8 SA FlyerHeading over to your aircraft to go
f lying af ter a cou ple week s on t he
g round i s of ten accom panied by
t he an x iet y t hat t he bat ter y ha s r un
flat. BatteryMINDer makes aviation-
specific battery chargers to ensure
you d on’t g et s t uc k on t he g round.T
YPICALLY, batteries self-discharge between one
and two percent per day. So it’s no wonder your
plane might not start after a few weeks on the
ground, even though all electrics were turned
off. And in more complex aircraft (including SA
Flyers Piper Saratoga) there are circuits such
as lights and clocks that stay on, even when the
master switch is off.
To keep your aircraft’s battery happily charged, just plug the
BatteryMINDer into a standard wall socket and link it to the battery.
It has a ‘Plug ‘n Run’ feature, which includes full-time, fully automatic
pulsed desulphation circuitry designed to dissolve sulphation build-
up on the battery’s storage plates. BatteryMINDer claims that using
its charger can extend your battery’s life by up to four years.
You shouldn’t use your car battery trickle-charger for your
aircraft. Aviation battery manufacturers use a higher specific gravity
electrolyte. This allows for lighter batteries and with a deeper cycle,
but the ‘hotter mix’ (more sulphuric acid and less water) means it
can be overcharged, overheated and damaged when non-aviation
chargers are used.BatteryMINDers’ charger features a temperature compensating
sensor to ensure that batteries can be safely charged and
maintained for extended periods of time in extreme temperatures.
The temperature probe also controls the voltage and current to
charge the battery as quickly and safely as possible.
Finally, if you are lucky enough to own a fleet of aircraft, the
BatteryMINDer charger is able to charge up to three batteries
simultaneously and comes with all the necessary leads and
accessories.
BatteryMINDer’s aviation-specific charger is available from
Comet Aviation Supplies, http://www.cometaviationsupplies.co.za, for
R737, which we reckon is worthwhile for something that could extend
your battery’s life by up to four years.Quote of the month
BatteryMINDer
j
BatteryMINDers
makes the only
aviation specific
battery charger.