The International Cessna 170 Association

I think I am due for a new battery. I currently have a Gill G-25 in my 170A which is located on the firewall. It seems to have lasted while (I’ve owned the plane for 2.5 years and I have not installed one, but there is no logbook entry stating when it was installed).

I could go the easy route and just replace with identical, but why pass up a chance to learn from the members here. I’m interested in maintenance free or standard batteries. Not worried about weight reduction or new battery box options.

What battery have you used and how has the experience been?

Please include Brand and Model Number with your comments.

A quick look shows my options to be:
Gill G-25
Gill 7025-20 (sealed)
Concorde RG-25 (sealed)

Gill 70-25-24 (sealed, higher capacity)
Concorde RG-25XC (sealed, higher capacity)

Thanks,
Doug

I just replaced my Concorde RG-25 after 8 years. At annual for the last 4 years I have been asking my mechanic if it was time to replace it. He kept testing and said no. It finally started to fail this winter. I have been astounded at how long it has lasted.

In fairness, I have treated it pretty well. I fly frequently and in winter, I always preheat the engine, the battery, and the instrument panel. In addition, I have put it on a battery tender when ever it was going to be more than three weeks before I would be flying.

In any case, I think I got a great deal of good service from by RG-25.

I get about 5 years on Concorde RG-25 batteries. I replace them when they fail the capacity test, not when they fail to start the engine. Until now I haven’t had a battery minder, but now I do and hope it extends the battery life by a year or two.

Firstly I have a pet hatred of gill batteries. Any time I have been out in the outback of wop wop and have a plan of taking off as the sun peeps over the horizon , guess what . Battery failure and dead as a door mat it’s a gill battery. . I have been with a group of aircraft flying in a group and any aircraft that has a problem with a battery it’s been with a gill. [please note.. there have been exceptions]. The owner then states,”its just come out of a 100hrly” . I just do not know how the FAA allows them to have a approval to manufacture batteries.
I run a Concord RG25-XC . It’s pushing 7 years old . Never any issues . I am in the middle of a 100hrly at the moment and thinking of changing the battery over. It passes al the tests but I am a little nervous about keeping it as I am planning a trip to outback Australia [wop,wop]. It might go into my wife’s little Honda .

Concorde RG-25. The only question is do you need the XC and will it fit.

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:Concorde RG-25. The only question is do you need the XC and will it fit.

From the Concorde website the RG-25 and RG-25XC are the same size. Only difference is the -25 is 22Ah with 225 CCA and the XC is 24Ah with 350 CCA. I’m pretty confident I don’t need the extra capacity or cold cranking amps, but based on availability at my normal two shops I can only get the XC version of the Concorde.

Doug

And I could use the xc but its not available AC Spruce Canada but the plain Jane is….Ahhhh

My 170B had a Concorde RG-25XC in it when I bought it. It lasted 8 years. I replaced it with another RG-25XC a few years ago and it's going strong. I plan on sticking with the RG-25XC.

I also run the RG-25XC. It's the same size as the RG-25. Both are great batteries - love the XC though, have had no issues.

Wag Aero had a Concorde RG-25XC actually in stock and a lower price than other sites so I ordered one. If we hadn’t just gotten snow this week, IFR ceilings today, and more snow forecast this weekend I could have flown to their store it pick it up, but I guess I’ll probably save some money by just having them ship it.

I’ll report back once it have it for a while.

Doug

dstates wrote:Wag Aero had a Concorde RG-25XC actually in stock and a lower price than other sites so I ordered one. If we hadn’t just gotten snow this week, IFR ceilings today, and more snow forecast this weekend I could have flown to their store it pick it up, but I guess I’ll probably save some money by just having them ship it.

I’ll report back once it have it for a while.

Doug

Not sure what Wag Aero charged but I just received my RG-25XC from Spruce for $320.00, in stock. Shipping is free for purchases over $350.00 so I didn't have to add much to my order to get free shipping.

Joe
4518C

Joe Moilanen wrote:

dstates wrote:Wag Aero had a Concorde RG-25XC actually in stock and a lower price than other sites so I ordered one. If we hadn’t just gotten snow this week, IFR ceilings today, and more snow forecast this weekend I could have flown to their store it pick it up, but I guess I’ll probably save some money by just having them ship it.

I’ll report back once it have it for a while.

Doug

Not sure what Wag Aero charged but I just received my RG-25XC from Spruce for $320.00, in stock. Shipping is free for purchases over $350.00 so I didn't have to add much to my order to get free shipping.

Joe
4518C

Wag Aero was asking $299 plus shipping. Spruce didn’t have any in stock. If they did I would have had them price match Wag Aero, but then I would have spent $50 more on something else to get free shipping. I probably saved some money in the long run.

dstates wrote:

Joe Moilanen wrote:

dstates wrote:Wag Aero had a Concorde RG-25XC actually in stock and a lower price than other sites so I ordered one. If we hadn’t just gotten snow this week, IFR ceilings today, and more snow forecast this weekend I could have flown to their store it pick it up, but I guess I’ll probably save some money by just having them ship it.

I’ll report back once it have it for a while.

Doug

Not sure what Wag Aero charged but I just received my RG-25XC from Spruce for $320.00, in stock. Shipping is free for purchases over $350.00 so I didn't have to add much to my order to get free shipping.

Joe
4518C

Wag Aero was asking $299 plus shipping. Spruce didn’t have any in stock. If they did I would have had them price match Wag Aero, but then I would have spent $50 more on something else to get free shipping. I probably saved some money in the long run.

I must have got their last one!!

Joe
4518C

I have run the Concorde RG-25XC for years and typically get 7-8 years out of them. I have found when they start to quit, they start losing cranking power and don't just go dead like a standard Gill does. That's when I replace them and put the old one in my lawn tractor and run it another few years. Same thing with Odyssey batteries.