Please welcome EarthX Batteries as our newest website sponsor/advertising partner at BackcountryPilot.org. Based in northern Colorado, they've been powering recreational vehicles—including experimental aircraft—with their lightweight Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery technology for years. They've recently begun the push to provided TSO'd batteries for the certified fleet.

The team has joined as a partner level advertiser and thus can post and interact with users here in the forum, so feel free to ask questions.

Here's a introduction from sales director Kathy Nicoson:

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EarthX lithium batteries is excited to support the backcountry adventure community!

We are passionate about innovation and advancement in aviation technology to improve the safety, quality and reliability of your aircraft battery and have dedicated years of research and development in this area.

For the backcountry adventurers, reducing weight of your aircraft will provide you a shorter take off roll, greater climb rate, faster cruise speed and a lower stall speed for starters. How about also increasing your useful load and better fuel consumption too for an added benefit? You can remove 23+ pounds instantly by replacing a RG35 lead acid battery as an example of the savings you can expect. And if the weight reduction isn’t exciting enough for you, how about better cranking power and more than doubling your life span of your battery?

EarthX are the most trusted and used lithium batteries in the Light-Sport Aircraft, Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Aircraft market with large OEM’s (such as Pipistrel Aircraft, Van’s Aircraft, Cub Crafter Aircraft, Zenith Aircraft, and Kitfox Aircraft) adopting this advanced technology.

EarthX has also “taken off” in the General Aviation market, attaining 14V and 28V FAA Certified TSO approved lithium batteries and currently has over 30+ STC’d aircraft approved for installation with many more pending. There are several OEMs working on changing out the heavy lead acid batteries in their type certificated design and replacing it with the powerful, light weight, EarthX lithium battery.

One of the oldest technologies used today in an aircraft is the lead acid battery, it’s time for an upgrade. Learn more: https://earthxbatteries.com

Great!! It is amazing how light they are. Great way to save lbs.
DENNY

Glad to see Cessna 180 submitted and pending and hopefully soon!!!!!!!

I've had one in my RV-7a for the last 4-5 years - Incredible batteries!!!! Can't say enough good about them!

P.S. Hurry up and get the Husky on the list!!!!

Once they get their PMA & whatever,
I predict a lot of people wanting to substitute an EarthX for their Odyssey SBS J16 battery.
Does one of their models match up size-wise?

Sign me up!!

JC

I have the J16 right now.

185Midwest wrote:Sign me up!!

I have the J16 right now.

Same here...I'm ready.

And I just posted a video a couple days ago with a dying battery... Well played Zane...

FWIW:

Odyssey SBS-J16: 7.1" x 3.0" x 6.6" high

https://www.odysseybatteries.com/odyssey/sbsj16.html

This seems to be the approved EarthX battery:
ETX-900 TSO : 6.5" x 3.1" x 6.6" high

https://earthxbatteries.com/product/etx900-tso/

So this one is shorter and a bit thicker than my Odyssey,
but I think it will fit in my firewall-mounted battery tray.

rw2 wrote:And I just posted a video a couple days ago with a dying battery... Well played Zane...

Heh heh.... we've been in talks for a while. Been an EarthX fan for a long time. I'm excited they're making this push to expand their TSO footprint.

My Gill battery for the Pacer is toasted. Hoping the STC comes through in time.

Why is there no 172 on the list?

But my understanding is that it just won’t fit in an Atleedodge box which is a drag.

daedaluscan wrote:But my understanding is that it just won’t fit in an Atleedodge box which is a drag.

At Oshkosh 2022, I spoke to EarthX and they indicated that they were in the works to clone the Odyssey dimensions when I asked about my 185 firewall battery box. There were aware of the need for a 1:1 swap on size. So...perhaps its coming?

I asked them pretty recently. They re-designed the battery case last year to allow it to fit in the atlee firewall box without modification. It should drop right in now without persuasion like previously reported.

Trying to compare an EarthX ETX-900TSO to an Odyssey SBS-J16,
but the cold cranking amps are listed differently,
so it's like apples to oranges.
Starting-wise, is the EarthX really any better than the Odyssey?
On the plus side, it's 10 pounds lighter,
but on the minus side, it is $449 from Spruce vs $238 for the Odyssey.

hotrod180 wrote:Trying to compare an EarthX ETX-900TSO to an Odyssey SBS-J16,
but the cold cranking amps are listed differently,
so it's like apples to oranges.
Starting-wise, is the EarthX really any better than the Odyssey?
On the plus side, it's 10 pounds lighter,
but on the minus side, it is $449 from Spruce vs $238 for the Odyssey.

A lot of people have paid far more than $211 to save 10 pounds.

I run one in a cub. Hopefully soon in the 180 as well. If you drain it, you can just prop it and go obviously, but it won’t let the alternator charge the battery. You need to do something to reset the BMS to allow it to charge again. I learned that the hard way. I think others smarter than me can explain this issue better, but it’s just something to be aware of. You can use the earthx jump pack to reset the BMS. Anyone have a better explanation?

Zzz wrote:

rw2 wrote:And I just posted a video a couple days ago with a dying battery... Well played Zane...

Heh heh.... we've been in talks for a while. Been an EarthX fan for a long time. I'm excited they're making this push to expand their TSO footprint.

My Gill battery for the Pacer is toasted. Hoping the STC comes through in time.

I’ve successfully used a lead acid battery desulfator to get more life out of a failing battery
And had remarkable results. It might be worth $20 from Amazon to give it a try. Lots of YouTube videos about it.
I’d love to have one of these new batteries in my Maule.

I recently installed an IO-550 in my 185. I've been pleasantly surprised how well the J-16 cranks the motor thus far.

JC

Zzz wrote:

hotrod180 wrote:Trying to compare an EarthX ETX-900TSO to an Odyssey SBS-J16,
but the cold cranking amps are listed differently,
so it's like apples to oranges.
Starting-wise, is the EarthX really any better than the Odyssey?
On the plus side, it's 10 pounds lighter,
but on the minus side, it is $449 from Spruce vs $238 for the Odyssey.

A lot of people have paid far more than $211 to save 10 pounds.

I'll happily part with some coin to shave another 10 lbs off the EW