Really enjoying your video's! I'm currently building an aerobatic biplane about an hours flight north of where you are. This is my first build project and the engine video's are certainly enlightening. Thanks for making them. Cheers!
The possibility of a Lithium Ion, or even an AGM for certified Aircraft is really exciting! Even if it cut the weight in half, at least 12lbs of luggage or 2 gallons or more of extra fuel at Gross and that can be a real benefit.
Hmm, if that PC680 in the vid is 8years old, that had a superb great lifespan! 8years with average usage in a plane is well enough time to still evaporate some water from the agm separators and have an increased internal resistance which results in a poor(er) starts. As your agm batt gets older and looses some water anyway you will end up with higher internal resistance even if your battery capacity may seem to be alright. You can not recover/fix the increased internal resistance over the years with boost charging the battery.
This is very interesting information. I am certainly seeing lots of AGM batteris in aircraft that are over 10 years old before requiring replacement. They certinaly seem to have a gradual loss of CCA in the last years of their life. I always check the CCA at annual insepction and record it for owners in their maintenance records so that the battery performace can be compared and repalcement made before it gets you stranded somewhere.
After using both batteries for 5 years with equal amount of hours would of been a far better comparison, Out of the box doesn’t really mean much when we didn’t see the voltage before starting etc Good video though, probably sponsors made you do it this way?
I dont have any sponsors all my videos are made on my own dime and time. I do my best but I dont have an endless budget to purchase items and compare them.
Is there any change or adjustment required from the alternator or voltage regulator? I would imagine that the Lipo would require a different charge algorithm from the AGM and perhaps a different float voltage?
EarthX batteries use a very poor quality BMS and the cells are damaged if used below freezing. Then they don't honor the warranty. I have a dead one sitting in my garage that died at the 1 year mark because I used it in cold weather. Lithium/LiFePO4 batteries are amazing, just don't buy one from EarthX.
That is very disappointing to hear and certainly a limitation that I was not aware of. What model of EarthX battery do you have that died in the cold ?
My airplane is a Glasair 1 RG. I've had both batteries and both cranked my engine fast and easily, 50 F minimum temps., my engine is a Lycoming IO360- C1D6 with 10:1 compression pistons also a lightweight Whirlwind 3 blade CS Prop. My lightweight starter is a B&C. My battery is far from the engine behind the rear bulkhead with very large awg cables so that the voltage stays high. I did go from Odyssey 680 to the earthX 900, ~ same physical size. My primary reason for changing was about 10 lbs weight savings and improved CG. I've had the earthX about 4 years now, it should last me 10 years hopefully. I put the used Odyssey in my car and it lasted about 4 additional years there.
Too bad you didnt compare the Ex battery with another lithium aviation battery from Aerolithium. Assuming of course this video was made for informational purposes not promotional.... which seems to be the case.
Great review James, gonna change out the PC680 with the EarthX for my RV8.
Purchased a EarthX ETX900 TSO battery and will install it in my PA38 112 Piper Tomahawk at annual.
Same one i put in my Glasair about 4 years ago, still going strong. But non TSO.
Really enjoying your video's! I'm currently building an aerobatic biplane about an hours flight north of where you are. This is my first build project and the engine video's are certainly enlightening. Thanks for making them. Cheers!
What are you building?
The possibility of a Lithium Ion, or even an AGM for certified Aircraft is really exciting! Even if it cut the weight in half, at least 12lbs of luggage or 2 gallons or more of extra fuel at Gross and that can be a real benefit.
Hmm, if that PC680 in the vid is 8years old, that had a superb great lifespan! 8years with average usage in a plane is well enough time to still evaporate some water from the agm separators and have an increased internal resistance which results in a poor(er) starts. As your agm batt gets older and looses some water anyway you will end up with higher internal resistance even if your battery capacity may seem to be alright. You can not recover/fix the increased internal resistance over the years with boost charging the battery.
This is very interesting information. I am certainly seeing lots of AGM batteris in aircraft that are over 10 years old before requiring replacement. They certinaly seem to have a gradual loss of CCA in the last years of their life.
I always check the CCA at annual insepction and record it for owners in their maintenance records so that the battery performace can be compared and repalcement made before it gets you stranded somewhere.
Mike Patey is sponsored by earthX
After using both batteries for 5 years with equal amount of hours would of been a far better comparison,
Out of the box doesn’t really mean much when we didn’t see the voltage before starting etc
Good video though, probably sponsors made you do it this way?
I dont have any sponsors all my videos are made on my own dime and time. I do my best but I dont have an endless budget to purchase items and compare them.
Is there any change or adjustment required from the alternator or voltage regulator? I would imagine that the Lipo would require a different charge algorithm from the AGM and perhaps a different float voltage?
They are set up as direct replacements, max charging voltage is about 14.5
EarthX batteries use a very poor quality BMS and the cells are damaged if used below freezing. Then they don't honor the warranty. I have a dead one sitting in my garage that died at the 1 year mark because I used it in cold weather. Lithium/LiFePO4 batteries are amazing, just don't buy one from EarthX.
That is very disappointing to hear and certainly a limitation that I was not aware of. What model of EarthX battery do you have that died in the cold ?
You can always use the odyssey during the cold months and switch back once the weather improves.
That's a good idea
My airplane is a Glasair 1 RG. I've had both batteries and both cranked my engine fast and easily, 50 F minimum temps., my engine is a Lycoming IO360- C1D6 with 10:1 compression pistons also a lightweight Whirlwind 3 blade CS Prop. My lightweight starter is a B&C. My battery is far from the engine behind the rear bulkhead with very large awg cables so that the voltage stays high. I did go from Odyssey 680 to the earthX 900, ~ same physical size. My primary reason for changing was about 10 lbs weight savings and improved CG. I've had the earthX about 4 years now, it should last me 10 years hopefully. I put the used Odyssey in my car and it lasted about 4 additional years there.
Too bad you didnt compare the Ex battery with another lithium aviation battery from Aerolithium. Assuming of course this video was made for informational purposes not promotional.... which seems to be the case.
I didn't have an Aerolithium battery I am sorry to say. It was just an information video to show some of the new options that are becoming available.