Which battery do I need? Best place to buy?

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fudge80

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fudge80
Replacing the battery in my Cessna 172N, took it out tonight and it is a Gill G-242. One of my instructors told me to get a Concorde but I see they are $550ish online versus and $225 for the Gill OEM. Does it really matter or should I pony up for the Concorde?

Where is the best place to get batteries? Any place significantly cheaper than other places?
 
Odyssey or Concorde, check sky geek, aircraft spruce, and just do a google shopping search too.

I'd also get a matter minder for it too if the plane goes any decent amount of time without flying.
 
Talk to your mechanic. I think Odyssey is the best current option for certificated planes, but Earth X is supposed to have approval by year end, and that'll be a game changer. Better, lighter batteries are available today, and even lighter ones are right around the corner.

See AC43.13-2B chapter 10 for how to install an odyssey. If you want to keep the stock location the PC925 is an awesome choice. The smaller PC625 is even better if you want to move it to the firewall and lose about 17# of battery/cable weight while gaining improved starting and storage.
 
I replaced my Gill with a Concord. My first Gill lasted 10 years and the last two about 5 years each. I think the quality of Gill has decreased but have no real proof to back this up. James331 has a good point about the battery minder. I have also heard the Odyssey is a good battery.

There are several threads about batteries if you do the search
 
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I switched from Gill to Concorde, very happy with the change. I also purchased a battery minder and keep it on 24/7 when the plane is in the hangar.
 
Reviving an old thread because ... well, my 7-year-old Gill G242 just quit.

The comments above tend to favor the Concorde replacement over the Gill. I know hot weather plays havoc with batteries, and I'm based in the Phoenix area now. Any thoughts one way or the other in choosing batteries for use in this climate? This is for a C-172N (28 volt) that is hangared and gets regular use.

A battery minder sounds like a great idea, but the top cowling has to be completely removed to access and then disassemble the battery box to get to the battery. The external power plug merely bypasses the battery, doesn't charge it.

Thanks.
 
The batteryminder thing is easy enough to fix by adding some wiring. The batteryminder kit has a pigtail to bolt to the battery or to the hot side of the master relay.

Seven years is a heck of a run from the gill. Hard to argue with that kind of success.
 
At the price, the Gill is the better deal. you'll be half life of the second gill when the concord gives up. and you'll be $100. ahead, and several years usage left in the second gill.
 
Is there a benefit with less vapor & possibly less corrosion potential with the sealed Concordes?

I had heard such before, not sure if it’s fact.
 
Is there a benefit with less vapor & possibly less corrosion potential with the sealed Concordes?
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Nope. They are only sealed to the extent that you can't open them to service them. They still have gas vents (which you absolutely need them to have). Your airplane should have a battery box or other provisions so that this isn't a problem.
 
Clark1961 said:
The batteryminder thing is easy enough to fix by adding some wiring. The batteryminder kit has a pigtail to bolt to the battery or to the hot side of the master relay.
Click to expand...
I have a Batteryminder and it came with a quick connect pigtail and ring terminals to connect to the battery. The leads (one for power, one for temperature sensing) hang out of the battery box and are secured right inside the oil access door on the cowl.
 
If you put a tender on it, be certain to check electrolyte levels regularly. Folks often wonder how their batteries died prematurely, even when tended, and it's because the tender burnt them dry.
 
Pilawt said:
Can a tender be used on a Concorde ("sealed" electrolyte) battery?
Click to expand...

As far as I know and, of course, you don't top off the cells. What I don't know is if they suffer from being burnt up like normal batteries do.
 
We just replaced the 5 year old Concord with a Gill in our 172L. So far we have had good luck cranking even in these very cold temps.
 
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