Best Battery for our Carbon Cubs?

[randylervold]

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?

If there's any chance the position sensor and computer are confused then the best thing is to turn it off and start over.

[Dan L]

Randy, I've had my engine run backwards a few times during shutdown right at the end. Any problems with that or reason why it does that?

I think I'm close to a year on my Aerolithium battery and it is still working well. Without checking I think it was rated at 550 CCA.

[randylervold]

Randy, I've had my engine run backwards a few times during shutdown right at the end. Any problems with that or reason why it does that?

Not good but somewhat common. Make sure your idle is low enough, your mixture fully cuts off, and when you pull the mixture try shutting off the ignition just after and see if that helps.

[T Hunter]

Not good but somewhat common. Make sure your idle is low enough, your mixture fully cuts off, and when you pull the mixture try shutting off the ignition just after and see if that helps.

Has anyone checked out the Shorai or Phantom lithium iron batteries? 310 cranking amps, fits the old battery trays, and weighs under five pounds. Any thoughts on this one? See the link below.


http://shoraipower.com/lfx21a6-bs12-p102

[carlconti]

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."

Steve,

But doesn't it require the modified battery compartment?

Carl

[T Hunter]

Steve,

But doesn't it require the modified battery compartment?

Carl

This is the one I decided on. See below. It will fit the old battery box, has 260 CCA, and it is a sealed AGL battery. I also got a Phantom lithium battery for a backup spare to carry in the plane. The lithium weighs almost nothing and for a jump start, if ever needed, seems like very good insurance.

http://www.batterystuff.com/powerspo...YTX14H-BS.html

[rlinford]

Steve,

But doesn't it require the modified battery compartment?

Carl

Yes, that would definitely not fit in the older style battery box. If Moty Designs can fabricate a 400+ amp battery for me that will fit (they are working on it) I'll give it a try. Otherwise I'm going to bite the bullet and fork out the $1000 or whatever it is for the battery box mod and fix it this winter. I have been really happy with CC and their design for the most part but they screwed the pooch badly on the battery box. The older style battery box is totally inadequate for the 180HP engine. Light is good but it's important to be able to start the engine too.... If mine were not a sea plane I would not be so concerned but flying into a remote lake with a marginal battery (I have to carry a spare right now) would be dumb.

[kiwibob]

If Moty Designs can fabricate a 400+ amp battery for me that will fit (they are working on it) I'll give it a try.

Andy at Aerolithium tells me he will be taking orders for his new batteries at the end of this month. I'm going to get one as a spare, not because I have had any trouble with the present one (still going good after 6 months and 50 hours) but like you a start failure could be a very bad thing.

[Dan L]

I've had four different batteries in my EX now. Two were lead acid batteries starting with the Power Sport. Then I changed out to the Xtreme X2-14. Next I caught the lightweight lithium idea and went with the Adventure Power APP14A1-BS12. None of these were winners in my opinion with the Adventure Power lithium a real dud. It would not turn the engine over a full turn without stopping. This is a repackaged Shorai.

The last one is a 500 amp lightweight from Aerolithium at 3.7 pounds. Discussing this with Andy he said that the 500 amp version would be best. So far he's right. I would consider this as an 'experimental' battery at this point because the case is not refined enough to be considered a consumer battery. But it is lightweight and has plenty of amps for the task. At least so far. Time and cold weather will soon tell.

Attachment 1945

(The white plastic strips are in place to tighten the fit between the seat base and the seat.)

Well this battery is getting weak on me now too. Of the lithium iron batteries I've tried it was by far the best and lasted over a year. Last winter it performed just fine but now that cold weather has returned it is struggling to crank over the O-340.

I'm tired of spending money on batteries that don't last very long. The appeal of course is the light weight. But I'm going to switch over to an Odyssey. Probably the PC625. I had the Odyssey SBS J16 in my PA18 and it was a wonderful battery that lasted for years and cranked solidly in any temperature. I think the PC625 (625 amps) will fit in the original battery pocket and is almost the same cranking amps as the STCd version at 680 amps. The downside is that it weighs 10 pounds more than the lithium iron it'll replace.

[glickle]

Battery update! As many of you have followed my posts over the past 3-4 years I have been through the gamit with batteries on the Sport Cub 2007 , then Carbon Cub #1 2009 and now Carbon Cub #2 2013. I can report that after 280 hours and almost 1 year of service the original battery (Power Sonic) supplied with Carbon Cub #2 Dec 2013 has started the plane under every condition hot and freezing cold and worked well with the new hartzell Starter. It just quit 2 weeks in 20 degree weather while in Charlotte NC and shorted internally popping the field breaker. That said I have been carrying as a spare my Aerolithium battery from Andy now about 2 years old in the back of the plane for just such an ocassion. I am happy to report after a 5 min change out, the Aerolithium battery spun up the engine after sitting for 1.5 years without a recharge. I have now replaced the original lead acid Power Sports battery with the Batteries Plus X2-14 (the strongest I found of the lead acids batteries) and all is well again. I will continue to keep the 3lb Aerolithium battery on board as a spare. Best Gary