Ground Practice Skyview

I have a new 2015 production RV-12 and I want to practice using the dual Dynon Skyview DV-D1000 while on the ground, possibly for an hour at a time. I went to hookup my BatteryMinder 1212 and learned that the battery post bolts are rounded and couldn't connect the clips. In your experience can I run one or both of the Skyview screens for an hour without running down the battery? I have read on this forum that connecting the pigtail "permanently) and directly to the battery may not be that safe but not sure its worth (or have the skill) creating a remote ground.

I assume by pigtail you mean the typical thing that comes with a battery minder - a piece with two ring terminals to be connected to the battery posts, and another end with the negative terminal as an exposed male pin and the positive as a recessed female socket - and then the wire from the battery minder itself has a matching plug.

I use a "permanent" pigtail and leave the battery minder connected to the plane through the oil door. Otherwise you would have to remove the top cowl to use the battery minder with clamps. If you want to make the pigtail safer, cut the positive wire and insert an inline fuse as close as possible to the battery ring terminal end.

Thank you Bill H. I just hooked it up tonight. I did not use a remote ground 24" distant from the battery as highly suggested in another thread on this forum. The piece with the 1212 battery minder is fused from the factory. I was surprised to see that the EFIS showed -6 amps with the charger plugged in and both Skyview Screens operating. The Battery Minder seemed to be working.

A trickle charger might not put out enough current to meet the demand. So the battery voltage should be monitored. If it drops below 12 volts, electrical loads should be shut off to prevent battery damage.

Thank you Mitch. I realized last night that the BatteryMinder 1212 delivers just 2 amps so that makes sense.

Put the battery on the charger overnight then just use the battery for practicing. A typical AC battery will easily power SkyView for more than 4hrs. When finished, put the charger back on the battery. I am not a fan of running avionics off a battery charger. You never know what the charger is actually doing.

Battery charger

Check with the battery manufacturer. They had specific warning about which charger to use. See our previous discussion. Odesssey.charger only of proper output.

Like you, I put 10 hrs of practice on Dynon last winter. Use the correct charger.

Tim