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RV-9A Battery Location

D

Doug Rohrer

Well Known Member
I am near the point of drilling and bolting stuff to the firewall on my RV-9A with O-320 power. Van's drawing 31 shows the PC680 battery location on the left (pilot side) of the firewall. However, I see lots of Google pics of -9A firewall with the battery mounted on the right side of center close to the firewall recess above the gascolator. Same with -7A models. Can someone tell me what is wrong with the stock Van's location or what is the advantage of moving to the right side? Is there some kind of "gothcha" involved here?
 
Dwg 31 shows a "standard" battery mounted on the pilot's side for a 7A/9A. Dwg 31A shows a PC680 mounted on the co-pilot side for a 7/9. I think the difference in the main landing gear sockets in the motor mounts between the 7A/9A and the 7/9 account for the difference in the battery boxes and battery sizes. The PC 680 is lighter. I'm using Dwg 31A on my 9A.
 
Oil cooler or oil

I?m on the right side with a pc680 as I have the oil cooler mounted on the left side of the firewall. It?s relatively easy to R&R a pc680 from that position with the brake reservoir in the stock position.
 
Oil cooler location?

I?m on the right side with a pc680 as I have the oil cooler mounted on the left side of the firewall. It?s relatively easy to R&R a pc680 from the left side position with the brake reservoir in the stock position.
 
Right side

RV9A with battery on the right side(co-pilot). Drawing 31A for the PC680. The only deviation from the plans was to mount the plate nuts on the cockpit side of the firewall instead of on the box.
 
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PC680

Doug Rohrer said:
I am near the point of drilling and bolting stuff to the firewall on my RV-9A with O-320 power. Van's drawing 31 shows the PC680 battery location on the left (pilot side) of the firewall...
Click to expand...

Drawing 31 shows a larger battery mounted on the left side. Drawing 31A shows the PC680 mounted on the right side.
 
Battery Location

Got it. I just needed to look for the next drawing in the stack. I have the PC680 battery kit from Van's and I plan to put the oil cooler on the back of the baffle on the left side. Thanks for the clarification.
 
PC 625 on pilot side. No interference with oil cooler on baffle. The 625 is 2.2 lbs lighter and has slightly higher capacities than the 680 (CCA 220 vs 170). Not sure why it?s not more popular.
 
GWZ said:
PC 625 on pilot side. No interference with oil cooler on baffle. The 625 is 2.2 lbs lighter and has slightly higher capacities than the 680 (CCA 220 vs 170). Not sure why it?s not more popular.
Click to expand...

Did you have to build your own battery box for the 625 or did the 680 battery box work? I actually have the Earth-X battery box and I think it?s a little bit bigger than that standard 680 box.

Mark
 
I bought my 9A. It does seem to be a custom made holder that?s made from angle stock. A 680 does not fit so it?s not a repurposed 680 holder.
 
I like the right side, less effort to charge the battery on the right side without removing the top cowl.
 
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