Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

Mark,
Nice setup and similar to what I am trying to do. It looks like you have a plug into both of the radio plugs on the right side of the handheld. Is that working OK? The book says to NEVER apply power to both plugs at the same time, although I haven't looked at the circuit to see why yet.
I also plan to put the "box" just left of center just in front of the seats but being a bit on the LARGE side I am putting the actual radio just above and left of the pilot side glove box. I also have an Ammeter and am looking at putting a switch on it to make it sow either amps or volts (have to let you know how that works out).
Hank

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

Mark,
It looks like you have a plug into both of the radio plugs on the right side of the handheld. Is that working OK? The book says to NEVER apply power to both plugs at the same time, although I haven't looked at the circuit to see why yet.
I also plan to put the "box" just left of center just in front of the seats but being a bit on the LARGE side I am putting the actual radio just above and left of the pilot side glove box. I also have an Ammeter and am looking at putting a switch on it to make it sow either amps or volts (have to let you know how that works out).
Hank

The radio lash-up right side plugs are: Audio out, Microphone in, and power. I did not use the Icom combined phone plug because I was wiring directly into a circuit board on my own design and the individual plugs for audio and mic were more convenient. My circuit board is just a slick way to route a lot of wires into the intercom... (two PTTs for example)
The power/charger input does seem to disable the radio. That is a weird design which I did not see in the radio manual before. If I re-do the PTTs I might try the DPDT switch and disable the charger input during transmit. I am most interested in how well your circuit operates in that regard.

Question... Does anyone know if you can you power (not just recharge) the radio with the overpriced cigarette lighter charger plug that Icom sells? Probably not, but the advertising is ambiguous because it says charge/operating cord.

I like your idea of mounting the radio up higher. It is tough to see the numeric display down by the floor. I agree that an ammeter is useful. A voltmeter only tells you the status of the gel cel. The ammeter tells if the electrons are gozintas or gozoutas relative to the battery. We used a center=zero type ammeter in the wiring shown below.

Here are pics of the Ward Aero Generator mount we are doing right now in Doc's hangar. Looks like a Champ, but it is a generator mount, trust me. Battery is a Long Way from the control box and another long run to the switch panel, so there are circuit breakers on the control box and there are current limiter fuses at the battery and the generator output.

Inside the box are voltmeter, ammeter, cigarette lighter plug, and intercom.
Right to left on the switch panel are battery, generator, avionics master, and position lights. I decided to switch the field winding and be able to kill the generator.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

NOW it makes sense! The side plugs aren't all power. I couldn't figure out why you had two power plugs in at the same time.
I never noticed the transmit didn't work on the cigar lighter plug, but then, I never tried to transmit while I was using it. I usually just plug it in on the way to the airport and listen to see who is there on the way. I never thought to try and transmit (which might even be illegal! Can you transmit on an aviation frequency from a car?). I'll let everyone know how well my circuit works and if the transmit fails when it is in use. I would hate to cut open a working cigar lighter charge plug to see what is in it. Does anyone have one that is busted? If there really isn't a circuit in the plug (I have seen some with a circuit in the actual plug) then the circuitry must be in the radio itself. That will be harder to work around. We SHOULD be able to put a float charge across the cells of the battery and the radio shouldn't be able to see the difference. "Should" is the key word.
I have messed with a few charge circuits and an Ammeter is a must. For what we do (NO STARTER!) a 15-0-15 Ammeter is good and an expanded voltmeter from about 9 to 15 volt is great. A 0-15 doesn't let you see the subtle changes that warn you something is wrong and a 0-20 or 30 only tells you to get out before the battery wiring catches fire or that the battery is dead.
I need to look but I am pretty sure there is something like a 24" limit on the distance from the generator to the switches. You also REALLY NEED the field switch. First you aren't supposed to close the field until the RPM is up. I think it messes up the current flow when it is spinning slow and the voltage is low (low voltage, high current, constant watts equals melted wires). This is what I remember from a LOOONG time ago, and remember, I'm NOT an electrical engineer! The second reason you have GOT to have a field switch is if something runs away you have to be able to shut it off! No switch and you can't secure the generator till something burns up. Also, put a 20 Amp fuse RIGHT AT THE "+" Battery pole. NOT smart to put the fuse after the master switch. If the switch fails, you shut it off by setting it on fire. Don't forget that fuse in the generator line either. I think that sizes out at 4 amps.
Got the engine off the 41 yesterday and tonight am just about able to stand up without looking like I'm going to fall back into the chair. As soon as teh firewall forward is done, it's back to the Ward Aero. The A&P I just hired (yea, I finally gave up and got help) says we will fly this summer.
Hank

[wmfife]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

...Just wondering if anyone else has tried this one:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/atphighpwr.php

With a Lycoming 65 I have to keep it light and this one is less than 5lbs., is spillproof and designed to be used in aircraft not tractors or motorcycles. PLUS it comes with its own box.

Wouldn't 5 AH be enough if charged using a wind-driven? I have a full set of original Grimes plus spare lenses and a bubbletop (not flat) rotating beacon. But the handheld and ELT both have their own batteries so need not be factors here.

Not really planning on much night flying just want the capability in case I'm caught watching the sun set on calm evenings by the beach. And this old ADF is a Bendix analog, would be the only power drain during short daytime x-countries.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

Bill,
That should be plenty of battery for what you want. The position lights and beacon will draw about 5 amps and the wind generator should be able to keep up with that load easily. You could put the handheld and an intercom on the battery buss with no problem.

Even if the wind generator fails, you should have about 30 minutes of operating time on battery alone.

[wmfife]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

Thanks, Mark. That made my whole day.

I am learning as I go along and now realize a battery alone isn't sufficient to be legal after dark ("..civil twilight" ...don't you love those FAA terms?) so am looking now for the lightest possible combination. Seems when all's done & said the battery is still the easy part of the equation.

And while an original WDG is likely to draw the most looks some of the ones I've looked at would make better boat anchors! 9 lbs may be OK for an L-5, but unless I'm solo I still have to count gallons in the tanks on hot days if I want to clear the trees. We are talking NYP conditions here.

So as you might say . . . I am looking very closely at my options. I am just glad I have them. These are really nice Grimes position lights (NOS original). Think they (Univair) ran out just after I bought my set.
*Whew!*

[Len Petterson]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

Dano, is what from Walmart aviation department?
I use a 15 amp/hr motorcycle battrey in a plastick continer, acid proff with 3 ciggaret pluggs invidualy fused with 2 amp fuses. Last me a summer. But I have a metal baggage compartment and a pocket made for it.
but the power cables to the GPS and radios are junk # 22 wire cheap on coper not for reliable use!

[Rick Hadley]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

I have a couple of 5ah, 12v batteries that I use to power my 5-watt QRP (low power) amateur radio gear that I can also use for the HT and the GPS in the plane. I bought mine off eBay, but they're basically similar to this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3307546

I haven't yet attempted to wire up a nice neat panel and connectors, but a dual CLA socket adapter with the plug replaced with spade connectors works for the time being.

[cvavon]

Re: Want to use battery in my Taylorcraft

I have used a motor cycle battery in a cut down tcraft box that was in the plane when i got it. I cut the box down so the battery fits with 4 female lighter plugs one i use for a solar panel that is attached to top right side of windshield on the in side bars other three for GPS, radio, intercom has worked well for three years now. the battery is sealed and has a drain tube as does the box goes through the floor and out by a hole in front of the bungies chuck