Battery replacement in a GNS430W - Looking for shop to do it

robertb

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robertb
Hello,
I am looking for a shop to replace the battery in a GNS430W. I have a couple of leads but they are so busy the turn-time is challenging. Anyone know of a shop willing and able to do the job? In Southern California would be ideal but FedEx'ing the unit works too.

Thanks!
Robert
 
Ahem
 
Ahem
and completely illegal for an IFR certified bird, even EAB.
 
Hello,
I am looking for a shop to replace the battery in a GNS430W. I have a couple of leads but they are so busy the turn-time is challenging. Anyone know of a shop willing and able to do the job? In Southern California would be ideal but FedEx'ing the unit works too.

Thanks!
Robert
Robert, I had the battery in a 530 replaced at San Luis Avionics at KSBP. www.sanluisavionics.com. IIRC, the price was reasonable and the turn-around time decent. This was a few years ago, so YMMV.

Good luck.
 
Tried to do it once, went very smoothly. Was quite easy but somehow toasted the unit anyway.
 
Tried to do it once, went very smoothly. Was quite easy but somehow toasted the unit anyway.
Yep. I thought my skills were up to par when I, er a friend, replaced the battery in a King KX135. Everything went well until power up. Then it was sent to a shop to unscrew what "he" had done.
 
and completely illegal for an IFR certified bird, even EAB.
Preventive maintenance means simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assembly operations.




c) Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.
 
Last edited:
c) ....provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.
Given two people in this thread have reported "smoking" their radios during battery changes, perhaps changing a radio battery is a "bit" more complex than a typical battery.
 
Opening up a piece of avionics that is ESD susceptible is NOT a routine battery replacement. Proper ESD mat, grounding straps and a known to be good ground are required. Even touching any of the ESD components while not properly grounded can introduce a latent or immediate electrical failure within the competent. Not hard to generate a >/=800 volt static charge, even in controlled environments.
 
Given two people in this thread have reported "smoking" their radios during battery changes, perhaps changing a radio battery is a "bit" more complex than a typical battery.
I know people who don’t know how to use jumper cables.
 
Exactly my point.
Thanks guys. While the results were not positive. Perhaps I do have some experience in electronics and ESD procedures? The failure from my experiment was not a result of the battery installation, btw. Just old temperamental electronics. And, I bet it is not illegal to install a battery in an old piece of avionics. Just illegal to install it back into an airplane afterward.
 
Preventive maintenance means simple or minor preservation operations and the replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assembly operations.




c) Preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is limited to the following work, provided it does not involve complex assembly operations:

(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.
an IFR GPS unit must be TSO'ed to be used for IFR operations. to maintain that TSO, the unit must be repaired and maintained in accordance with manufactures data a procedures. the service manuals for garmain products are not available to anyone execpt for a few authorized by garmin. so, by opening up a TSO'ed unit without proper documentation, that unit is no longer covered by the TSO, and therefore illegal for IFR operations. period.
 
Say - if Garmin isn’t supporting GNS anymore, does that mean no one can, as there will be not be authorized parts available, software / firmware updates, etc? Would one even be able to update the monthly databases?
 
Say - if Garmin isn’t supporting GNS anymore, does that mean no one can, as there will be not be authorized parts available, software / firmware updates, etc? Would one even be able to update the monthly databases?
once garmin drops support for the GNS its over, unless garmin decides to allow access to the approved manuals and documentation for the units. which i doubt will happen. firmware updates will stop as that data is garmin only data. database updates will be available as long as jepp decides to keep them going, i would guess that would be a long time due to the number of units produced.
there will be no third party support for parts as with most new surface mount tech, you don't fix boards you replace them, its just not economically possible to fix high density surface mounts boards. the part that will kill the gns series soon is the screens, the supply is almost gone and the cost to run a new batch does not make economic sense.
 
I bet it is not illegal to install a battery in an old piece of avionics. Just illegal to install it back into an airplane afterward.
It's not illegal to install it back into an airplane afterward either. Might be illegal to fly said airplane afterward.
 
I bet it is not illegal to install a battery in an old piece of avionics. Just illegal to install it back into an airplane afterward.
FYI: technically you would need a CRS to open up most avionics as they generally fall under "instruments" by definition. Even an A&P is excluded from working on/repairing instruments.
 
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