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Ground Plug

A

Aussieflyer

Active Member
Has anyone thought about the best place to install a ground plug?

The Van's team have done a great job value adding to the build of the RV14, however they appear to have missed the boat by failing to make allowance for a ground plug. If we fly long enough we will all experience a flat battery someday.

Has anyone installed a ground plug yet?
 
Alan,

You are right, it happens to everyone eventually. But my experience is that very few people that build a custom airplane want a clunky power plug receptacle on the outside of their airplane. More common is for them to wire some type of plug that makes it easy to connect a battery charger.

The designed location of the battery in the RV-14 makes it easy to hook up a charger through the oil access door without any extension adapter (I have done it a few times already :rolleyes:)
 
Aussieflyer said:
Has anyone thought about the best place to install a ground plug?

The Van's team have done a great job value adding to the build of the RV14, however they appear to have missed the boat by failing to make allowance for a ground plug. If we fly long enough we will all experience a flat battery someday.

Has anyone installed a ground plug yet?
Click to expand...

I connected a charger pigtail to the battery and attached it to one of the motor mount tubes with an adel clamp by the oil door. So you can reach in and plug in the other end right to it, real easy. It's not a Battery Minder, but similar and has worked great.
 
Thanks

Thank you guys, great idea. I would have never thought of using the oil inspection cover area. I will be installing as suggested.
 
The "oil door" solution is a good one. I always open it anyway after a flight to check oil level and let some heat escape.
 
Chargers?

I like this idea. Is a special charger required for an aircraft battery, or will most automotive battery chargers work?

Thanks,
 
Tilford said:
I like this idea. Is a special charger required for an aircraft battery, or will most automotive battery chargers work?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Use a charger made for the battery you decide to use. 24V, 12V, Lead-acid, Lithium etc. No such thing as an airplane battery. The battery doesn't know if it's in an airplane or not.

Not suggesting that you do but I chose Shorai lithium and very happy with my choice although I cannot use a standard lead-acid battery charger. I saved 12 lbs.

Bevan
 
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As far as ground power plugs go, take a look at the DIN style plugs, often used on motorcycles (BMW uses them).

The "ship side" receptacle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...sory socket&qid=1457585800&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

The "wire side" plug:
http://www.amazon.com/Iztoss-Motorc..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=047PH71HMMRCKV4ZCEFY

These won't carry sufficient power to jump start the airplane, but rather are very well suited to charging the battery. Since the plug snaps into place in the receptacle, one can install the receptacle on the underside of the airplane where it is out of sight and not likely to fill up with rainwater.
 
Tilford said:
I like this idea. Is a special charger required for an aircraft battery, or will most automotive battery chargers work?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Battery Minder makes a variety of chargers for different applications. They are a trickle charger that won't help you much if you completely discharge a battery. But they can be left plugged in for long-term charging or "topping off". The ones I've bought come with two quick-connect pigtails, one with clamps and the other with eyelets for permanent installation. On my RV-6A, I attached the eyelet pigtail to the battery and positioned the quick-connect near the oil door with a little standoff rib made from scrap aluminum and attached to the rear engine baffling. I can open the door and plug it in easily. I have used it while testing avionics and to boost the battery on cold mornings. The PC-680 battery is pretty much a 'motorcycle' battery (as mentioned above, batteries don't know how they are used) and these chargers are also what I use on my motorcycles for long-term storage.
 
I just replaced a broken DIN (BMW style) connector with a pigtail by the oil door similar to the below.
atc-style-fuse-holder-10-ga-with-ring-terminals-and-powerpole-connectors_580.jpg


The site has everything you need to put something together. I used the 40 amp connectors with 10 ga wire which have plenty of capacity.
 
Canadian_JOY said:
As far as ground power plugs go, take a look at the DIN style plugs, often used on motorcycles (BMW uses them).

The "ship side" receptacle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...sory socket&qid=1457585800&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

The "wire side" plug:
http://www.amazon.com/Iztoss-Motorc..._UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=047PH71HMMRCKV4ZCEFY

These won't carry sufficient power to jump start the airplane, but rather are very well suited to charging the battery. Since the plug snaps into place in the receptacle, one can install the receptacle on the underside of the airplane where it is out of sight and not likely to fill up with rainwater.
Click to expand...

I have two of those exact connectors, one mounted in the aluminum baffle just inside the right cowl intake which is wired to the main battery on the firewall. The other is under the fuselage just in front of the aux rear battery for charging (or perhaps to top off a cellphone)
 
Walt said:
I just replaced a broken DIN (BMW style) connector with a pigtail by the oil door similar to the below.
atc-style-fuse-holder-10-ga-with-ring-terminals-and-powerpole-connectors_580.jpg


The site has everything you need to put something together. I used the 40 amp connectors with 10 ga wire which have plenty of capacity.
Click to expand...

What would be the most convenient way to adapt battery charger clamps to the above pigtail? I would like to keep the Odessy charger unmodified if possible

Thanks
 
I have a piper plug mounted to the engine mount just inside the oil door on my 7. I used heavy cable to connect to the battery, about 6 inches away. I have used it once to jump start. Worked well.
 
Ground Plug in Design for RV-8

Hi all !

Ground External Power plug...hum interesting subject ! While I am building my RV-8, I asked myself the question. I decided to put my battery in the back, thus having a ground plug not to far was common sense. I looked over the Internet, and found solution by this gentleman for a connector box with an access hatch. see here:

http://www.rv8or.com/Web pages/construction/Fuselage/fuselage_extpwr.html

Based on his design solution (I can't take credit for this design), I am currently drawing parts in 3D CAD software for my RV-8. See image here below:

Ground%20Plug%20box%20design%20for%20RV-8_zps0qbwurgq.jpg


I am hoping to have this design completed within the next 4-6 weeks. I will make engineering drawings with sheet metal flat patterns for each parts. If anybody is interested, I could share design info later.

Martin
RV-8 #80414
 
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