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12V versus 24V

Not saying any avionics currently do but it would be trivial for Garmin to make the G1000 work from 12V-50V. If Cirrus asked them, they would do it. Maybe the lightweight high energy density wing installed lithium battery in the 2020 Cirrus G7 would even have so much power that you can start the airco with your remote and board + preflight a cool Cirrus. Another few sold to customers in Arizona…

I thought the TB21 didn’t have a builtin oxygen bottle before… in that case the TKS is more justifiable at 5x

Which avionics can work from 48V? Most of the “wide range” avionics I have seen has a range of something like 7V to 36V.

Lithium batteries at say $2k might be things people will pay for (especially on a $1M SR22) but I don’t see Cirrus getting Garmin to change the equipment.

The TB21 has built in oxygen, like most turbo aircraft.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

achimha wrote:

Not saying any avionics currently do but it would be trivial for Garmin to make the G1000 work from 12V-50V. If Cirrus asked them, they would do it.

A 2017 aircraft is nothing but G1000 + some LEDs.

You might like to look at the current SR22 brochure // MM and knock up an equipment list…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Has anyone heard of anyone converting a 12V aircraft to 24V?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

However, in a kitplane, you can indeed just use a car battery

No one use car batteries. Motorcycle/powersport GEL/AGM batteries is the norm, and Litium is getting somewhat more and more popular (although I don’t really get the reason, since lead/acid is much better at delivering lots of power at low voltage, needed for starting. For Litium to make a difference, the voltage must be increased 2-3 fold). Real cars use real voltage anyway, 3 digits

Besides, there is not much that use a lot of power, unless you start to pimp it up with electric flaps, retracts, electric trim, autopilot etc. Although I would believe more voltage is better.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

LeSving wrote:

Motorcycle/powersport GEL/AGM batteries is the norm

Yes, by my observation the norm for batteries in kit planes is 12 V Odyssey PC680, a AGM motorcycle motorcycle battery, not least because they sell essentially the same design battery under STC for some planes. They are nearly universal in local RVs. I know a guy who has had the same Odyssey battery in a motorcycle for 13 years, and I think the quality is very good.

For me 28 V would be a negative, nothing I’d fly or want to fly has the need for 28 V and I’d rather use the same voltage as every other vehicle in my life.

Silvaire wrote:

For me 28 V would be a negative, nothing I’d fly or want to fly has the need for 28 V and I’d rather use the same voltage as every other vehicle in my life.

Why does that matter?

Last Edited by JasonC at 27 Nov 23:08
EGTK Oxford

JasonC wrote:

Why does that matter?

Well, as one simple example I use the same battery tenders on ten (12 V) vehicles, meaning I have eight or ten of them. They last about three years, and when one breaks I can borrow one from one vehicle to use on another, four to six of those vehicles being in the hangar including the plane. Also, when one battery tender breaks and I need to replace it, I can have a new one in hand in about 15 minutes from a nearby supplier and I don’t have to worry about specific chargers for specific vehicles. They cost $26 each.

On a different level, the 12 V electrical hardware on my plane is almost entirely automotive, as with many light planes. If my A&P wanted to employ a local shop in rebuilding any such electrical component and then sign it off as supervised maintenance, in the real world that’s no problem notwithstanding the lack of FAA approved overhaul data… especially if its a car alternator or motor in its basic design. That is a useful attribute. The flap drive motor on my plane is BTW a Bosch car windshield wiper motor. Its never needed attention since 1971 because the duty cycle is so limited in flap drive service, but you never know.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 28 Nov 00:54

You guys are right about alternator… As a datapoint, GAMI’s Supplenator backup alternator provides 44A at 14V (616W) but 36A at 28V (1008W).

ELLX
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