Battery charger choices

6t6

6t6

Pre-takeoff checklist
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North Bound
Why can't I just use any circuit protected battery charger for my 12V piper. Or must I pay 5 times the price for a "Aviation approved" battery charger?? What's the difference?
 
Are you trying to charge the battery or just maintain it while it's not being flown?

If it's the latter, than just buy a float charger approved for 12V circuits.
 
I have the same question and trying to decide if i shud shell out more for aviation approved or not. Doesn't make whole lot sense. My mission is to maintain battery when it's cold and it gets really cold out here, like -30 easily, keep the charger connected when playing with avionics. Would the aforementioned ones work?

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Bw you would need an adaptor that fits with these right?

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According to the battery minder folks aviation batteries have a higher acid concentration than automotive batteries and therefore operate at a slightly higher voltage than automotive batteries. I do not know if this is true or not. Maybe a chemist among us can explain how the basic lead-acid concentration can be shifted. Anyway the slightly higher voltage is the basis for the claim that an aviation specific charger is needed. Of course the aviation specific charger is probably identical to the automotive charges in terms of physical components. Only the voltage setpoints (controller programming) will be different on the aviation badged items.

Me? I bought the automotive charger...
 
For a battery maintainer, I use one from Tractor Supply. 1.5 amps, 20 bucks, plug it in and forget, until the next flight.

It is not a charger, it won't charge a dead battery.

The battery does not know if it is in a small plane or a tractor.
 
Nobody asks what type of battery?

I like Battery Tender brand maintainers. Specifically because they have no desulphating mode. All my batteries are AGM or LiFePo so when they're charged the charger needs to shut off. The best thing about AGM and LiFePo batteries is that they don't require maintainers and rarely require charging.

My G3X will take lots of programming time so I bought an Optimate charger made for Lithium batteries to use while I play with the instrument on the ground.
 
I guess if you're comfortable putting electrons that have not been through the stringent approval process for aviation electrons into your electron holding chamber then go right ahead. Seems like utter madness...
 
clark has it correct as the 14v aircraft are 13.8v and are charged with higher gravity acid than 12v car batts.aircraft specific chargers are the most correct way to float the batts. at the 28v level it is almost a necessity.
 
ps were is Tom looking for a good time on this one:)
 
hotprops said:
clark has it correct as the 14v aircraft are 13.8v and are charged with higher gravity acid than 12v car batts.aircraft specific chargers are the most correct way to float the batts. at the 28v level it is almost a necessity.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the typical resting voltage is 12.6 and charge voltage is 14.4 in my planes and my cars. I use the same Odyssey batteries in my Cessna and my 4-wheelers.
 
odyssey in aircraft is that a Alaska thing? 13.8+ is run volts on a aircraft batt.14+ usual on 12v car batt
 
Deer Valley won't let us use a battery maintainer in the hangar...so ridiculous
 
Technically, it is illegal to charge batteries *in the aircraft* in anyplace that has the NEC in force (and perhaps some of the other fire codes). Fortunately, nobody cared about the battery tenderizer when I was at the county airport. Frankly, I've had a battery explode on me. I was real lucky that I wasn't leaning over it when it blew the top off of it. Even as it was it sounded like someone fired a 45 next to my head and my jeans were sprayed with battery acid. If my battery needs a real charge rather than just the tenderizer, it comes out of the plane.
 
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