Narrative:

Aircraft arrived with a maintenance report item: APU inoperative. I performed troubleshooting per fim. All bite faults showed 'aborted start.' per fim; I checked battery voltage at start. Start voltage showed only 14 volts and then high current charge after start attempt. I retrieved the manufacturer's part number from the APU battery and had stores run the number through the computer. It was not a good number. I then checked the ipc and gave that number to stores. Manufacturer's part number BA06-01. Stores ran this number through the computer and verified effectivity and said that we had 1 in stock. Stores personnel brought the battery out on a hand cart and I installed the battery and performed the operations chkout per amm. All tests passed. I then checked the carrier part number listed on the open maintenance report item and matched it to my numbers. The log sheet was entered into the computer. I filled out the carrier parts tag and stores was aware of the different manufacturer's part numbers on the tag. The next morning; I received a call that the maintenance stores computer system tagged the part as incorrect effectivity. The battery was replaced on the next flight without incident. Stores personnel had the right manufacturer's part number but delivered the wrong part. The batteries are compatible if you use an engineering authority/authorized. The batteries are now being separated in the stores location. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that during the process of being informed he had installed an APU battery not effective for that B757; his carrier had earlier initiated paperwork to allow interchangeability of the battery he actually installed. His carrier uses two different battery manufacturers; with different part numbers. Both manufacturers produce the same type ni-cad battery; with the same voltage and aircraft ratings. Either manufacturer battery can now be interchanged.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANIC IS INFORMED THE APU BATTERY HE INSTALLED ON A B757-200 ACFT WAS NOTED BY THE CARRIER STORES COMPUTER SYSTEM TO HAVE THE WRONG EFFECTIVITY NUMBER FOR THAT ACFT.

Narrative: ACFT ARRIVED WITH A MAINT RPT ITEM: APU INOP. I PERFORMED TROUBLESHOOTING PER FIM. ALL BITE FAULTS SHOWED 'ABORTED START.' PER FIM; I CHKED BATTERY VOLTAGE AT START. START VOLTAGE SHOWED ONLY 14 VOLTS AND THEN HIGH CURRENT CHARGE AFTER START ATTEMPT. I RETRIEVED THE MANUFACTURER'S PART NUMBER FROM THE APU BATTERY AND HAD STORES RUN THE NUMBER THROUGH THE COMPUTER. IT WAS NOT A GOOD NUMBER. I THEN CHKED THE IPC AND GAVE THAT NUMBER TO STORES. MANUFACTURER'S PART NUMBER BA06-01. STORES RAN THIS NUMBER THROUGH THE COMPUTER AND VERIFIED EFFECTIVITY AND SAID THAT WE HAD 1 IN STOCK. STORES PERSONNEL BROUGHT THE BATTERY OUT ON A HAND CART AND I INSTALLED THE BATTERY AND PERFORMED THE OPS CHKOUT PER AMM. ALL TESTS PASSED. I THEN CHKED THE CARRIER PART NUMBER LISTED ON THE OPEN MAINT RPT ITEM AND MATCHED IT TO MY NUMBERS. THE LOG SHEET WAS ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER. I FILLED OUT THE CARRIER PARTS TAG AND STORES WAS AWARE OF THE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER'S PART NUMBERS ON THE TAG. THE NEXT MORNING; I RECEIVED A CALL THAT THE MAINT STORES COMPUTER SYS TAGGED THE PART AS INCORRECT EFFECTIVITY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED ON THE NEXT FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. STORES PERSONNEL HAD THE RIGHT MANUFACTURER'S PART NUMBER BUT DELIVERED THE WRONG PART. THE BATTERIES ARE COMPATIBLE IF YOU USE AN ENGINEERING AUTH. THE BATTERIES ARE NOW BEING SEPARATED IN THE STORES LOCATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT DURING THE PROCESS OF BEING INFORMED HE HAD INSTALLED AN APU BATTERY NOT EFFECTIVE FOR THAT B757; HIS CARRIER HAD EARLIER INITIATED PAPERWORK TO ALLOW INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE BATTERY HE ACTUALLY INSTALLED. HIS CARRIER USES TWO DIFFERENT BATTERY MANUFACTURERS; WITH DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS. BOTH MANUFACTURERS PRODUCE THE SAME TYPE NI-CAD BATTERY; WITH THE SAME VOLTAGE AND ACFT RATINGS. EITHER MANUFACTURER BATTERY CAN NOW BE INTERCHANGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.