----------------------------------------------------------
                           RV6-List Digest Archive
                                      ---
                     Total Messages Posted Sun 08/17/03: 1
           ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 
Today's Message Index:
----------------------
 
     1. 06:26 AM - Re: Battery recharge  (Jamie Campbell)
 
 
 
________________________________  Message 1  _____________________________________


Time: 06:26:34 AM PST US
From: "Jamie Campbell" <homepc@bravo.net.au>
Subject: Re: RV6-List: Battery recharge

--> RV6-List message posted by: "Jamie Campbell" <homepc@bravo.net.au>

Guys,

Here's a thought from Australia ....

I have a Dehaviland DH82A Tiger Moth bi-plane and an RV-6A.  The Tiger
Moth has a small sealed gel battery that is used for powering a fuel
pump.  Tiger Moths do not have a generator or alternator to recharge the
battery so this is what we did.

1. Bought a plug-pack trickle charger from an electronics store
(This plugs directly into the mains and has an inbuilt regulator)

2. Made up a short lead (18 inches long) with an inline 2 amp fuse and a
small automotive polarised socket on the end.  The lead had red and
black cables for positive and negative.

3. Attached the red and black cables to the battery terminals using the
correct size crimp lugs for good connectivity.

4. Hung the 18 inch leads (and polarised socket) out of the battery
cover so that it could be connected easily to the plug-pack charger

5. Fitted a polarised plug (to suit the socket) to the plug-pack charger
leads


So, when we get back from flying we simply attach the charger to the NEW
battery leads and leave it trickle charging for a few days.

The polarised plug and socket are the type used by car manufacturers and
are probably made by Molex.  It only allows the user to connect the
battery charger to the battery the correct way - it cannot be reversed.
The polarised plugs and sockets are rectangular looking at the end with
a point on one end.  They look something like this:

 ----------\
|           \
|  O     O   |
|           /
 ----------/


Costs?

Cable             $ 2
Connectors x 2    $ 5
In-line fuse      $ 2
Plug-pack charger $18

TOTAL             $27 US


Howzat?


Jamie Campbell
homepc@bravo.net.au

I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I
wrote a long one instead.  (Mark Twain, 1835-1910)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ross Mickey" <rmickey@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: RV6-List: Battery recharge


> --> RV6-List message posted by: "Ross Mickey" <rmickey@ix.netcom.com>
>
> George,
>
> There are a number of ways.
>
>  Bob K. at http://www.aeroelectric.com/  has a design for a plug that
is
> protected with a solenoid.
>
> Or, you can modify the end of a trickle charger by attaching a
cigarette
> lighter end on it and plug it into your always hot aux power plug if
you
> have one.
>
> I bought a trickle charger from Batteries Plus and it came with two
ends
> interchangeable with a plug.  One end is the standard clamps.  The
other end
> has two ring connectors protected with an in line fuse.  You put this
on
> your battery and secure the end under the instrument panel.  All you
do is
> plug the trickle charger in and off you go.
>
> Ross
> N9PT RV6A
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George Frost" <ghfrost@earthlink.net>
> >
> > Has anyone built a convenient means of recharging a weak battery
> > without removing the battery housing? It is not easy to get at it
> > especially with heavy clothing in the cold.
> >
> > George Frost
>
>