Home grown maintenance solution... will it work?
 

Hello all,

I am trying to come up with a cost effective, simple and reliable system to do the following:

1. Ensure I never have a flat tyre (or tire as you guys spell it);
2. Ensure I never have a flat battery;
3. Ensure I have emergency back up power and light.

I anticipate doing work in the outback and other remote places with little or no maintenance support... so I need to be self-sufficient and after having a recurring slow leak in a tyre and going through four foot pumps that allegedly could pump up to 60psi but, in actuality, couldn't, I needed a more reliable solution... so this is what I've come up with and if anyone out there can see a problem with it, please let me know.

Problem 1 - Tyres. I think that a good quality air compressor capable of 150psi would be handy to have for when I turn up at the airport and the tyre looks a little flat. But, most compressors are either 240 VAC (in Australia) from mains or 12VDC. A good compressor that runs off the battery doesn't necessarily cope with the Cessna 24 V battery. Hmmm. Keep thinking.

Problem 2 - Battery. I don't want to be caught with a flat battery. Trickle charging overnight is not practical at all locations (eg out in the bush) Carrying a spare battery may be a solution... but I would have to ensure I had the right Cessna plug and cables to do a jump start as well.

Solution? - Purchase a KwikStart 6290 variable output (12VDC or 24VDC) dual battery system with emergency light and jumper cables, a 12V air compressor and a 'plug and go' adaptor from aircraft spruce. Keep the Kwikstart nearby when operating from home base or take it with me if operating away. Use the 12VDC output to run the compressor if I have a flat tyre. If I have a flat battery, plug in the 'plug and go' adaptor and use the 24VDC output to start the aircraft. (Then recharge the Kwikstart when able to).

My questions are:

1. Does anyone see any problems with this?
2. Has anyone had any bad experiences with the Kwikstart 6290?
3. Has anyone had any bad experiences with the 'plug and go' adaptor on the Cessna O-2/337?

Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Conway

O-2A Australia

One suggestion: A lot of people that fly around the "Islands" always carry a spare inflated tire with them, and the appropriate wrenches. It's a lot easier to just change out a main, and then get the other one fixed when able

As far as air supply, just carry a small high pressure compressed canister of inert gas with a regulator. Small, simple, and won't drain your battery.

In the middle of nowhere
 

STARTING
One way to never have a flat battery is to buy a small 24 volts solar trickle charger that can either fit under the windscreen, or hang across the cowl.

I did this with a small boat I kept in Hatteras, because I was paranoid about making sure the bilge pump could always pump out whatever storms might hit the area, while I was sometimes not in the area for weeks. It will keep the batteries topped off forever.

When I had a helicopter, which I routinely took into plasces without any services available, I replaced the battery every two years, regardless. If you fly up to a picnic on the side of a mountain, it could be awkward leaving your date with the bears, while you walk out to find rescue.

I just replaced my GILL battery with a Concorde. Being a nerd I noted it had a lower internal impedance (could deliver more current) and more imporantly, somwthing like 40% more capacity than the Gill. 14Ah vs 10 Ah. A standard marine boat battery has more like 75 Ah, so the capacity of aircraft batteries is tiny in comparison.

LOW TIRE
A tire and jack sounds like one solution. For a low tire in the boonies I agree with the compressed gas cylinder. I bought a small item some years ago which would take a CO2 cartridge and use it to pump up a tire. Handy and small and never wears out. Still available in bike shops for <$10. Google CO2 inflator.

FLAT TIRE
If you have a leaking tire, as in FLAT, then maybe that fix a flat good one can buy in auto stores. If you are in the middle of nowhere and just need to get home, you can deal with the goo later, when you get back to civilization.

D

Dead Battery
 

Twice I had a problem with no power to starter. Once after flying for 2 hours I landed for a fuel stop on Sunday with no one around but my son-in-law. I had no power to rear engine starter. I hand proped the rear engine and it started very easy. I switched on fuel pump for 3 seconds then off. Turned engine through with mags off. Then had my son-in-law crack throttle { who is also a pilot } yell contact and one flip on prop and it started. That is the way I started Piper Cubs. I got back to home base and found the power connector on rear starter broken at starter terminal. The other time I had a battery that dropped a lead plate and killed the battery. Also on a Sunday with only my co-pilot there. I hand proped both engines to get home. I have the i-o 360's engines that prop easy. Do not try this if you have no experiance from hand proping from before. Dale

Bush Mx
 

Sounds good to me. Justs a couple notes:
1) Like somone already said, get a Concord battery. We prefer the sealed RG24-15 model on our ships, much better battery than the wet-lead acid Gill.
2) I would carry your compressor as described but also have a spare nose & main wheel assembly on hand & built up. This of course requires the appropriate jack and jack adapaters which you may or may not have.