Question about the backup battery.

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Charles K
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Charles K »

I have been told that you will need a 337 to remove the battery pack because it is a part of section 4 of the AMM - continuing airworthiness limitations.
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Rich
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Rich »

Charles K wrote: Thu Sep 03, 2020 9:05 pm I have been told that you will need a 337 to remove the battery pack because it is a part of section 4 of the AMM - continuing airworthiness limitations.
Probably correct. For the 2610 I would absolutely need to disconnect the feed to the AI, but it can stay there for the floodlight.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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AirHog
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by AirHog »

So, back to Diamond's lithium battery, can I replace this myself (like I can replace the ELT battery) ??
Or does this emergency battery need to be replaced by and A&P ??
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CFIDave
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by CFIDave »

Battery replacement is specified by the FAA under the list of approved items that can be serviced by pilot owners. No A&P required.
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Rich
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Rich »

CFIDave wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:15 pm Battery replacement is specified by the FAA under the list of approved items that can be serviced by pilot owners. No A&P required.
That's my position. I have 7 battery/battery packs that need occasional changing. Only one of those (VM1000) would I bother deferring to my mechanic. The rest are easily done.
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Steve
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Steve »

The VM 1000 battery is actually quite easy to replace, as long as you (or your mech) are familiar with electronics (especially guarding against static electricity). The hardest part is actually getting the computer out from behind the instrument panel (there are a couple of fasteners that are difficult to access).

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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Boatguy »

If you replace the backup AI with a GI-275, then why do you need the floodlight? The GI-275 has AI, Airspeed and Altimeter and it's own lighting.

Does anyone know what the backup battery weighs?
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by Rich »

Boatguy wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 8:48 pm If you replace the backup AI with a GI-275, then why do you need the floodlight? The GI-275 has AI, Airspeed and Altimeter and it's own lighting.

Does anyone know what the backup battery weighs?
My perspective, given the configuration of my plane.

I find when I fly at night I always have the floodlight on to illuminate things that are not lighted otherwise, like switches and knobs. The Li battery pack is likely lighter than the AA-pack, which I estimate runs about 3 lbs. The batteries themselves total about 1-1/2 lb.

There's an interesting mode in the loss-of-alternator scenario, were it to happen at night. Suppose this happened and you choose to go on essential bus. Guess what I don't have then? In-instrument lighting. But the floodlight is on the essential bus. Further, using the essential bus or not, I could choose to take this load off the battery by hitting the emergency battery switch. This would take the AI off the main battery load with the current setup. In fact activating this switch would cause any AI replacement to its own battery, as well, should the feed to it be disabled at the emergency switch.

Removal of the floodlight altogether would obviously require an amendment to your particular AFM, as it's on the list of NVFR and therefore IFR required equipment. And the emergency battery is on that list as required for IFR flight.
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shoulderdoc
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by shoulderdoc »

When we had our 2007 DA 40 XLS annual at an Diamond Authorized service center in 2020, they realized that we still had the original back up battery for our back up instruments. I voltage tested it, and it was fine, after 14 years! They are to be supposed replaced every two years.
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Re: Question about the backup battery.

Post by CFIDave »

shoulderdoc wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:25 amI voltage tested it, and it was fine, after 14 years!
Yes, but I doubt it would have lasted very long with a load on it (not just testing with a voltmeter). After 14 years the battery probably wouldn't have been able to supply enough watt-hours of power to drive the backup AI and lighting for 30+ minutes.
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