engine RPM increases rapidly until it starts. The voltage, as measured from the aux. outlet , drops to less than 10 volts from 13.3 storage voltage. After start it picks up to 14.3.

[carlconti]

I was impressed with the original battery that came in my Carbon Cub. It always started, with nary a hesitation on the first blade, cold or hot. I kept it on a battery minder when it was in the hangar.

This morning when I tried to start my 14 month old airplane it went by the first blade and stopped cold. The battery measured 12.7 volts with no load. With a light load it measured 4 volts.

I replaced it with a 220 CCA X2 Power X2-14 from Batteries Plus. They claim a 24 month free replacement warranty. We'll see.

I sure wish Andy was still around and selling his 1000 CCA LiFe battery.

Best to all,

Carl

[carlconti]

Now have a few flights on the new battery. It's at least as strong as the original.

Given the sudden failure of the original battery, I now plan to replace at every annual condition inspection.

Regards,

Carl

[Steve Y]

Now have a few flights on the new battery. It's at least as strong as the original.

Given the sudden failure of the original battery, I now plan to replace at every annual condition inspection.

Regards,

Carl

I'm willing to carry another 5 pounds for a great battery in my E-LSA CC. Given that, would not the
Odyssey PC680 just be about the best battery? If I don't have to carry a lead Acid battery around and if
I go with what they say here on CubCrafters Store: "This is the best battery for your CarbonCub."

[EVRoosevelt]

Its the only battery I have used in the last 2 Carbon Cubs EX. I had used a couple different lithium batteries in the first Carbon Cub EX always wondered if it would start.
EV

[rlinford]

Rob (and all), please don't ever "bump" the CC340 with the starter, here's why: when you turn the key off momentarily the ignition computers lose track of where the engine is in its rotation since they have no power and can't sense the position sensor on the back of the starter ring. When you then apply power to it you can get a nasty backfire that can break the starter ring. We had that happen on our first demo early in the program.

Hi Randy, "Bump" is probably the wrong word. When it hangs up on a compression stroke I have just been releasing the key back to both, letting the prop swing back, and trying it again without a much of a pause. I do not believe there is a loss of power to the ignition modules when I do this although I could see the position sensor getting confused if the prop swings back enough to pass the magnets over the sensors the wrong way. When this happens are you suggesting we pause longer on the "both" position or should we turn the ignition to off, wait, back to both, wait, and then try a restart?