car is autox only. sits alot. have not done **** with it last 2 seasons.
only a few events.
95 del sol vtec.(the b16 model)
sts2
stock location.
no stereo crap(stock)
cannot think of anything else relevant.
battery is disconnected when car is stored.
charlotte, nc (climate)

do these lightweight batteries die sitting for a month?
could use advice please. cannot see spending 80.00 for a autozone battery. would rather spend a little more for weight savings

 

Go to Sears Auto (or wherever) and get a basic lawn mower battery. I forget the cold cranking amp requirements (search) but they're like $40-50. May need to add the right kind of connectors up top ($5).

Mine has lasted several years so far

 

i got an Odyssey PC680 off ebay brand new for just over $100 shipped. i daily drive my car, used it all winter and still have it. i've let my car sit for a few days and it started up no problem. i think it weights around 12lbs.

 

If you want one of the Odyssey batteries, I've found the best prices on them at Portable Power Systems, with full warranty and everything. I also found that they were very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable in helping me choose the right one for my needs. (The Odyssey manufacturer's website is here.)

The Odyssey batteries last a long time. I think my PC925T lasted me nine years, and it was still working fine; I only replaced it as a preventive, for all I know it would have lasted many more years.

They come in different sizes, with bigger ones (like the PC925T) for those whose cars need to start on cold winter days, and smaller ones if you don't have a lot of drain, etc.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nello a. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do these lightweight batteries die sitting for a month?</TD></TR></TABLE>

That depends on your car, and how much drain its electronics have. I can't tell you my experience because my car, with the alarm on, can drain a battery (any battery) in a month, so I keep a charger on it whenever it sits longer than a couple of weeks.

 

Oddessey.. cant go wrong there! light weight, lots of cranking amps never had one go dead on me

 

im using one of these

http://www.batterymart.com/p-B....html

in my h2 car. I reasearched the battery and it is made by DEKA, a supplier of batteries for large and small equipment. I have used it for 4 months , it holds a charge well , no problems starting, and i have it mounted in the passenger area via long cables. weight is 11 lbs. and 60 bucks aint bad

 

NAPA has some dry cell ones

 

Braille makes very lightweight batteries. I have the 12 lb carbon fiber model on my blown Mustang without a problem. It'll get low if I let it sit for a week or so, but the thing is damn small and pretty powerful. Dry cell too. Just buy a $50 battery tender to keep the battery at full charge when it's off the car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammedexv &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Braille makes very lightweight batteries. I have the 12 lb carbon fiber model on my blown Mustang without a problem. It'll get low if I let it sit for a week or so, but the thing is damn small and pretty powerful. Dry cell too. Just buy a $50 battery tender to keep the battery at full charge when it's off the car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So you have overpriced bling?

You do know the Braille is just a rebadged Deka/Magnapower ETX 14 that can be purchased at your local parts store for $70. It weighs the same, looks the same, blah blah blah.

 

Whats the point of the smaller battery besides loosing a few lb's? Do certian ones provide more efficient/ power?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by unrealwrc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats the point of the smaller battery besides loosing a few lb's? </TD></TR></TABLE> Seriously? Small and light are good things in a sports car.

 

Braille batteries suck, I went through 2 in one season. Lawn tractor batteries are the way to go. I picked mine up from Walmart for 30 bucks, the braille batteries retail for around 200. Do the math.

 

As for sitting for a long time;

1. If it sits indoors get a trickle charger at your local autoparts store - $50-$100
2. If it sits outside, add a disconnect switch to the battery connection. You can get these at your local autoparts store too. Then when you park it for a while, switch the battery off.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kb58 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Seriously? Small and light are good things in a sports car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

meaning additional benefits? If there are none then its not worth changing unless you have a "race only" application.

thats the point I was trying 2 get at.

 

I stuck with my stock battery...moved to the trunk that is. Going to a smaller/lighter one would have necessitated far more work during corner-weighting. It worked out well for me. My question to the OP would be is this the only place you have left to pull weight?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by unrealwrc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats the point of the smaller battery besides loosing a few lb's? Do certian ones provide more efficient/ power? </TD></TR></TABLE>

The Odyssey lasts longer. And supposedly it survives a full discharge better (although I haven't done that).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The Odyssey lasts longer. And supposedly it survives a full discharge better (although I haven't done that).
</TD></TR></TABLE>

gotcha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you want one of the Odyssey batteries, I've found the best prices on them at Portable Power Systems, with full warranty and everything. I also found that they were very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable in helping me choose the right one for my needs. (The Odyssey manufacturer's website is here.)

The Odyssey batteries last a long time. I think my PC925T lasted me nine years, and it was still working fine; I only replaced it as a preventive, for all I know it would have lasted many more years.

They come in different sizes, with bigger ones (like the PC925T) for those whose cars need to start on cold winter days, and smaller ones if you don't have a lot of drain, etc.</TD></TR></TABLE>

24 pounds... isn't that about the same as most stock Honda batteries?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

The Odyssey lasts longer. And supposedly it survives a full discharge better (although I haven't done that).
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I really really haven't had that much luck with dead Odyssey's. My ITR ate one and my Prelude ate one, to never be recovered no matter how much current I put in it (or let the motor run.) One was a PC680, the other was the smaller Hawker version.

My dad has been able to reliably start his race BMW 328 (stock compression) with a PC680 (pretty sure it's a PC680).

My 9:1 compression ITR would start with a motorcycle or lawnmotor battery all day. My 11:1 compression H22A won't start when the engine is warm with these same batteries (REALLY embarrassing going through tech after a race and my car won't start coming off the scales.)

If you have lots of coin, I dare you to beat these CCA's for the same size. I had an alternator die and still finished the weekend with this puppy, got it on the trailer and it started fine to get it in the garage.
http://www.pegasusautoracing.c...=5640
DMS/Varley Red Top, 13.5 lbs, 16 Amp-Hours, 680 CCA's. $289.

Versus this similar Odyssey, which mostly worked for me (one for 2 years, one for 6 months until it got killed sitting at a shop). I trust the Varley battery more though on the H22.
http://store.summitracing.com/...pc680
Odyssey PC680, 15 lbs, 17 AmpHours, 265 CCA's. $119.

(Odyssey/Hawker will try to tell you that CCA's don't mean anything, believe what you want.)

[ninja edit for spelling and coherency.. well a little coherency]

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If you have lots of coin, I dare you to beat these CCA's for the same size. I had an alternator die and still finished the weekend with this puppy, got it on the trailer and it started fine to get it in the garage.
http://www.pegasusautoracing.c...=5640
DMS/Varley Red Top, 13.5 lbs, 16 Amp-Hours, 680 CCA's. $289.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a hard time believing that a 16 Ah battery can do 680 CCA. I could not find any info that verifies this.

In any case, the type of battery you want is an AGM type sealed lead acid.

In my case, I have a 35 Ah AGM battery originally designed for UPS's sitting in the trunk.


Modified by beanbag at 8:54 PM 8/4/2008

 

question

if you have one of these batteries, and you need some more juice while starting the car. say, in the middle of winter, can you just used a battery jumper?

 

Here's an interesting read about small batteries

http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Slow*Jim &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">24 pounds... isn't that about the same as most stock Honda batteries?</TD></TR></TABLE>

My NSX (in which I have the PC925T) takes a Group 35 battery, which normally weighs 35-42 pounds. My Integra takes a Group 51R battery, which weighs 28 pounds according to the Sears website.

With the Odyssey batteries, you'll get more CCA for the same weight, or similar CCA for less weight. If you want a smaller battery than the PC925T, consider the PC680T or even one smaller than that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by beanbag &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have a hard time believing that a 16 Ah battery can do 680 CCA. I could not find any info that verifies this.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You mean, other than the link I provided (to Pegasus's website)?

-Chris

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You mean, other than the link I provided (to Pegasus's website)?

-Chris

</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, a link from a manufacturer would be nice