Battery question

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Gray
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Battery question

Postby Gray » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:57 am

Hi, I'd like some suggestions for a lightweight 05+ PF compatible AGM type or other lightweight battery which ideally would be good for sub-zero temperature use. Thanks.


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socal4x
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Postby socal4x » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:43 am

I used one of these with great success for a solar powered gate opener I have:

http://store.solar-electric.com/de8a54ampho1.html

I know it works well at 10-20 F, not sure below that.

You may also want to try westmarine.com.......

Don't know about the weights though....

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Postby Gray » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:43 pm

Thanks Socal, I was looking at lightweight auto battery options several months ago and this one was getting some notice on Subaru racing and aircraft forums;

http://www.brailleauto.com/

I think that PF's require minimum 550 cold cranking amps so the B3121 or B3121 NWEUB could be a replacement. Might be an easy way to shed a few pounds off the front end of the vehicle.

I've been keeping an eye on this company as well but no drop in replacements for vehicle batteries as yet, although they are starting to provide for some aircraft;

http://www.a123systems.com/#/applications/UPS/

.

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socal4x
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Postby socal4x » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:50 am

Sounds like something to research more. I've always looked over AGMs, but it seems they would be better for off roading if not weight alone.

I've always been partial to Optimas because of their size and mounting flexibility, which is why I never looked at AGMs

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socal4x
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Postby socal4x » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:54 am

I just checked out the braille auto link...wow!


If I am seeing that right, you could to a dual setup in the space of a standard battery, and it would still be only 22#?

That's pretty cool. It says small displacement motors, I don't think 4.0l is small, but if you go off the cranking amps...should work, right?

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Fofiddy
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Postby Fofiddy » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:07 am

I'll be throwing an optima red top 35 in mine when I get off remote.

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Postby Gray » Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:07 pm

Here's a lithium automotive battery probably using the A123 nano-phosphate cells that weighs in at either 6 pounds or 4.5 pounds depending on which cold cranking amp power one feels comfortable with. The battery has been getting a lot of interest in the last few months on this Lotus forum where they did a group buy of the 4.5 pound size.

Voltphreaks 12V 6lb battery

One downside is that these batteries don't work well at extreme cold temperatures but thats easily fixed with a battery blanket /heating pad if 110v power is readily available, and hopefully prices on nano-phosphate lithium cells will come down soon.

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Re: Battery question

Postby yarilo » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:57 pm

Greybrick wrote:Hi, I'd like some suggestions for a lightweight 05+ PF compatible AGM type or other lightweight battery which ideally would be good for sub-zero temperature use. Thanks.
If you looking for AGM then try to find ProComp or simply buy Optima, but ProComps are more capacious. Many guys in Russia who's upgrading their mid-size - heavy SUVs are using such batteries w/o problems and in extremly low temperatures, e.g. -40-50C.

Makc

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Fofiddy
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Which one the Red one or the Yellow one?

Postby Fofiddy » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:37 pm

OK I have my finger on the trigger and it's down between the Optima Red top 35 and the Yellow Top D35

Yellow Top 35:
810CA
650CCA
$50 more
Good for sitting longer periods of time and vehicles where Winches, Stereo's and aux Lights are used

Red Top 35:
910CA
720CCA
More for Daily drivers/race battery (according to Optima)

I run about 1000W of stereo so the Yellowtop sounds like the safe bet especially since I'm considering a winch in the future... on the other hand the red top puts out more Juice is cheaper, and well this is my daily driver... Anyone have a straight answer?

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Re: Which one the Red one or the Yellow one?

Postby yarilo » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:31 am

Fofiddy wrote:OK I have my finger on the trigger and it's down between the Optima Red top 35 and the Yellow Top D35

I run about 1000W of stereo so the Yellowtop sounds like the safe bet especially since I'm considering a winch in the future... on the other hand the red top puts out more Juice is cheaper, and well this is my daily driver... Anyone have a straight answer?
Red Top - better to use as a main battery, few of my friends bought exactly Red (choice of professional off-roaders). Yellow basically for 2 batteries installation. So, in your case, I think there should be also 2 batteries system, because of very high consumption.

Makc

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Fofiddy
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Postby Fofiddy » Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:22 am

Spaseeba Yarilo.
Yeah, I found out last night trying to tune the system that: 3yo OEM battery + 600w 4ch+ 500W sub+ double bass from metal at high volume (I listen to all music)= strobe lights and poor sound quality... So it looks like in order to do this right a Dual battery setup would be optimal.

So a red top and a yellow top eh? How would one wire that up; Neg to chassis ground and the positive to a Distribution block where my Pos runs from under the hood? There isn't any space under the hood for a second battery so I'll have to hide that in the cabin somewhere.... Thank God the newer Premium Stereo options are finally starting to catch up to the features if the after market systems, can't see myself doing this one more time in another 3-5 years.

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Postby me&pathy » Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:05 pm

i bought a dura last after the stock battery blew up in the truck while i was at work but the new battery work's well when it is below frezing

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Postby yarilo » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:44 pm

Fofiddy wrote:Spaseeba Yarilo.
Yeah, I found out last night trying to tune the system that: 3yo OEM battery + 600w 4ch+ 500W sub+ double bass from metal at high volume (I listen to all music)= strobe lights and poor sound quality... So it looks like in order to do this right a Dual battery setup would be optimal.
Yes, exactly, but be careful because it's not so easy. In order you decide to go this way you should buy charge relay for 2nd battery.

I think, if consumtion not so high, you'd better go with another receipt - calculate your amperage and if it's not higher than 1000Wt then probably you can cure this problem using capacitors. I'm sure you what to do, but for every one kW use 1 Farad capacity, so if you have 2 amplifiers which consume 500Wt each - you should buy 2 capacitors (1 per each) w/capacity >=0,5F. It will greatly increase bass tightness and clarity of your music and possibly will solve overall prob.

Anyhow, replace your main starter battery with AGM one.

Makc

P.S. Capacitors should be connected as close as possible to mains of consumers (amplifiers).

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Fofiddy
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Postby Fofiddy » Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:00 am

Done
Image
It's a smidge smaller than OEM but it fits well and certainly has the power to crank it over in the single digits. If you have them shipped the ring/terminal protector doubles as a riser once you snap it on the bottom.
Only 33lbs and even the stereo likes it better.

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Postby Triffid » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:52 am

I see on the Optima site that they list (2) group size batteries (Red Top) for my 2005 Pathfinder... Group# 34R & 35... Any suggestions as to which size and do they need any adapters?... Thanks!.......... Triffid


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