Soleair Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I currently use an Icom A22 as my only radio, without a battery pack, powered via the 12v socket in the side plugged into the aircraft 12v power bus. It seems to work fine. But I have recently read that this is not a good idea, & that a 'battery eliminator' should be used. This is a black box full of electronic trickery, roughly the same size as a battery. The reason I don't have a battery fitted is to save the space it occupies in my very cosy cockpit/panel. So the battery eliminator would negate this. Does anyone else just power their Icom direct from the power bus, without a battery fitted? Any (long term) problems? TIA Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I currently use an Icom A22 as my only radio, without a battery pack, powered via the 12v socket in the side plugged into the aircraft 12v power bus. It seems to work fine.But I have recently read that this is not a good idea, & that a 'battery eliminator' should be used. This is a black box full of electronic trickery, roughly the same size as a battery. The reason I don't have a battery fitted is to save the space it occupies in my very cosy cockpit/panel. So the battery eliminator would negate this. Does anyone else just power their Icom direct from the power bus, without a battery fitted? Any (long term) problems? TIA Bruce as an avionics tech in my former life, doesen't really matter but ensure you have some sort of protection fuse inline from the bus to the radio as secondary protection from the c/b. Some people have different opinions to this but it doesen't really matter in tech terms. Who told you the above? Someone trying to empty your wallet? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Thanks Robbo - good to know. Yes, probably propaganda put out by unscrupulous battery eliminator manufacturers. Bloody internet. . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Ye Bloody internet. . . Yep, I gotta stop using Doctor Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merc Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I currently use an Icom A22 as my only radio, without a battery pack, powered via the 12v socket in the side plugged into the aircraft 12v power bus. It seems to work fine.But I have recently read that this is not a good idea, & that a 'battery eliminator' should be used. This is a black box full of electronic trickery, roughly the same size as a battery. The reason I don't have a battery fitted is to save the space it occupies in my very cosy cockpit/panel. So the battery eliminator would negate this. Does anyone else just power their Icom direct from the power bus, without a battery fitted? Any (long term) problems? TIA Bruce[/quote My Icom A22 has no battery attached and is wired into the aircraft 12v. No problems after 18years and 800+ hrs. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Been doing it for years. Actually 14 years and a Jab motor, Both Icom A22 and Vertex, also a Garmin 196. No problems yet. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Thanks all. One less thing to worry about! (in light of another 'grammar police' thread going on elsewhere, I suppose that should read 'one thing fewer. . .'). Cheers Bruce 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 If you ran a trail bike with a dead or no battery the stop light bulb used to burn out quick time due overvoltage. Some voltage regulators are good at limiting spikes and some are not. I would rather not take power straight from an alternator or generator direct myself. I may be in the minority here, but a good battery is part of the equation for me. You might like to use it after the engine quits too. Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Yes, I understand the benefit of a battery to absorb voltage spikes (and for when the noise stops). My radio feed comes off my 12v bus, which also feeds two separate 12v batteries. So these batteries are in the radio circuit, just not the dedicated Icom battery pack. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 The way I read this post. Soeair runs an Icom without its battery pack, not a battery in the plane. I run my radios and GPS from the 12V bus. This is fed from an Odyssey battery and the alternator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rod- Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 I currently use an Icom A22 as my only radio, without a battery pack, powered via the 12v socket in the side plugged into the aircraft 12v power bus. It seems to work fine.But I have recently read that this is not a good idea, & that a 'battery eliminator' should be used. This is a black box full of electronic trickery, roughly the same size as a battery. The reason I don't have a battery fitted is to save the space it occupies in my very cosy cockpit/panel. So the battery eliminator would negate this. Does anyone else just power their Icom direct from the power bus, without a battery fitted? Any (long term) problems? TIA Bruce ICOM Australia aviation radio dealers sell an ICOM factory cig lighter lead with noise filter (and fuse) designed for the ICOM A20. Some may have units 'on the shelf'. If you want one I have a couple available (we used them on our Drifters at the flying school), on the members market, new but old stock (no Drifters anymore). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Thanks Rod, that sounds like the optimum solution. I'll PM you tomorrow. Cheers Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merc Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Bruce , note that it is a charger for Icom A20 not a 12v power supply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soleair Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 OK, so perhaps not needed if others have had no problems powering the radio via bus/aircraft battery. I'll leave it as is for now Rod, but thanks for your offer. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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