Relocate Battery

belandd · Post by **belandd** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:19 pm

On my M5-210 the battery is under the co pilots seat. It is a real pain to access there.

Has any one moved their batter aft like the M6 has it?

It might help the wt/bal also.

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:59 am

I have done several conversions / field approvals installing the odyssey lightweight sealed batteries to the firewall installing in the Burl's aircraft tray which has a heat sheild and is pma'd for other aircraft... These batteries are much more reliable in cold weather, have more initial cranking amps, and seem to last up to 5 years? Mounting the battery on the firewall also shortens the cable runs, and allows for preheating depending upon method used. They also reduce battery weight considerably?

YELLOWMAULE · Post by **YELLOWMAULE** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:11 am

Ha Ha, I'm wanting to move mine from behind the aft bulkhead to under the passenger seat. I replaced my Gill with the Odyssey and the effect of losing 13# off the tail was nothing short of WOW! The tail flies like a cub now.
Aero, could you send me a picture or two of the firewall installation on the IO-360? I've looked that over a number of times and wondered where it would fit. That would be the prefered location but I didn't see how it would work.
Atlee Dodge (Univair) also has a mount that has been STC'd for the under the seat location for the -18 for a horizontal mounting location of both the Concorde and Odyssey batteries if I'm not mistaken.

belandd · Post by **belandd** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:35 am

I am still new to the Maule so bear with me.

I heard that these acft get out of CG easily.

It seems nose heavy on landing.

I thought that relocating the battery aft would lighten up the nose some but at the same time I find that for ground handling the tail is heavy.

Some of you more experienced guys can straighten me out. Is the CG problem one of it going fwd or aft?

Duane

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:28 am

I am also in the process of getting rid of my Gil Battery and going to the Odyssey battery. If I could get it on the firewall that would be the best. Otherwise under the front seat would do. I'm running a '73 M4 210C.

Kurt, do you have pics or other info on the approval to get that moved under the seat? Any info would be appreciated.

Aero101, any info on the firewall conversion would be great, also the field approval process. Were these Field Approvals recent? I'm wondering if this is something worth pursuing in today's FAA enviroment regarding Field Approvals. Feel free to PM me if you like.

Mike

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:02 pm

I'm currently waiting on the battery box to get here from Burl's and it will be going on an M5-235 project I'm nearing completion on. Will be mounting on RH side lower Firewall area. I'll take some pics, will probably be next week some time. The problem with the Atlee is without heatsheild, not legal on firewall, but would be ok under the seat area. It will still need a field approval though as the STC is not applicable to the Maule? Also the Burl Box is about half the price of Atlee's... The Burl Box could be mounted under the seat as well and you wouldn't need the heat shield which would save you some more money, I think just the box without heatsheild is around $125? As far as CG goes, I like mine forward near the limit as it allows for carrying nice load in the back? The small batteries are light enough they really don't effect the CG that much. Some of the early M7's needed the battery and lead in the tail due to CG, but I've found it varies by aircraft depending on equipment, etc... I'd much prefer a 40lb survival kit in back then a battery? All you can do is sit down and figure CG with minimum fuel (I think most maules the CG moves fwd as fuel burned?), and a couple of 200 pounders in front seats, nothing in the back, and I think you'll find you're within envelope. You'll also find that your underseat battery is pretty close to being right on the CG, so removing will not effect much? And the firewall is rather short arm, sealed battery is light, so really doesn't change CG much? As far as field approvals go, the lightweight batteries are very common mod up here and field approval is about an hour of paperwork, pretty much a no brainer. Some parts of the country the FSDO's are TOO BUSY? and you could have a problem getting an approval? A lot depends on the relationship of your IA with his Inspector?

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:53 pm

Sounds good. I'm down in Anchorage so I'll poke around and see what kind of field approval process I can work out. The Odyssey batt comes with a box but I haven't seen it yet. It sounds like it would need a different box to fit under the seat. I'm not familiar with Burl's but I can check out Attlee's. Thanks

Mike

aero101 · Post by **aero101** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:05 pm

Mike-
Burl's Aircraft is in Chugiak and he's got a website if you want to google him... The odyssey box is just a plastic affair and don't think you could get field approved? Good luck!

YELLOWMAULE · Post by **YELLOWMAULE** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:41 pm

Actually, the box I bought from Odyssey is an aluminum affair that bolts directly to the floor with the battery in the horizontal position. It was about $36.00. I'll find the name of the outfit in CA that I bought it from. It looks almost like the Atlee box.

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 7:42 pm

Ok thanks, I'll check it out

Mike

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