Starter & intensity

[Gilbert DRIEUX]

What is the expected intensity during starter run for a lycoming O-235 ?
I use a Skyy-Tec starter 122-12FW. The battery 12V 14AH seems a bit short. wile running starter voltage drop is about 2A.
Thanks for input.
Regards.

Now back from hollidays in camping-car, it was very nice to fly again today ! Suny weather, no wind, no cloud and 35 Nm visibilty in the late afternoon. Wonderfull.

[Drew]

If you look on the berkut13.com site, he talks about the skytec starter being a little weak starting the plane.  People gave him all kinds of advice like getting larger battery cable.  He inadvertently broke his starter and replaced it with a B&C starter.  Now he has absolutely no problems.

The specific page is http://www.berkut13.com/berkut50.htm#Starter

[Gilbert DRIEUX]

Thanks for your details

My starter itself work good.
After injections and 6 blades turning by hand, engine start in 2 blades.

My question is : what is the intensity used from battery from starter ? How to mesure it ?
I'm not sure my battery is strong enought to furnish that whith out domage.

[rglos]

Hi Gilbert

Just for comparrison purposes, I have an O 235 L2C with the original Prestolite starter. I have been using a utility battery off of a lawn tractor ( Lawn Mower) for may years now.  It is slightly smaller than the sealed batteries for standard aircraft. I don't known what exactly what the current draw is while cranking, but the rating on the battery it not that great.

On a regular day it will crank the engine over for quite some time before running down.

I don't know what kind of battery you have but I would use even something smaller like a motorcycle battery in mine whithout worrying about it.

Rick

[Gilbert DRIEUX]

I'll check exactly the battery data, and the starter too.