Light Aircraft Association

Can anyone tell me what the latest advice is regarding replacing a lead acid battery with a Lithium (or otherwise) battery.
I'm sure I saw something about this in the mag recently but I'm buggered if I can find it.

I can't tell you anything about Lithium batteries but one of the most popular a/c batteries I've heard of is the Odyssey range of batteries (see http://www.odysseybattery.com/). Those commonly used are the:

PC625; PC680 & PC925.

The website will give details of ampere hours and delivery current.

The beauty of these is that they are sealed batteries with absorbed electrolyte, so they can be sent as non-hazardous cargo. We use one to start our O-320 Lycoming and it's been brilliant.

The typical retail price for a 680 is £95+ VAT but if you call Groves Batteries (01242 514940, speak to Colin or David) and say it's for an LAA member you'll get a useful discount. UK carriage is about £10-£11.

Good luck and happy landings,

Harry Hopkins

I have the 525 battery, it has similar output to the 625 but is a slightly more compact shape. A quick scout of Google will also find you ready made battery mounts for your Odyssey battery.

Phil

Lithium batteries, especially Lithium Iron Phosphate, hold some promise for lighter weight and good cranking power, but there are some caveats.
Without a good battery management system, you could risk having a short battery life, especially if you fully discharge it.

There is a risk of fire if the battery gets damaged, say in an accident, but that risk can more easily be managed.

http://www.ballisticparts.com/index.php is one of the current offerings.

I'm more than happy with my Odyssey battery, already half the weight of old style batteries with similar cranking power.

That's a really useful link thanks.
After some further research I ended up here:
http://www.racingbatteries.co.uk/index. ... :batteries

Colin Ferns