Got a Question on Batteries? Get an Answer!

We’re working on an interview with some battery experts, and this is your chance to ask the tough questions. Have you wondered if dropping an aspirin in will help recover a dead battery (or was that chicken soup)? Then there’s the story that charging a battery with it on a concrete floor is a bad idea. Really?

Some of the questions we’ve thought of are below. Send us yours and if we use it, you’ll get the credit for asking.

Why are aircraft batteries so expensive?
Besides Gill and Concorde, who makes aircraft batteries?
Whats the story of these batteries that have multi-cylinders for sides?
Why does a car battery last so much longer than an aircraft battery?
Are Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries suitable for aircraft?
Is there an easy way to know which batteries should never be run to flat?
Whats the old technology vs. the new? If we’ve updated the panel, how
    about the battery?
Is there a way to recover a dead battery?
What are the failure modes and how do I avoid them?
Is a solar-powered trickle charger a good idea?
How do de-sulfators work (and what’s sulfation)?
What should I do with the battery if I don’t fly but once a month? 
Im not going to pull it out and store it every month, so is there some easy
   way to care for it that will only cost me 10% of its life?
Is there really any difference between an auto-parts store battery and an
   “official” aircraft battery? Can I use the cheaper version in my Experimental
    airplane?
Vents, screw-on caps, totally sealed. Why the difference?
How can I check the condition of the battery if I cant get a hydrometer
    sample? See question 14.
Overcharging is bad, but is undercharging any better?
I left the charger on too long and boiled out the liquid; is it a goner?
   
    Send your question to:   mailto:editorial@kitplanes.com