Anyone tried to put an Earth ETX 900 / 680 battery in an F.A. Dodge Firewall battery box? Thinking it would be too tight. Was encouraging someone to do this with their build, but not sure if they need to also install a different battery box. Thanks. Matt

Recently saw a plane with an Odyssey 680 removed and Earth X installed. Don't know whose box it was, but fit was fine.

MTV

Why not use the Earth X battery box?

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If they already have a Dodge box, that's one thing, but IMHO the whole point of using an Atlee Dodge or Burl's Odyssey battery box is that it's an STC'd installation. Otherwise, to me mounting an Odyssey in a $40 bracket from Spruce makes more sense. Ditto for one of these $49 boxes for an earthX.

http://earthxmotorsports.com/shop/custo ... ox-etx680c

http://earthxmotorsports.com/shop/aluminum-battery-box

Exactly. Already installed with crap run behind the Atlee Dodge box, which stands off from the firewall. Much easier to convince of a purchase with all you have to do is slide out a battery and slide back in. No monkeying around under the panel and digging on the firewall would be a big plus. And earth X states on their site that their battery box precut holes do not match those of Atlee Dodge. Not a big deal, but still just more fiddling.

Has anyone actually done this?

Attlee say the box is approx 7 x 3 x 6 3/4", while the Earth X E series is 6.5 x 3.1 x 6.6" or actually 166 x 79 x 168mm.

The Odyssey that does fit is 181.11 x 76 x 167 mm

Id like to do it, but would really like to hear that it actually works before I order the box and battery.

daedaluscan wrote:Has anyone actually done this?

Attlee say the box is approx 7 x 3 x 6 3/4", while the Earth X E series is 6.5 x 3.1 x 6.6" or actually 166 x 79 x 168mm.

The Odyssey that does fit is 181.11 x 76 x 167 mm

Id like to do it, but would really like to hear that it actually works before I order the box and battery.

I talked to a mechanic who tried it, and said it would take a hammer to make it work. He said no thanks. I don't know what box he wound up using.

MTV

thx

It fits no problem.

Well that’s the answer I wanted. I’m going to buy the box and STC anyway and then go from there I think.

Thanks for the replies.

Also have a look at the Burl’s aircraft battery box option. It’s what I chose because the battery is installed and removed through the front instead of the top. I’d have had to mount the Attlee Dodge at a funny angle to be able to install and remove the battery.

They fit in a Burls box. They're actually small and require a little foam to shim. Only down side is how close the terminals end up to the strap that keeps them in. It is insulated with heat shrink, but something with a little more substance would be nice.

Take care, Rob

FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

roamak wrote:FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

Right, but STCd? Is that an AVCON STC on your 170? Where did you put the battery?

I'm in Canada so no 337 for me.

I am getting everything together for a fall O-360 install.

roamak wrote:FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

That is weird. The 680, 900 and 1200 are all the same size (e case) the 24v 900 is a different size. My 900 fits no problem. Maybe Atlee changed the box size at some point?

https://earthxbatteries.com/our-batteri ... ts-vehicle

daedaluscan wrote:

roamak wrote:FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

Right, but STCd? Is that an AVCON STC on your 170? Where did you put the battery?

I'm in Canada so no 337 for me.

I am getting everything together for a fall O-360 install.

What model year is your 170? The early Bs had a firewall mounted battery. So that’s on the TC. On my 52 I just replaced the stock battery in the stock box with an Odyssey, shimmed with foam. Simple and mechanics had no heartburn.

But, if you can’t get a field approval, how are you going to make a LiFPO battery legal?

Before someone flames me, I’m not familiar with Canadian regs.

MTV

mtv wrote:

daedaluscan wrote:

roamak wrote:FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

Right, but STCd? Is that an AVCON STC on your 170? Where did you put the battery?

I'm in Canada so no 337 for me.

I am getting everything together for a fall O-360 install.

What model year is your 170? The early Bs had a firewall mounted battery. So that’s on the TC. On my 52 I just replaced the stock battery in the stock box with an Odyssey, shimmed with foam. Simple and mechanics had no heartburn.

But, if you can’t get a field approval, how are you going to make a LiFPO battery legal?

Before someone flames me, I’m not familiar with Canadian regs.

MTV

It’s a 56. Firewall mounted battery but tired box. I have seen the battery mounted in different places on different 360 installs. The STC drawings show it top centred which means removing top cowling to access.

I assumed that EarthX as PMA d was ok? My AME will set me right. I am learning about Canadian Regs also, I haven’t really been paying attention but want to keep the paperwork in order. Even if I cannot do it now I hope to in the future and want a box it will fit into. I am concerned about CG so this just make sense to me.

daedaluscan wrote:

mtv wrote:

daedaluscan wrote:

roamak wrote:FWIW, the Earth X 900 will not fit in the Atlee box I own. But for $45 it fits in the earth x box perfect.

Right, but STCd? Is that an AVCON STC on your 170? Where did you put the battery?

I'm in Canada so no 337 for me.

I am getting everything together for a fall O-360 install.

What model year is your 170? The early Bs had a firewall mounted battery. So that’s on the TC. On my 52 I just replaced the stock battery in the stock box with an Odyssey, shimmed with foam. Simple and mechanics had no heartburn.

But, if you can’t get a field approval, how are you going to make a LiFPO battery legal?

Before someone flames me, I’m not familiar with Canadian regs.

MTV

It’s a 56. Firewall mounted battery but tired box. I have seen the battery mounted in different places on different 360 installs. The STC drawings show it top centred which means removing top cowling to access.

I assumed that EarthX as PMA d was ok? My AME will set me right. I am learning about Canadian Regs also, I haven’t really been paying attention but want to keep the paperwork in order. Even if I cannot do it now I hope to in the future and want a box it will fit into. I am concerned about CG so this just make sense to me.

Boy, top center would suck. My old 170B with Avcon conversion had the battery box (stock) mounted just below mid line on the right side of the firewall. Open that big right side cowl door, and easy access.

On my current 175, I moved the battery forward and installed an Odyssey, and put the battery on the left side, right below the original engine access door....again, really easy access.

Again, I know nothing about Canadian rules, but in the US, the LiFPo batteries are not yet STC'd in any aircraft I'm aware of. Their web site still lists them for "Experimental Aircraft", but does say they have a tso from the FAA. All that means is, the FAA recognizes it as an airplane part, in the US, anyway.

The rub we get into down here is that AC 43 specifies basically that you can install any "approved" lead acid battery in an aircraft. That's how many have got the Odyssey approved....a minor alteration, by definition....a tso'd lead acid battery to replace another tso'd lead acid battery. But, the FAA in the US, at least in many districts, has taken the position that a LiFPo battery doesn't meet that criteria, even though it's tso'd. And, getting field approvals in the US is almost a fond memory.

So, I'd check with your mechanic first, and maybe the Canadian authorities before I went down that road.

In the US, a tso just means it's an airplane part, but it offers NO authority to install it. That has to come in the form of a regulation, a TC or an STC.

I think.....

MTV

I think our rules are similar, but I am not an expert. I really struggle with this, so much misinformation on the intergoogle web, and everyone has their own standards that they want to keep their airplane to. I am more concerned about keeping my airplane safe, and easy to work on, and viable in the backcountry than the letter of the regs. It will probably bite my kids in the *ss when they come to sell it, but I really hope my son will keep it.

Heres the drawing; Note it does not say "ref" for the batt box as it does for the firewall holes. I think if I go for the Atlee box, with its own STC, we have more freedom as to where we place it. Not sure if the Burls box is STCd for the 170, I will call them.

I am hoping to sit down with my mechanic and the drawings and beer and start to build a plan. I really do not want the plane to be in bits for months, but there a lot of ducks to line up.