Concorde Battery

[Rich]

. . . so it's easy enough to just plug it in the the quick-connect which lives under the oil door beside the plug for the Reiff engine heater.

...I have been using the BatteryMinder through the APU plug, pulling the 50A battery breaker. I had thought about a quick-connect but was concerned about the potential for a short.

Is there any reason not to do this, i.e. charge through the APU plug and pulling the breaker? This seems to be a lot easier. As I read the wiring diagram, there should be no other load on the circuit except the battery in this scenario.

This should work, also. But we didn't take this route. Incidentally, this connector is fused so it it shorted somehow, the fuse would simply blow. To be honest, I have found enough errors and omissions in Diamond's wiring diagrams I wasn't sure the we could isolate the battery this way, so we didn't try.

[Chris B]

Is there any reason not to do this, i.e. charge through the APU plug and pulling the breaker? This seems to be a lot easier. As I read the wiring diagram, there should be no other load on the circuit except the battery in this scenario.

Hi Lou -

One consideration is that breakers have a finite cycle count, and are not designed to replace switches. Depending how often you connect the charger, this could be a potential issue.

Chris

[Rich]

Digging through the electrical diagrams a bit on the EPU. Using this route does not really connect one directly to the battery without possible complications.

The BatteryMinder will be providing relay hold-down current to the EPU relay, the current must pass through both the EPU and Battery Relay contacts and the battery and BatteryMinder together must provide hold-down current to the Battery relay.

The additional hold-down current MIGHT have some affect on the BM's ability to assess and manage battery condition. A good question for BM tech support.

[Lou]

These are all good comments. (My brother the electrical engineer pointed out it was a "simplified wiring diagram". I hate it when he's right!) Thank you.

[Rich]

These are all good comments. (My brother the electrical engineer pointed out it was a "simplified wiring diagram". I hate it when he's right!) Thank you.

Your brother is correct. I used to be in the same business until seduced by the easier money of software consulting.