Cranking should be limited to 10 seconds within any 1 minute period. Most starter manufacturers also recommended less than 10 seconds of cranking in any 1 minute period. 

4-6 years is the average lifespan, however they can last longer depending on how they have been maintained, the quality of the charging system and the enviroment used in. 

Tighten the screws to 35 in-lbs. If you don't have a torque wrench then use a screwdriver to tighten firmly (one handed). If you over torque the screws, you will damage the BMS board or loosen the nut.

Only when needed which is when the voltage reads below 13.28V. It depends on the battery model (the larger amp hour batteries will need less topping off than say the scooter battery) but if not in use or left in a vehicle, make sure you check the voltage and charge at least once a year. Due to lithium batteries extremely low self-discharge rate, less than 50% of its charge is lost over a 6 month period, so you may not have to charge your battery before the season starts! If the battery is 13.28V or higher, then all is good. If it is less than this, you need to charge it before engine start to ensure a long battery life.

Yes, this is normal. A lithium battery can and will accept a much higher charging current than an equal size lead acid battery. If your battery is not fully charged, your alternator can potentially output a current equal to or slightly above the alternator’s rating for a few minutes to top the battery off. Your fuse, breaker, or current limiting device should be sized approximately 20% above the alternator rating. Example, if you have a 40 amp alternator, use a fuse, breaker, current limiter set to 48 amps (or 50 amps).

No. As with any battery being charged it is best not to do this in the event of a faulty charger. Follow these safety tip for charging ANY type of battery.

• Never leave the battery or the vehicle unattended when recharging it.
• When charging a battery, place it on a non-flammable, and remove any flammable items nearby.
• Unplug chargers from the battery or vehicle always after the battery reaches full charge.
• Disconnect chargers when not in use.

Most of the time, it means you need to charge the battery as it is at a low charge level but it could mean several things. First thing you need to do it put a voltmeter on the battery, if the voltage is less than 13.28V, the LED light will flash to let you know to charge the battery. If the voltage is above 13.28V and flashing, then you could have a weak cell /a cell out of balance/or defective cell and you need to contact EarthX for a warranty coverage if it is less than 2 years old. The LED will also flash if the voltage is too high, above 14.6V. If the light is solid and remains on for more than 10 minutes, then it is an indication of a BMS electronics problem and contact EarthX.

The ETX-Series of batteries have over discharge protection and is designed to prevent a continuous active drain on the battery to the point of damaging the battery, such as leaving your key in the on position, master switch on your aircraft, or parasitic draw as examples.  If your battery is reading 0V, or near 0V, then this protection might be activated.

To determine the actual voltage of the battery, remove the negative battery cable and measure the voltage at the terminals with a voltmeter.  If less than 8V, it will not accept a charge.  Once a lithium battery is approximately 8V, it can be permanently damaged and the EarthX BMS is designed to not allow the recharging of the battery as this is no longer safe to do and can be dangerous and cause cell rupture.  Never force a charge into the battery. This is not a battery defect, nor a failed battery, but instead the protection working as it is designed.

The rate of discharge depends on how many amp hours the battery has (less Ah = faster discharge) and the ambient temperature (warmer = faster discharge).  When the EarthX battery is about 95% drained, the BMS over discharge protection will disconnect the battery from the active drain so that you do not continue to discharge the battery to the point of damaging it. You know this has happened when you put a voltmeter on the battery installed in the vehicle and it reads close to 0V. We allow this much discharge of the battery to provide you the most energy possible if the drain is intentional, ie: your alternator fails in flight, and you are powering your electronics with the battery. The battery will continue to drain, at a much slower rate, with time as this is impossible to stop batteries from self-discharging.  Even “brand new” batteries left in a box will drain and if not recharged and maintained, will be permanently damaged.

It is very important to recharge the battery immediately if it has been drained.  The longer the battery remains discharged will shorten the overall life span and increases the chance of permanent damage.

Depending on the amp hour of the battery and the environmental temperature will dictate how much time can pass before it is permanently damaged.  Example, the ETX12A is a 4Ah battery and should be recharged within a week whereas the ETX900 is a 15.6Ah battery and should be recharged within a month of finding it in this state.

If a battery does not seem to charge or perform as well as it once did, it may be for one or more of the following issues:

• There may be a problem with the charging system. While the charging system is in operation, it will begin putting out approximately 13.8 -14.6 volts.
• The vehicle electrical system may have a short circuit or current drain
• The terminals on the battery are not properly tightened
• There may be a problem with the battery itself so if you have verified that it is not a parasitic drain, and the battery is losing power within 1-7 days, then contact EarthX. Do not continue to attempt to charge or use a battery that will not hold a charge as it might indicated cell failure and continued use can cause cell rupture, smoke and even fire.

Unlike Cold Cranking Ampere (CCA), the Pulse Cranking Ampere (PCA) rating does not have an “official” definition by the automotive industry. CCA tests are done at 0 deg F with a 30 second discharge time which is unrealistic for most motorsport vehicles. PCA is a measure of battery discharge amps for <10 seconds at 77 deg F (25 deg C). Our manual shows the CCA and PCA rating of each battery. The CCA rating is most important for snowmobiles due to the colder temperatures.

All batteries have a life span, even if left in the box and never used. Time is a factor even if properly cared for, eventually, all batteries die. An EarthX battery is rated for up to 6 years if properly maintained, which means it is not left in a discharged state (below 13.28V); used in a properly functioning charging system; used with a proper charger; not shorted; and proper temperature ratings have been followed. All batteries will self discharge and depending on the amp hour of the battery, and its temperature it is stored in, the level of discharge and amount of time are variable. Always keep your lithium battery above 13.28V for longest life.

Lithium batteries require no maintenance such as adding liquid, worrying about freezing in subzero temperature, or the heat of summer damaging them. Just be sure the terminal connections are tight and free of corrosion. If you have a vehicle that has a drain even if the key is off, (Harley’s definitely do) then you will need to charge them every 1-2 months of inactivity (depending on how much of a draw there is determines the length of time it can sit) by putting a charger until it shows fully charged. If at any point your battery is less than 13.28V, it is in a discharged state and needs to be charged. Any battery left in a discharged state can and will be damaged or life shortened.

Many things can cause a puffy or swollen looking battery, which is caused by the buildup of gases inside the battery. This can be from age as gas will build up over time; being exposed to extreme temperatures; deeply discharging or overcharging of the battery.  This is a good indicator that it is time for a new battery.

We understand the fear of a fire in an aircraft is real and justified. We also understand people fear that a lithium battery will spontaneously self-combust with no warning and reason and catch everything near it on fire too.  We want to address this fear. The EarthX batteries are LFP chemistry, or lithium iron phosphate, the most abuse tolerant and requires a lot of energy to force them into thermal runaway. The term thermal runaway can mean different things and for a LFP battery, it does not mean a 3-foot-tall explosion of flames, it means it will produce a lot of smoke for about 10 minutes.  (It should be noted the type of chemistry that does cause a large fire ball is the most used cell in the world, a Lithium Cobalt cell. This is found in your cell phone, your tablet, your laptop, etc.  On a commercial flight, if you are traveling on a 737 with 204 person capacity, it would be typical to have around 300 of these batteries in the cabin with you as a reference point).

To cause a thermal runaway with the EarthX battery, many things in your aircraft, and you as a pilot, would have failed. First, your regulator would have to fail. Then your over voltage protection on your aircraft would have to fail. Then you as a pilot would have to fail and not turn your charging system off (alternator off) as you see the voltage and amps climb, destroying all your electronics on your panel and popping fuses everywhere in the process. If you did nothing but continued to fly, and if the batteries protection failed too or you exceeded the protection limits (over 100V), it takes about 7 minutes of this type of runaway energy to cause a thermal runaway with the battery. The FAA TSO certified approved battery, the ETX900-TSO,and the ETX900-VNT, are in a fireproof containment system (internally) and is a sealed battery that is vented overboard, so even in this catastrophic state, the smoke is pushed overboard and it is not a battery safety issue and it does not cause anything near it to heat or catch on fire either.  

As far as the fear of spontaneous self-combustion, the battery must be part of a catalyst situation for it to go into thermal runaway. It will not simply “combust” with no reactor.  The batteries have short circuit protection and a battery management system to prevent the use of the battery if it detects a fault. The Hundred series for aircraft also has a fault monitoring that would alert you if something was outside of normal with an LED light that will illuminate.  

Check the "Detail" tab of the Slick Magneto that you are interested in buying and the Slick Magneto listed with a "Type: Impulsed" will come up with an impulse coupling.

According to the Slick Magneto by Champion Overhaul Manual L-1363F, the magneto should be overhauled at TBO, lighting strike, prop strike, sudden stoppage of the engine and immersion of the aircraft. 

There are no bill backs on a core return that is a current series 4300 or 6300 Slick Magneto. 

A good core retunr for a factory overhauled Slick Magneto is going to be a current series 4300 or 6300 Slick Magneto. If a new Slick Magneto is purchased, then older series Slick Magnetos can be considered for credit on a case by case basis. 

A common cause for this problem is fuel starvation due to improper installation of the fuel pump. Make sure that the fuel lines are not crossed; that is, the inlet line should be connected to the inlet side of the pump (marked “IN” on the top of the port) and the outlet line should be attached to the fuel pump outlet port. Fuel should be present at the inlet side of the fuel pump.

Improper installation of the fuel pump may result in a misalignment of the operating lever with the operating plunger in the accessory case. If so, there will be no movement of the lever and no pumping motion to provide fuel flow. If misalignment is found upon removal of the pump, the lever is probably damaged or broken. If misalignment of the operating lever has occurred, it will require inspection and repair by a qualified technician.

Diaphragm fuel pumps should be replaced or overhauled:

1. At engine TBO or after ten years in service, whichever occurs first. Replace on condition if leaks develop or performance drops for example.
2. Refer to Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin 240W for information regarding engine TBO.