Lights and battery

[paddydix]

Has anyone seen the stock set up of a battery running the nav lights? Curious if there are any old pictures that shows that set up?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

On the early planes that was the only way to run them. I think around the 41 Deluxe time (not sure if earlier, but mine had it from the factory) they added a wind generator to the belly.
I have the wiring diagrams for the battery install and the wind generator, but be advised that teh original generators had a reputation for throwing blades. For almost any normal flight length the batteries today will do the job alone.

Hank

I also have a drawing of teh original pre-war battery box.

[paddydix]

Re: Lights and battery

Mine had a battery, behind the seat. used to have a wind gen too! got rid of it all because of weight. Reading the old manual it sounds like the battery was located a good deal forward than mine.

[Ray36048]

Re: Lights and battery

Change out the nav lights to LED. You can find some at a reasonable price these days. Less than 1/3 the drain on the battery.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

The original early battery box was between your and the passengers knees on the floor of the cockpit. About the size of a soda cracker box on it's end with the wires going aft through the kick plate.

Hank

[flyguy]

Re: Lights and battery

Hank, I have a box "between occupant's legs" that fits a lawnmower-sized battery. What kind of battery fits that box you show in the photo? I see the mounting flanges--what is the mounting/attachment surface?

I have serious misgivings about how many negative G's my simple screws in the floorboard would handle before letting go. I try not to think about if too much or go upside down. Chuckle.

Darryl

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

I have never found a battery that "fits" the box. Lots of different ones will fin IN the box, but so far all of them required shims to keep the battery tight in the box. I actually don't ever use the box since I haven't needed it for anything. I have a sealed lead acid battery that fits as a "Box in a box" and I have hooked it up but never even used the position lights. I really built it because it was there when the plane was built and I wanted to have it if I ever needed it. It is in our guest bedroom on the shelf in case I decide to use it to back up the iCOM built in battery.
As for G loads, since I have never flown it with a battery actually in it I have never had any problem, but the two machine screws into "T" nuts under the floor board are solid as stone. Any G load that would pull the battery box loose would cause structural failure in other parts (airplane parts and MINE!). I'm not really worried about it. Going inverted is pretty much out of the question for me. I REALLY don't care for aerobatics.

Hank

[astjp2]

Re: Lights and battery

Don't forget that you need a generator to fly at night under the current regs, a battery alone is not legal from what I remember. Tim

[3Dreaming]

Re: Lights and battery

Don't forget that you need a generator to fly at night under the current regs, a battery alone is not legal from what I remember. Tim

The specific requirement from the regulations is this, ((5) An adequate source of electrical energy for all installed electrical and radio equipment.).

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

I also have the wind generator and my plane has the factory welded in mount on the belly.....but like the battery, it spends its time in the guest bedroom.

[paddydix]

Re: Lights and battery

Thanks for the pic Hank. I probably will not fool with it since I don't want the weight of the wind gen back on the airplane. But I was curious as to where the battery originally went.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

I just did a W&B without the stuff I almost NEVER fly with and leave it all on the ground. Just kind of neat to HAVE all of the original equipment. I even have a little pre-war hand held Taylorcraft compass and first aid kit. Still keeping my eyes open for an original PYRENE Brass Fire Extinguisher and Bracket for a reasonable price. What I REALLY need is the original outside door handles. Tried to make one of those, but failed miserably. Can't really leave the ground without door handles, so I have the wrong year on one side.

[paddydix]

Re: Lights and battery

Did you try to cast a door handle?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

Yea, but it is cast with a thin stamped metal overlay. The casting is pretty easy, but you need a die and press for the overlay. Tried to hand form it (since it is a "one of") but really couldn't make the back part. The photo shows an original handle on top and the skin I formed for teh outside on the bottom. Close, but no cigar, and the back side was terrible!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lights and battery

This is the underside of the outer handle and the inside door handle over the ruler.