Cheap lightweight battery suggestions

Ok, so the Maxima is going to need a new battery soon, so I figure while I'm at it I may as well go with something lighter. This is a daily driver, full interior, pretty much all stock, so I'm not looking for some big $$$ race car battery. I know it's not going to make much difference the few times I autocross it next year, but a few pounds less sure can't hurt, right? I'm not gonna spend the dough on an Odyssey or Braille, so let me know what cheap grassroots solutions you've come up with! Oh, and it's gotta be able to start a 3 liter V6 every single day. OE batteries are somewhere in the 500-550 CCA range. Opinions?

The answer is always Miata, you already know that hanging around here.

Bryce

We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

I've been experimenting with the Deka AGM powersport battery in the Barracuda. I think it's rated at 300 some CCA's. Pulled the 38 LB Optima and put in the 17 LB Deka. Could feel the weight difference (battery is way up front in the stock location). Starts the 360 V8 (5.9L for you metric folk) just fine.

The Cuda is a nice weather toy. For a daily driver I'd stick with something with more reserve capacity and higher CCA's. The Optima got re-purposed for my wife's Jeep, her daily driver.

http://www.batterymart.com/p-12v-mazda-miata-battery.html

or a 51/51R for a civic

ST_ZX2 wrote: We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

Same here. I've been using the $30 variant from Advance Auto and have had the same one in my autocross Miata for 4 years.

Brailles are rebranded and priced-up Dekas.

For a daily driver I'd run an Optima Redtop, but that's me. A mostly stock car isn't really going to benefit from shedding just a few pounds. There is lower hanging fruit that will net a greater improvement in performance.

I've got a $105 Braille 11lb dry cell in my race car. It is on it's second season and still working fine - no issues. I do not have a full car with any additional load aside from injectors, ECU, elec. PS pump, gauges, transponder, and so on BUT that elec PS pump is a huge draw and it handles it fine. YMMV.

we have used wheel chair batteries in our past challenge cars

i love my THREE POUND ballistic battery so much, even at almost $300, i'm considering getting another for my wife's car.

that's right, i said 3 lbs.

I run the Odyessys on all my cars.. while you may not want to put the money out, I like them

westsidetalon wrote: we have used wheel chair batteries in our past challenge cars

Please tell me the barstool from hell did not give up its power source!

belteshazzar wrote: i love my THREE POUND ballistic battery so much, even at almost $300, i'm considering getting another for my wife's car. that's right, i said 3 lbs.

Pff. 3 lbs?

I've been using this in my Swift GT all summer

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Airsoft-Gun-M16-4S1P-13-2V-2300mAh-A123-Battery-Pack-/190489045816?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2c5a082b38

A little more than half a pound and less than $50. Doesn't care much for sub freezing temps, though. It sometimes takes a dozen tries to warm it up enough to start the (12-1 compression) car.

This one is better for colder weather. I had one until I accidentally discharged it then used the wrong charger on it.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200543786531?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

They both worked fine for daily use, but are best for somebody who knows what they are and doesn't have a habit of leaving their lights on.

kcbhiw wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote: We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

Same here. I've been using the $30 variant from Advance Auto and have had the same one in my autocross Miata for 4 years.

The price-to-pound ratio is really good. I cant justify spending a lot more to save another 2-3 pounds. Plus it works well.

In reply to Zomby Woof:

Sweet, I may have to check into those for the challenge car.

ST_ZX2 wrote:

kcbhiw wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote: We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

Same here. I've been using the $30 variant from Advance Auto and have had the same one in my autocross Miata for 4 years.

The price-to-pound ratio is really good. I cant justify spending a lot more to save another 2-3 pounds. Plus it works well.

Hey Erik mind linking which one that is? Is there a top post that small? I'm running some huge 58R battery in the Escort right now as a placeholder while i sort everything out, but that'll eventually go in the MX6 (since that car couldn't care less about weight), and i'm trying to get the Escort down to the 2062lb minimum weight.

Zomby Woof wrote:

belteshazzar wrote: i love my THREE POUND ballistic battery so much, even at almost $300, i'm considering getting another for my wife's car. that's right, i said 3 lbs.

Pff. 3 lbs? I've been using this in my Swift GT all summer http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Airsoft-Gun-M16-4S1P-13-2V-2300mAh-A123-Battery-Pack-/190489045816?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2c5a082b38 A little more than half a pound and less than $50. Doesn't care much for sub freezing temps, though. It sometimes takes a dozen tries to warm it up enough to start the (12-1 compression) car. This one is better for colder weather. I had one until I accidentally discharged it then used the wrong charger on it. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200543786531?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 They both worked fine for daily use, but are best for somebody who knows what they are and doesn't have a habit of leaving their lights on.

I'm pretty interested in the second one... is there a special charger to use on it? (I have a Battery Tender Junior, that ok?) Is it a wise idea to disconnect it when not in use if it's on a car that won't be used every day?

And.... would it start a 12:1 2.5 V6?

Zomby Woof wrote: I've been using this in my Swift GT all summer http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Airsoft-Gun-M16-4S1P-13-2V-2300mAh-A123-Battery-Pack-/190489045816?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item2c5a082b38 A little more than half a pound and less than $50. Doesn't care much for sub freezing temps, though. It sometimes takes a dozen tries to warm it up enough to start the (12-1 compression) car.

I thought you were kidding until I saw the amperage draw capacity. Wow.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote:

kcbhiw wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote: We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

Same here. I've been using the $30 variant from Advance Auto and have had the same one in my autocross Miata for 4 years.

The price-to-pound ratio is really good. I cant justify spending a lot more to save another 2-3 pounds. Plus it works well.

Hey Erik mind linking which one that is? Is there a top post that small? I'm running some huge 58R battery in the Escort right now as a placeholder while i sort everything out, but that'll eventually go in the MX6 (since that car couldn't care less about weight), and i'm trying to get the Escort down to the 2062lb minimum weight.

The car is over at Craig's...I can check on Sunday and get back to you, Ben.

ST_ZX2 wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote:

kcbhiw wrote:

ST_ZX2 wrote: We run a 10#, $25 WalMart Lawn tractor battery in our Escort ZX2. Two batteries in 4 years...car driven several times a week from April-November.

Same here. I've been using the $30 variant from Advance Auto and have had the same one in my autocross Miata for 4 years.

The price-to-pound ratio is really good. I cant justify spending a lot more to save another 2-3 pounds. Plus it works well.

Hey Erik mind linking which one that is? Is there a top post that small? I'm running some huge 58R battery in the Escort right now as a placeholder while i sort everything out, but that'll eventually go in the MX6 (since that car couldn't care less about weight), and i'm trying to get the Escort down to the 2062lb minimum weight.

The car is over at Craig's...I can check on Sunday and get back to you, Ben.

Cool no rush. We're putting the motor back in for the final time this weekend!!!

Not kidding

The big one should have no problem with a 2.5. You don't use tenders with these batteries. They don't lose charge from sitting like a lead/acid battery does. A normal charger will charge it, but you have to be very careful how long you charge it for. As long as you don't do something stupid like I did, you should never have to charge it.

Zomby Woof wrote: Not kidding The big one should have no problem with a 2.5. You don't use tenders with these batteries. They don't lose charge from sitting like a lead/acid battery does. A normal charger will charge it, but you have to be very careful how long you charge it for. As long as you don't do something stupid like I did, you should never have to charge it.

Any other special "handling and/or instructions?" Or is it seriously just as simple as "plug it in, terminate the wires, and go?"

Do you just solder the wire ends into the larger gauge stuff on the car already?

Lithiums are pretty neat, they've impressed a lot of folks where I work, the A123 batteries were first used although my employer has moved to a different OEM because of A123's financial problems. They have heaters internal to the battery box that are used to get the cells up to better temps where they're happier to operate (figure around freezing) if the battery is needed for sub-zero purposes.

I'm actually going to witness testing of these things in a week and some change; high current draws at negative 40 degrees (C and F is the same here so no conversion needed, it's cold!) which are fun to watch.

The thing about charging these from a highly depleted state that I've seen, at least in lab settings, is to use a bench supply with current limiting so the inrush of current doesn't cook the battery or your supply. There's probably real guidance on this from the manufacturer of the cells in question that should be heeded.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__16225__ZIPPY_Flightmax_8000mAh_3S1P_30C.html

All you'll ever need. 240 cranking amps, 2 lbs, $44. Two in parallel would start a hi-comp V8.