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Doesn't that need to be FAA certified to be relied upon in an aircraft? That's generally what adds all the expense between "homebrew" and "commercial", isn't it?

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It's classed as "pilot carry-on" equipment and doesn't need to be certified. Only stuff permanently installed gets that treatment.

Just as I don't have to have my pen and pad (or indeed my iPad) certified either :)

I wonder how many aviate with a big-ass “portable” lithium ion battery to power it all instead of paying $100 for a flight-certified cigarette lighter receptacle:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/cigrecept.php

I have a pair of 13aH Anker batteries I use, rather than dealing with the lighter plug. The electrical isolation is a feature.

It needs to be certified to be permanently installed in a non-experimental aircraft, or to be relied upon for IFR use, but for VFR use powered from a cigarette lighter and suction cuped to the window, you can do whatever you want.

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