One of the most important things we do here at Dakota Cub is to improve safety. We strive to provide additional benefits, such as convenience, ease of maintenance, and increased durability along the way. We believe our boot cowl battery box installation is a prime example of these goals.
The battery in a typical Super Cub is placed aft of the baggage compartment on a tray. The aft installation kept the CG within limits but added substantial weight in heavy-duty cables. Heavy cables were required due to the increased resistance over the lengthy stretch of cable. Some Super Cubs have batteries mounted under the front seat, which attempts to solve some of the same problems we have tackled, but are not as safe.
Quarter-turn fasteners on the access door make charging and maintenance a cinch
We at Dakota Cub like numbers and proof, however. So, we weighed a standard battery in its box with the cabling required. It weighed 33 lbs! We were astonished to see how much it truly weighed. Next, we weighed one of our lightweight batteries (the beauty of modern science allows us to use smaller, lighter batteries with no loss in performance), our battery box, and a length of cable. It weighed in at a comparatively featherweight 18 lbs. With all of the hype surrounding weight, especially visible at events like the Valdez STOL competition, it’s hard to imagine another place where you could shave off 15 lbs with one component switch.
Maintenance is simplified due to easy access to the battery as well as the starter and master solenoids. Cables are easy to inspect because they are much shorter (two feet as opposed to ten), and much lighter because they are of a lower gauge since the close proximity to solenoids eliminates resistance over a run of cable. The battery door is opened by quarter-turn fasteners for quick access and can be removed in a minute. In these pictures you will also note the insulation lining the boot cowl on this Super 18, which keeps it nice and toasty inside on a cool day.
The location of the door makes inspecting and performing maintenance on the master and starter solenoids easy
Most importantly, the safety of the aircraft is improved. By installing our battery box, you eliminate a 30-lb projectile headed towards the cockpit in the event of a crash. For Cubs with the under-seat battery box, you are eliminating a hazardous and flammable material in the cockpit (An important side note: we originally intended to use the under-seat box in the Super 18 but it was unacceptable in the certification process, so we developed the boot cowl battery box). The battery, a significant source of weight, is safely stowed in front of the passengers in the event of a crash or fire.
Installation of the battery box should be accomplished with the boot cowl removed, as the box must be riveted to the boot cowl. Some welding is required as well as cutting the hole for the door (the door is included with the battery box kit) if you have not ordered a Dakota Cub boot cowl with the optional door cutout done at the factory. Because of this, it is best to install this option while restoring an aircraft, but is possible in the course of regular modifications. Of course, the boot cowl battery installation is standard on all Super 18s.
Can I Use It?
Our boot cowl battery box system is approved for installation in the following aircraft:
- PA-18 all models
- PA-19 all models
For more information, contact us at info@dakotacub.com or give us a call at (605) 757-6628!
–DCA
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