Found a reference in the Luscombe TCDS to a firewall battery installation:


305 (e) lists the location of the battery at -20" which would be on the firewall. The only other reference I can find in the TC is this:



The Luscombe gurus I have spoken with said this was for the T8F but that there is nothing in the TC that states which models the firewall battery location does or does not apply to. Is it reasonable to interpret the info on the TC in such a way that I could install a battery on the firewall with a logbook entry?

Here is some pics of the battery on a T8F:

Why put a messy battery in an airplane with an engine that is much easier to start by propping. You can see, hear, and smell what is going on much better outside. Start mixture is controlled by how open or closed is the carb butterfly. You have to walk around to change the throttle setting but inside, you don't know how rich or lean it is until someone comes over to say you're leaking fuel.

Whee,

I'd go for it, but I'd use an Odyssey SBS 16 battery....no battery box required and much lighter.

There's an AC out there which says installing a lead acid battery is a minor and that battery is a lead acid, though sealed...you can legally mail them.

Atlee makes a bracket, or you could fab one.

If it's in the TC and doesn't specify model, I think you're golden.

MTV

Contact, if it didn't already have a battery I wouldn't install one. The engine it a -12 so it has to have a starter and since it is there...

MTV, I for sure would go with the odyssey battery. Spruce has a bracket for like $40 so is probly just order that one when I order the battery.

If I end up wanting to do this I think I'll try to just use the photos I have and copy that install. I'd hate to obtain the factory drawing and find out it specifies only the T8F.

Given the normal battery location and a pretty decent cg placement of that battery, why go through the pain? I would defintely recommentpd the odyssey battery, and you may be able to install it with a spacer. Much easier, still saves weight, and is achievable in immediate future without the worry of paperwork. I believe the T8F install was a function of the spray equipment at the aft edge of the wing and 50 gallon capacities in the wings. Just guessing.

Save weight by removing that long heavy cable, make room for extended baggage and jump seat, to help with cg when said baggage and jump set are loaded. By ditching the heavy starter and generator for light weight ones and moving the battery to the firewall the CG should remain close to what it is now, based in my napkin calculations, and should shed over 20lbs.

oops, a screwup trying to learn how to post a pic, now trying to learn how to remove this post…..

whee wrote:Save weight by removing that long heavy cable, make room for extended baggage and jump seat, to help with cg when said baggage and jump set are loaded. By ditching the heavy starter and generator for light weight ones and moving the battery to the firewall the CG should remain close to what it is now, based in my napkin calculations, and should shed over 20lbs.

Sounds like a great plan to me. We went through something very similar with our Super Cubs (underseat odyssey battery, L/W starter/alternator, and aluminum oil cooler-vs brick of a brass cooler) and removed a little over 40 pounds of useless wt.

So, sounds like you've re-thought parting her out?

MTV

Just don't think I could kicked her to the curb in parts, she has treated me well and taught me a lot. Would be great to lose almost 40lbs, then swap the metal wing for a fabric one and lose another 40; that would give me 600lbs useful...I'd be alright with that. Well, maybe swapping wings would be going a little far.