Lightweight batteries

[a_ahmed]

I can't remember if we got a thread going for lightweight batteries but here goes.

I was revisiting brailleauto batteries as their prices dropped and i was asking on ls1tech what people think about them and cranking V8s...

I asked them wondering how much CCA does an LS1/2/6 need to be cranked?

The B14115 is 130-140$ battery that weighs 11.5lbs, it has 360CCA... I've been told it's more than enough by brailleauto themselves. I'll obviously have no radio/etc.. other than lights/turn signals/stop lights/wiper that sort of thing.

They also offer a B129 which costs about 130$ which is 9lbs and about 300CCA if im not mistaken... and B106 costing 120-130$ which is 6.6lbs and gives 210CCA

Obviously as most here I am building a road racing car and the more weight that can be shed anywhere in the long term the better. Plus the car will be spring/summer/autumn only -- no winters.

The guy redirected me to a thread where people ran this puppy:

http://www.bigcrank.com/motorcyclebatteries.mv?p=BIG-ETX16L

70$ 275CCA... it turns over his higher compression LS v8... and in somewhat cold weather, that's a pretty good deal then.

The odyssey is 100+ still, so the brailleauto batteries make sense now.. they have more cca and are lighter still.. but if one can find better deals why not...

Discuss

[McCoy]

Dang, the prices have increased on the PC680 battery!

[a_ahmed]

^Exactly.. hence my search I still have a heavy ol' 50lbs sucker up front (as if i have an audio system lmao)

[WilloW]

I've got the B14115 in my car right now and I'm totally happy with it. There's a Miata battery (Duralast Gold 51R-DLG)at autozone that's pretty nice as well, the only reason I didn't use it is because my coldpipe didn't clear.

[e1_griego]

I've got a miata battery from autozone -- been working fine for 1+ year now, even with some moderate stereo, not getting started for a few days at a time, and it being winter time.

It barely clears the cold pipe (a bit of rubbing) but good enough. I didn't want to move the battery to the back. My batter tie-down is also not pretty ($4 autozone rubber one that sits a bit cockeyed) but I have yet to be hassled for it at tech.

[pedroramosjr]

Dang, the prices have increased on the PC680 battery!

Definitely a substantial increase. I paid around $70 a few years ago for mine. Now it's in $110-140 range

[McCoy]

Definitely a substantial increase. I paid around $70 a few years ago for mine. Now it's in $110-140 range

Exactly... I've purchased two now over the past 8 years (hawker originally) and both times they were in the 70-75 shipped range.

Luckily I have an extra pair of these batteries in the garage, so no worries here .

[gawdzilla]

i have a pc680. on my 2nd one. you need to be meticulous about maintaining it, i.e. never let it drain to a point where it won't crank anymore. it really hurts the battery (in my experience) if you let it die, which is very easy to do if you leave the ign on or lights on for a bit. i let my old one die a few times and it stopped holding a charge. suggestion is to keep it on a charger or batt tender if you arent going to use it for a few weeks.

[Matt93SE]

I'm running a cheapo parts store Miata battery in mine right now.. been going fine for about two years and it does okay. it cranks a bit slow on my KA at first, but never had a problem actually starting the car.

I'll let the car sit for 1-2 weeks at a time- sometimes longer since all I do is take it to the track and home.. Only once has it gone dead on me and that was when my cage builder left the lights on for some reason. he jump started it and it's been fine since then.