You knew it had to happen. As soon as I had the SQ-2 down from Alaska I'd start making her mine.

First mod was the addition of Lemo (powered headset) connectors next to the standard headset jacks. I first installed them in my 185 and love em. No more carrying AA batteries and having them die mid-flight.



Next mod was to replace the boat anchor Garmin 695 and AirGizmo mount, with my iPad mini and an AirGizmo mount. Cool thing, the AirGizmo mounts are a direct swap. I had never flown behind a Garmin before, but did all the way down from Alaska. It's okay, but Foreflight and the iPad mini are far superior imho.

Software companies, like Foreflight, have a built in incentive to keep upgrading their software - and at only the cost of a subscription. Hardware companies, like Garmin, have zero incentive to upgrade their hardware (or its software), they make their money by selling you new hardware - tens of times more expensive.

Look great Phil! Now you need an auxiliary music input.

Replaced the Odyssey PC680 battery (15.4 lbs) and battery tray, with a lighter tray and the EarthX ETX36D battery (3.5 lbs.). EarthX has a better temperature range and better amp rating.

Interesting to see welded joint on the new battery tray. Must be 5086, 5052 or 3003 not 2024 Aluminum alloy?

Thank you for the pictures.

What alternator do you have? Ill be interested to see how you like the earth x battery, and how it hold up

Tom

Looks like you're running a vacuum pump pad-mounted alternator. Did you shitcan the belt-drive alt on the front, or do you have two -- for electronic ignition maybe?
Very nice looking battery box. But while I'm sure it's very effective, the hose clamp set-up looks kinda hokey.
No offense

8GCBC wrote:Interesting to see welded joint on the new battery tray. Must be 5086, 5052 or 3003 not 2024 Aluminum alloy?

Wish I could take credit for building the box, but I bought it from Speedway Motors and cut off the strap tabs so it would mount flush to the firewall.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Aluminum-Battery-Box-for-Braille-and-Odyssey,42956.html

Tom wrote:What alternator do you have? Ill be interested to see how you like the earth x battery, and how it hold up

Plane Power 30amp. The EarthX ETX36D is good for up to a 60amp alternator.

hotrod180 wrote:Looks like you're running a vacuum pump pad-mounted alternator. Did you shitcan the belt-drive alt on the front, or do you have two -- for electronic ignition maybe?
Very nice looking battery box. But while I'm sure it's very effective, the hose clamp set-up looks kinda hokey.
No offense

No alternator on the front. Slick mags for the ignition. 500+ hours on them so I may replace one with electronic ignition when it's time to pull them. (Just had to replace the Slick mags on my 185 last night as one bit the dust at 380 hours, but that's another story). Yea, can't say I'm thrilled with the hose clamp hold down, but it is secure and it is lightweight and it is effective - which is what I wanted. Didn't like the rubber strap idea that the box came with, not for an airplane anyway.

Couple of tie-wraps might be even lighter & simpler than the hose clamp, but not much less hokey. And maybe (like the rubber straps) not a good idea in the engine compartment.

Hotrod that was my first thought as well, I even have a couple of those cop tie raps a sheriff friend gave me. But decided against it for the same reason as the rubber strap. Probably something cool out there made of unobtanium that would be cool, but hey it's under the cowling so no one would know anyway.

Hey, I'll stick up for the hose clamp concept! I use them for many different things other then clamping hoses. I get good top quality all stainless ones, and have never had one fail, of course I "engineer" their use appropriately. I hung my belly mounted Swiss muffler with them, have a 1000 watt heating pad secured to the cranes hyd tank with several large ones ganged together, I secure solar water pump controllers to the array's vertical pipe using them, on and on.

On that battery install, it almost looks overkill. Remember how light that battery is, ( I love my EarthX, 2 years now) that hose clamp is for sure going to keep it in place, when it doesn't you will be having other major problems that will take precedence! Good old stainless safety wire would also secure it plenty good enough, how often will it be removed anyway?

I really like the lightening holes, it drives me crazy to see useless structure being carried around for the life of the aircraft, when a few minutes (or hours) gets rid of it forever with no appreciable loss of strength. One recent example: the rudder pedals on the S-20 that GBFLYER is building, I'd lighten the hell out of those....just saying.

How do you like the plane power? That's internally regulated, correct? I'm seriously thinking of using it on mine. The primary alternator model correct?

Tom wrote:How do you like the plane power? That's internally regulated, correct? I'm seriously thinking of using it on mine. The primary alternator model correct?

No complaints. It's been on the plane from the beginning so a bit over 500 hrs of service so far. Yes, it's internally regulated. This is the model:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/flysafealt.php

Do you carry a spare drive for it? I'm guessing it's like a vacuum pump, plastic so it will shear.

cg I see you picking on me! . I am gonna have to take you to task on that by the way...I don't think your S7 is much lighter than ours if I recall correctly. We utilized the step drill some, but not the Simko way.

This one ain't gonna be mine. The feller who it will belong to is retired state engineer. He builds to last. Drilling additional holes isn't on his priority list.

I like the big hose clamp battery hold down for EarthX too. That's what we do. Zip ties are OK but get brittle with the heat cycles, even the spendy Scotch Tie ones. Good job Barnstormer!

On the cable tie versus hose clamp question there is a middle ground - Stainless Steel cable ties:

http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/american/catalog/type-self-lock-stainless-steel-cable-ties-pcspack-pla-646.php?gclid=CNG_mILfqsQCFVKFfgodynoA_A

Barnstormer How long have you had the EarthX on the firewall ? I did not mount mine there as I was worried about the heat , but if yours is working in Texas then I was worried about nothing . ?
Doug

Tom wrote:Do you carry a spare drive for it? I'm guessing it's like a vacuum pump, plastic so it will shear.

You are correct the drive is plastic and could shear. But since the alternator is spinning smoothly on two bearings the drive should never experience a momentary high load that could shear it. Besides, to get the alternator off I've got to swing the engine out from the firewall, so not really a field repair item.

brown bear wrote:Barnstormer How long have you had the EarthX on the firewall ? I did not mount mine there as I was worried about the heat , but if yours is working in Texas then I was worried about nothing . ?
Doug

Just a couple of flights. The Odyssey battery had been on their since the plane was built without any problems, and the EarthX has higher and lower operating temperature ranges then the Odyssey, so I don't expect any issues.

Flyhound, those stainless steel cable ties are interesting, never seen them before.

gbflyer wrote:cg I see you picking on me! . I am gonna have to take you to task on that by the way...I don't think your S7 is much lighter than ours if I recall correctly. We utilized the step drill some, but not the Simko way.

This one ain't gonna be mine. The feller who it will belong to is retired state engineer. He builds to last. Drilling additional holes isn't on his priority list.

I like the big hose clamp battery hold down for EarthX too. That's what we do. Zip ties are OK but get brittle with the heat cycles, even the spendy Scotch Tie ones. Good job Barnstormer!

About 100 lbs lighter is all Maybe 80, I am taking it in to get weighed in a couple weeks and will fess up the results. This will be the first time since it's inception, and I have kind of lost track of what I added and what I subtracted. I THINK about 760 lbs.????!

Back to the SQ thread

100#???? Shee-it!!!!!

It's time to replace the Slick Mags. They've got 550 hours on them and I'm taking a trip to the Ozarks in May with some CarbonCub friends and don't want a mag failure. But I'm finished with 1960's technology so decided on installing a pair of PMags instead.
http://www.emagair.com/P-MAGII.htm

Granted this is only moving from 1960's to 1980's technology, but going with PMags is a pretty simple upgrade compared to other Electronic Ignition systems. One of the coolest things is being able to change from $90 Iridium Aircraft spark plugs, to $9 Iridium Automotive spark plugs.

The PMags felt like they weighed the same as the Slicks so no weight savings. Timing is super simple. Put the prop on No. 1 TDC (compression or exhaust), blow on a hose going to the PMag and when you have a green light your done. (Okay there are a few more steps then that but it is essentially that easy)

Had to install two 3amp circuit breaker switches that are used to test the PMag's built in alternators. And since the PMags fire each time the pistons comes up (compression & exhaust), I had to change a setting in the Dynon Skyview so the tach reads correctly.

Made a couple of high speed taxi's (which turn into flights in the SQ2) to confirm the PMags worked, then took off and stayed in the pattern for a half dozen loops just in case I had to land in a hurry. They worked great and the engine runs much smoother. That's all the flying I've done so far.