Battery Choice?

[EppyGA]

Battery time, what say ye? Concorde or Gill?

This should be fun.

 

[Witmo]

Concorde Sealed.

 

[bbchien]

concur. I have gotten seven years per Concorde AXC35.

 

[Bob Noel]

I switched back to a Gill because the bolt on the Concorde is a royal PITA. Note that some people think the bolt is the greatest thing since sliced bread. But it simply doesn't work in the battery box in my airplane.

 

[brien23]

Gill or Concorde go with the sealed battery their trouble free.

 

[wanttaja]

Odyssey dry cell. Installed eight years ago, still going strong. Smaller, lighter, more cranking amps, lower self-discharge rate.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[One Short]

concur. I have gotten seven years per Concorde AXC35.

I had mine for 11 years. Got a new one when I thought it went bad but it was actually the starter.

 

[Dan Thomas]

Long discussion here on this exact thing, in January:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46465&highlight=Gill+Concorde

Dan

 

[denverpilot]

We went with our mechanic's recommendation last year. Non-sealed.

Reason given was that any aircraft that might sit for two weeks (it happens...) and then get a only short flight in (it happens) won't fully charge the sealed variety in our winters. They take longer to fully charge.

6 years out of the last one. He said it almost held the record in his shop for longest lived battery in a Cessna.

Trick is to properly service them every year.

 

[Garthur]

I've been buying Gill batteries, but I'm only getting 3 years out of them. Could it be that 24 volt batteries don't last as long?

I'm flying it about 60-100 hours a year.

 

[dsbrantjr]

Whichever brand you choose, the batteryMINDer line of battery maintainers come highly recommended, especially in the Amateur Radio field, where batteries sit unused for long periods of time, like many aircraft do. I have used them for years on my ham station backup battery with good results. They have an extensive line of aircraft-specific models including some specified for particular brands/models. http://www.batteryminders.com/store.php?spawner=nav&&app=air

 

[Skylane81E]

I've been buying Gill batteries, but I'm only getting 3 years out of them. Could it be that 24 volt batteries don't last as long?

I'm flying it about 60-100 hours a year.

The gill 243 that came with my plane made it about 8 years before going tango uniform.

I'm now a year into life with a Concorde RG battery. Starts right up even if I neglect to fly her for a few months

 

[SCCutler]

Concorde RG sealed. Love it, spins the prop like there are no spark plugs in.

 

[tonycondon]

i get the hot wheels sealed lead acid batteries at Interstate.

 

[denverpilot]

i get the hot wheels sealed lead acid batteries at Interstate.

At least you're a Hot Wheels guy and not Matchbox in that wooden thing you fly!

 

[peter-h]

I went from Gill to Concorde and the latter is much better. More powerful starting and holds charge better.

One can see the internal resistance is lower from the substantially higher charging current after the engine has started. It's a much beefier battery.

As regards total life, I don't know. My original Gill lasted 5 years (failed suddenly and totally, got stranded) and the Concorde lasted 5 years (failed the load test, apparently, but was working perfectly at the time, driving a high current Skytec starter). I wonder if the load test was done correctly. I have the battery here on the bench and it runs fine.