Just an FYI for those using or interested in using an aerovoltz battery.
Battery1
I bought the aerovoltz 2 years ago. It had been balance charged periodically with their custom charger. It worked fine while setting up the electrics on the plane over the months. Just before 1st engine run, we made it 'work hard' for the first time when turning the prop. After that, it started to lose charge rapidly. We found 1 cell wasn't playing on the balance charger. So, I bought another for 1st engine run.
Battery 2
Been working fine till the 5th run on Saturday. 1st start was fine, ran for 20 minutes, then we shut down. Waited 15 minutes to try another hot start test in the Texas heat to see how things coped. After no firing after 10 cranks, subsequent cranks became very lethargic, it finally started. After 10 minutes running, the battery suddenly dropped from 13.2 to 9 volts. We shut down. Turned batt switch on, battery now reading 13.2 again. We decided to balance charge the thing.
On attempting to plug in the little multi-pin plug into the top of the battery to start balance charging, I find that the female socket in the battery is not there - just a hole where it used to be. Battery was really hot to the touch. I have a temperature label on the battery, it read 160 F.
Now it can't be charged properly. So, being effectively useless, I decided to chop off the top of the sealed unit to see inside; the socket had fell thru, why? Because the heat had melted the HOT GLUE they had stuck it in with during manufacturing - no mechanical fastening at all for that little socket.
I am done. I took the box off the firewall today (a box that I once spent 2 weekends designing and fabricating). I will be getting an Odyssey.
Battery1
I bought the aerovoltz 2 years ago. It had been balance charged periodically with their custom charger. It worked fine while setting up the electrics on the plane over the months. Just before 1st engine run, we made it 'work hard' for the first time when turning the prop. After that, it started to lose charge rapidly. We found 1 cell wasn't playing on the balance charger. So, I bought another for 1st engine run.
Battery 2
Been working fine till the 5th run on Saturday. 1st start was fine, ran for 20 minutes, then we shut down. Waited 15 minutes to try another hot start test in the Texas heat to see how things coped. After no firing after 10 cranks, subsequent cranks became very lethargic, it finally started. After 10 minutes running, the battery suddenly dropped from 13.2 to 9 volts. We shut down. Turned batt switch on, battery now reading 13.2 again. We decided to balance charge the thing.
On attempting to plug in the little multi-pin plug into the top of the battery to start balance charging, I find that the female socket in the battery is not there - just a hole where it used to be. Battery was really hot to the touch. I have a temperature label on the battery, it read 160 F.
Now it can't be charged properly. So, being effectively useless, I decided to chop off the top of the sealed unit to see inside; the socket had fell thru, why? Because the heat had melted the HOT GLUE they had stuck it in with during manufacturing - no mechanical fastening at all for that little socket.
I am done. I took the box off the firewall today (a box that I once spent 2 weekends designing and fabricating). I will be getting an Odyssey.
