bebersol
Ready to race!
My old Vartha is getting a little weak in the knees and I'm researching replacement batteries,
Here's what I've learned.
2 types of batteries Lead Acid and Lithium
- Lithium are very expensive (like $1,500).
2 types of lead acid, Lead acid bath and AGM(absorbed glass mat)
- Both are basically the same technology
- LAB are cheaper, downside they leak.
- AGM more expensive and the don't leak because there's a lot less liquid in them.
There are lightweight batteries (Braille and DAKA) some people think Braille is made by DAKA but I haven't found any proof of this, and Braille has a number of battery options that DAKA doesn't offer and vice-a-versa.
Optima batteries aren't what they used to be. I had a 7 year old red top that was still strong when I sold the car it was in. Optima got sold a few years ago to Intestate and the quality has suffered with a host of complaints reported with the newer models.
Odyssey makes a good battery, but no direct fit for our R's.
There's a company called XS which make a direct fit AGM for our car but it's heavy, 41lbs. (Varta is 32Lbs I think)
Lead plates in some batteries are lead alloy (cheaper) and pure Pb (more expensive). Lead plates are grids in some batteries (cheaper) and solid (more expensive) in others.
You can get Braille's that weighs in at 18 and 21 lbs. Many people use these for racing, some for daily drivers. But I was thinking , lead is the main contributor to both the capacity of and weight of a battery, so if a battery weighs 1/2 as much it has a lot less lead in it and most likely has 1/2 the capacity ( this is rated in Amp Hrs).
Thoughts?
Has anyone tried the XS 4700? or Odyssey (P1200)?
what's the longevity of the Braille?
any other questions we should be asking?
thanks
Here's what I've learned.
2 types of batteries Lead Acid and Lithium
- Lithium are very expensive (like $1,500).
2 types of lead acid, Lead acid bath and AGM(absorbed glass mat)
- Both are basically the same technology
- LAB are cheaper, downside they leak.
- AGM more expensive and the don't leak because there's a lot less liquid in them.
There are lightweight batteries (Braille and DAKA) some people think Braille is made by DAKA but I haven't found any proof of this, and Braille has a number of battery options that DAKA doesn't offer and vice-a-versa.
Optima batteries aren't what they used to be. I had a 7 year old red top that was still strong when I sold the car it was in. Optima got sold a few years ago to Intestate and the quality has suffered with a host of complaints reported with the newer models.
Odyssey makes a good battery, but no direct fit for our R's.
There's a company called XS which make a direct fit AGM for our car but it's heavy, 41lbs. (Varta is 32Lbs I think)
Lead plates in some batteries are lead alloy (cheaper) and pure Pb (more expensive). Lead plates are grids in some batteries (cheaper) and solid (more expensive) in others.
You can get Braille's that weighs in at 18 and 21 lbs. Many people use these for racing, some for daily drivers. But I was thinking , lead is the main contributor to both the capacity of and weight of a battery, so if a battery weighs 1/2 as much it has a lot less lead in it and most likely has 1/2 the capacity ( this is rated in Amp Hrs).
Thoughts?
Has anyone tried the XS 4700? or Odyssey (P1200)?
what's the longevity of the Braille?
any other questions we should be asking?
thanks
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