Troy Hamon wrote:Pretty sure you can get different answers from the same office on the same question, even here in AK. I suspect if it is in your logbook as a minor alteration from an A&P then everybody is still legally covered.

True. But don't accept that. Make them get it right.

And yep on the second point.

I put the Odyssey battery in the original battery box of a 170 and a cub. I've heard both arguments about field approvals. My IA wouldn't sign off the annual without a field approval, so I talked to my local FSDO. I asked so they wanted it... It's a simple 337, but the FSDO took several weeks. I can send you a copy when I'm back in town.

Rob as long as you are sprucing up the plane you should do the atlee dodge box. Did it on mine and it looks sweet and at the same time making access to the battery easier while opening up extra space in the engine compartment. No more drain tube from the box. Was not too hard to do I think it took me 3-4 hours. Need help buckin rivets though. While you are at it do the skytec starter and jasco alternator to increase your weight loss to close to 20 pounds. Did circuit breakers at the same time. My unreliable electric system is now history. What the heck its only money.

According to odyssey, it's approved for the 170. It's also the only place I've seen it say it's approved for anything other than a PA-18.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/batteries/sbsj16.htm

ajfriz wrote:According to odyssey, it's approved for the 170. It's also the only place I've seen it say it's approved for anything other than a PA-18.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/batteries/sbsj16.htm

I saw that too and looked into it further. I called and asked them if they could give me any documentation that stated it was PMA'd for the 170. They sent me a sheet of paper with some info. There was a note at the bottom saying FAA PMA approved when used with the Atlee Dodge battery box STC.

I have a field approval in the works right now.

Mike V is right on with the reference to AC43-13-2B, to my IA eyes this is a minor alteration.

If you disagree with that read the first paragraph where it states the information therein is approved data for a major alteration. Information in AC43-13-2B is no longer just acceptable people, It's APPROVED!

Lots of fun stuff can be done with reference to this AC.

I was just looking back through some posts I missed when I was away from the site. Rob, I got a field approval a couple years ago to put an Odyssey in the battery box in my C150/150TD to replace the RG-25. I can mail you a copy or scan it for you if you haven't already resolved this situation..
I tried the styrofoam spacer trick MTV mentioned, but since the battery box on my airplane is inside the cabin (behind the baggage) the FAA inspector didn't like it due to the flammable material / toxic smoke aspect. I bent up a hat-shaped aluminum spacer, put a tinnerman on each flange, and secured it in place with a couple sht mtl screws through front of the the battery box.
I tried to be strictly legit on this, but I do know a couple guys who just put "replaced battery- PowerSafe/Odyssey p/n SBS J-16" in their logbooks along with a revised W&B and figured that was good enough. FWIW the Odyssey was eight pounds lighter than the RG25 it replaced.
If I was gonna do a firewall installation and/or replace the stock battery box, I'd use the very nice little Odyssey mounting bracket that Spruce sells for about $25.

hotrod150 wrote:I was just looking back through some posts I missed when I was away from the site. Rob, I got a field approval a couple years ago to put an Odyssey in the battery box in my C150/150TD to replace the RG-25. I can mail you a copy or scan it for you if you haven't already resolved this situation..
I tried the styrofoam spacer trick MTV mentioned, but since the battery box on my airplane is inside the cabin (behind the baggage) the FAA inspector didn't like it due to the flammable material / toxic smoke aspect. I bent up a hat-shaped aluminum spacer, put a tinnerman on each flange, and secured it in place with a couple sht mtl screws through front of the the battery box.
I tried to be strictly legit on this, but I do know a couple guys who just put "replaced battery- PowerSafe/Odyssey p/n SBS J-16" in their logbooks along with a revised W&B and figured that was good enough. FWIW the Odyssey was eight pounds lighter than the RG25 it replaced.
If I was gonna do a firewall installation and/or replace the stock battery box, I'd use the very nice little Odyssey mounting bracket that Spruce sells for about $25.

Thanks for the offer Hotrod, I already got a copy of a 337 from Tom in Oregon. I have the battery and one of my IA friends is working a field approval for me. Hopefully I'll be able to install it soon.

Evidently mine was a slam dunk, probably because of putting it in the existing battery box. The preferred installation would be using one of those lightweight Odyssey mounting brackets, except that might open a whole new can of worms re approval. I know someone who did that & their inspector made them do a g test. Which was actually pretty easy-- he just hooked onto it with a fish scale and pulled to X times the weight of the battery & bracket.

I did the same instillation in my 170 (original battery box) with the Oakland FSDO, I expect you are in their area.
I can send you a copy of my 337, I think Bart Hauger is the one there that approved it. Besides the weight it is just a much stronger more dependable battery. And I have the skytec starter I recommend it also.
I expect I will see you at High Sierras in a few weeks, I can show you the battery installation bracket I made.

BlackWater wrote:I did the same instillation in my 170 (original battery box) with the Oakland FSDO, I expect you are in their area.
I can send you a copy of my 337, I think Bart Hauger is the one there that approved it. Besides the weight it is just a much stronger more dependable battery. And I have the skytec starter I recommend it also.
I expect I will see you at High Sierras in a few weeks, I can show you the battery installation bracket I made.

I'd love to take a look at your set up. What day are you flying to the HSF? Maybe we could link up enroute for a C-170 two ship into the lakebed.

Yes, that sounds, great, I plan to go to HSF on Friday (preferably in AM) but as I’m in the wine business harvest has control over my schedule.
When is your preferred time to be flying over? I’ll send you a message so we can exchange phone #s

Hey Rob,
If your IA buddy has your new field approval document completed, could you please bring a copy to HSF with you. Would love to have a fresh one to work with when I do mine. I think the o'l Gill is getting weak (I've been patiently waiting for this) and it might be time.
Thanks
Tom

Rob, contact BCP member 182 Stol Driver (Bill Reid), he has significant experience with field approvals for this battery in 100 series Cessna aircraft.

Wish i would have known long ago that i could be charging customers for field approvals on minor alterations. I would be rich by now!!

PAMR MX wrote:Wish i would have known long ago that i could be charging customers for field approvals on minor alterations. I would be rich by now!!

It seems like many IAs are afraid of minor alterations. It is good to know which ones are not.

robw56 wrote:

ajfriz wrote:....They sent me a sheet of paper with some info. There was a note at the bottom saying FAA PMA approved when used with the Atlee Dodge battery box STC. I have a field approval in the works right now.

My new 180 has an Odyssey battery in an early Atlee-Dodge firewall mount "battery rack". Just checked the Dodge website, the current ones look pretty much the same. IMHO the clamp that Spruce sells looks like a lot simpler (aka cleaner) mount, and is only about $39 vs Dodge's at about $365. The advantage to the Dodge set-up is it comes with an STC, no field approval required.
BTW I noticed the Spruce online catalog lists the Atlee-Dodge rack-- no mention of who makes it, plus a price tag of about $450.

hotrod150 wrote:

robw56 wrote:

ajfriz wrote:....They sent me a sheet of paper with some info. There was a note at the bottom saying FAA PMA approved when used with the Atlee Dodge battery box STC. I have a field approval in the works right now.

My new 180 has an Odyssey battery in an early Atlee-Dodge firewall mount "battery rack". Just checked the Dodge website, the current ones look pretty much the same. IMHO the clamp that Spruce sells looks like a lot simpler (aka cleaner) mount, and is only about $39 vs Dodge's at about $365. The advantage to the Dodge set-up is it comes with an STC, no field approval required.
BTW I noticed the Spruce online catalog lists the Atlee-Dodge rack-- no mention of who makes it, plus a price tag of about $450.

I've got one of the $39 battery mounts I bought about 4 yrs ago stored in my hangar. If anybody wants it for $25 I can bring it up to the Sierra fly in on Friday. I opted for the STC'd box. I forget who"s box I bought I'll have to look in my log book.

For those of you that have upgraded to the Odyssey battery, did you change the terminals on your battery cables? The Concorde XC-25 uses larger bolts than the Odyssey does.

double post