What is everybody using for lightweight starter batteries these days? With all the fancy battery tech out there nowadays, looking for something other than a standard flooded lead acid as I'd like to save some weight. It's easier to buy a lighter battery than have to lose weight myself.
My 2/2010(!) flooded battery needed some assistance after my car sat for nearly 10 months. Otherwise started surprisingly easy, thankfully.
Anyway, not sure if I want to go crazy & try out a Lithium powersport battery, or someplace in between with smaller (than flooded) AGM like a PC680 type. I am inherently cheap so I'd like to keep the cost at/under $150.
I used one for awhile. It's sitting dead on my shop floor. Will try and get the info off it tomorrow.
Here's what I had used. I don't remember the weight and don't have a scale out here, but probably half a standard battery. Since my standard battery is now dead, might go back to the light one.
Why did you stop using it?
I'm curious about some of these new lithium batteries too, but all the ones I've seen are really expensive. I know you need a different kind of battery charger, I wonder if the standard alternator setup is OK for them? I wonder if a motorcycle battery would start these tiny little motors too?
I've been hearing not good things about Optimas lately....
It got a bad cell or something about 2 years in and would randomly die.
I used a Braille 15 pound AGM for a couple of years, then went to an 18 pound one when I started having issues with the first one. (my fault)
They seem to last about 3-4 years before they start needing more regular trickle charging. I recently changed to an Odyssey Extreme PC680. I'm very happy with it. Starts right up every time. I also added a battery cutoff, which gives me peace of mind that there isn't anything draining the battery when it's parked.
Quote from: Red Riley on April 07, 2024, 05:35:51 AMI recently changed to an Odyssey Extreme PC680. I'm very happy with it. Starts right up every time. I also added a battery cutoff, which gives me peace of mind that there isn't anything draining the battery when it's parked.
Glad to hear you're happy with the Odyssey PC680 as I ended up ordering one last week. Supposed to be here Thursday. I have a battery cutoff that I always use when the car is at home which I imagine is how my flooded group 24 battery lasted nearly 14 years.
I bought my Odyssey battery at the Batteries+ store. Pro tip: when it gets within a month or two of the guaranteed free replacement date, take it back and get a new one for free. They don't ask whether it's good or bad, they just hand you a new one.
Quote from: Red Riley on April 16, 2024, 05:36:59 AMI bought my Odyssey battery at the Batteries+ store. Pro tip: when it gets within a month or two of the guaranteed free replacement date, take it back and get a new one for free. They don't ask whether it's good or bad, they just hand you a new one.
Is the guaranteed free replacement a Batteries+ thing or Odyssey battery thing?
I bought mine from FCP Euro and they claim a lifetime warranty on their parts. Supposedly valid for oil too. :idunno:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee
Quote from: Shrimps on May 09, 2024, 08:30:25 PMQuote from: Red Riley on April 16, 2024, 05:36:59 AMI bought my Odyssey battery at the Batteries+ store. Pro tip: when it gets within a month or two of the guaranteed free replacement date, take it back and get a new one for free. They don't ask whether it's good or bad, they just hand you a new one.
Is the guaranteed free replacement a Batteries+ thing or Odyssey battery thing?
I bought mine from FCP Euro and they claim a lifetime warranty on their parts. Supposedly valid for oil too. :idunno:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime-guarantee
That's an incredible policy! It even includes wear items like brake pads. Wow.
When I went to FCP Euro to look at that PC680 battery, it gave me a different part number....
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/powersport-battery-odyssey-pc680 (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/powersport-battery-odyssey-pc680)
Reading the specs it says it only has 170 cold cranking amps - I wonder if that's near enough? It also says it doesn't come with terminals?
Yep, 170 isn't much based on merica' standards. But the battery seems pretty popular on the UK Mini forum.
They also have regular terminals for the battery.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/powersport-battery-terminals-odyssey-32170006sell
I have yet to install mine. I bought one of these off eBay to secure it in the battery well though.
https://www.streetrays.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SRX_PC680_BattHoldDown-A
A follow up on this...
I've had the PC680 battery installed for a few months now. Have only driven the car maybe a dozen times since but it's started without issue. Much quicker cranking than my 14 year old flooded battery. Overall happy with it especially for being much smaller and lighter than the group 24 flooded battery I was running. The Streetrays aluminum bracket I purchased worked great.
Leaves enough room in the battery well for an amp and crossovers.