Wet vs AGM battery

[Lou Drozdowski]

I need to vent first...and I don't mean charging gasses.

My expensive Optima AGM battery has given up the ghost after only three years. Mind you, I don't use 3307R that often, perhaps a few more sorties would have made a difference but, she has always been on a battery maintainer when stored.

Yes, I have a new style charger specific for glass mat technology, and it was showing a good state of charge of 12.8 volts...cranking amps?...forget it...it should be 800 mine was 50.

I don't usually bad mouth a product, so I'll issue a warning. Optima told me to pound sand. Two months over warranty and they won't help. They just lost a customer.

I guess I'll go back to old school and get a flooded style...your thoughts? recommendations?       

[BDA]

I had an Optima batter in the beginning and at some point, I figured it was dead (don't remember the specifics, it was some time ago). Since then, I've gotten regular old lead/acid batteries. They are cheaper and although a good charger would be better, they seem to be able to take garden variety trickle chargers (I use an old 3 amp charger for mine). If it doesn't last as long, I figure I might have let it discharge to far and I get another. At about $100 or so, it doesn't hurt that much but when you get toward $300, that's not fun.

I have heard a lot of good things about Odyssey batteries and literarymadness told me he was using some fancy lithium ion battery and he likes it.

[Lou Drozdowski]

Thanks BDA...

I think I found out why my battery went south...you'll like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKo5iJ2rH7o

[surfguitar58]

I quite happy with my Odyssey lawn tractor battery, selected solely because it fit between the frame diagonals when mounted on its side. Someone left the door ajar at my storage garage last winter so the interior light drained the battery to zilch. I thought the battery was ruined, but it charged up and holds a charge just fine now. And yes, I am planning to disconnect the battery this winter.
t

[dakazman]

   I had a Optima yellow top battery in my vette , lasted just past the warrantee. No more expensive batteries for me .
The best is just to run your vehicle as much as possible. sitting for months on end even with a trickle charger on them, don't last.
 Thanks for the video Lou. That's where they built my vette motor also and it didn't last .
Dakazman

[jbcollier]

+1 Odyssey

The last one I changed lasted 12 years.

[Grumblebuns]

I’m not sure that I will ever go back to the standard flooded battery again. There are too many better options out there. I have also been using the Odyssey PC series AGM battery for my Europas, the PC 680 for the TCS and the PC 925 for the S2.  In my S2, there was insufficient cranking amps with the PC680 during 40 degree SoCal winters to start the car reliably. After 3 attempted starts, the PC680 would die and would have to be put on a charger overnight and this was with the stock starter.. On the TCS with a gear reduction starter, there was no issue cranking the engine until it started with the PC680.

Some other options used by the Elise boys who seem to obsessed with low weight batteries are:

Braille (https://braillebattery.com/collections/intensity),
Shorai Lithium-Iron (https://shoraipower.com/batteries-c41)
Deka (https://www.amazon.com/deka-batteries/s?k=deka+batteries)

[Pfreen]

I am using an Earthx battery.  It weighs only 4.1 pounds.  It cost $385 and the aluminum holder was $50.  It cranks like crazy because the voltage is slightly higher and its series resistance is less than a lead acid battery.

It replaced an Odyssey pc680 which worked very well.  I just wanted to save 10 pounds.

So far, it works great.

[gideon]

Pfreen - what model number is that from EarthX?  I also thought I might buy a battery from them.  I just haven’t figured out what size to buy.

[lotusfanatic]

Thanks BDA...

I think I found out why my battery went south...you'll like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKo5iJ2rH7o

Thanks for the video...

Unfortunately there's been a similar scenario with the transfer of work from the UK to supposedly "cheaper" production areas elsewhere in the EU - often using using EU 'grants' to fund the costs.
 

[Bodzer]

My Odyssey pc680 in my Elan lasted 9 years. It started to bulge and it wasn’t holding a charge. Just a word of caution for those with lithium batteries. I have abit of experience with Tesla Model S modules in my EV Europa. Lithium batteries must never be charged when the battery temperature (not necessarily the ambient temperature) is below zero degrees centigrade. Not an issue for you pfreen in Florida! That’s why Teslas still have a normal 12V battery for powering auxiliary systems when the main pack temperature is below zero. It will warm the pack up sufficiently to accept a charge.

Not really too much of an issue as most of our Europas are tucked up nice and snug in a garage but just something to be aware of.

[Pfreen]

The Earthx battery is a model ETX680C and the holder is a model BB-CO

[Clifton]

I use a Deka ETX20L AGM. I think it's 16 or 17 lbs. Not the lightest but bang for the buck is the highest. It has no problem cranking a 3.5L. I leave it on a battery tender in the summer when not started.

Name brand
 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Deka-Power-Sports-ETX20L-Battery-Harley-Davidson-65989-97A-and-65989-97C/273768204102?epid=1201020003&hash=item3fbddb4746:g:K2cAAOSwqZJciuUn

Off brand
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Deka-ETX20L-310-CCA-Replacement-Battery-By-SigmasTek/323562042252?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200520130048%26meid%3D53bb6c50312d47fc9a09c0d375e64801%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D273768204102%26itm%3D323562042252%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithDarwoV3BBEV2b&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[TurboFource]

How many CCA do you need to start a Twin Cam?

[Lou Drozdowski]

How many CCA do you need to start a Twin Cam?

TurboForce...A good rule of thumb for cold cranking amps, a battery should have 1 (cca) for every cubic inch of engine displacement.

1558cc = 96cu...add another 10 for the solenoid...about 100 would be average.