Braille Battery vs Odyssey

[NPalacioM3]

So I have had an Odyssey 545 in my car for 6 years now, been good but time to change it out. Looking at threads all over here, the PC680 is the one everyone raves about but that's not much more juice than the one I had. I need the weight, so Lion is not of interest and just want the strongest battery I can get that will fit in the battery box. Looking around, I see the Braille batteries seem to be good but they reference only peak cranking amps and not cold like the others, specifically Odyssey. The PC680 is 520 PCA and 170 CCA. The Braille that I can easily fit has 904 peak cranking amps, that's a big difference for not a whole lot more money and I can probably fit an even bigger one they have in there. Is the storage a factor with these? I'm often a one man show, so not having to worry about a jump battery is really nice and what I am looking for. Anyone offer any insight here before I order something?

http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/pc6...e-series?pp=12

https://www.braillebattery.com/index...tteries/b14115

Thanks in advance!

[DaveW]

DEKA ETX-18L - very good battery for a reasonable price.

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/show...t=deka+etx+18l

[NPalacioM3]

Thanks, Dave.

But can you explain to me the PCA only referenced for the Braille batteries compared to the Odyseey? Is there any trade off? Even the small Braille that is almost identical in size to my PC545 has 813 PCA, way more than I have now but 12ah, exactly the same as mine. Upon another measurement in my battery box, I probably cannot fit anything bigger than 5.5"h anyhow. Current one is 5.17 and it's about perfect. The Varley red top 20 would be the equivalent. There is no way the one you have will fit here.

[madgameracing]

Nick,
Check Summit Racing:
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/brl-b14115

BRL-B14115

Cranking Amps at 0 Degrees F: 360 amps
Cranking Amps at 32 Degrees F: 486 amps
Pulse Cranking Amps: 904 amps

Mike

[NPalacioM3]

Thanks, Mike. Think I'm going to have to do this one if it's Braille, still looks better on cranking amps but the reserve capacity is low as it seems to be with all around this size.

https://m.summitracing.com/parts/brl-b129

[DaveW]

The reserve capacity is why I like the ETX-18L and similar AGM's. Never an issue starting with no jumper battery even when the engine is cold, and I can run all day w/o external charging if needed, like when I'm doing a test day where I'm doing only a few laps between starts. As with most batteries, the one thing you want to avoid is running them completely flat. They never test quite as well (although they still work OK) after that.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Dave, performance stats for the DEKA ETX 18L show substantial difference over the Odyssey 680. How is this battery for starting a hot motor? It seems the Odyssey batteries are not lasting as well as they used to. The original Enersys batteries seemed to be much more powerful than after the buyout. Are you still recommending the DEKA?

[DaveW]

Dave, performance stats for the DEKA ETX 18L show substantial difference over the Odyssey 680. How is this battery for starting a hot motor? It seems the Odyssey batteries are not lasting as well as they used to. The original Enersys batteries seemed to be much more powerful than after the buyout. Are you still recommending the DEKA?

Yes, I still recommend the DEKA ETX-18L. However, I have not bought one recently.

Hot starts are no problem. I do it all the time on pit stops, and, as I said, I never use a jumper battery. And the ETX-18L I am using is actually 8+ years old. I keep doing battery tests and it just doesn't seem to lose any capacity.

[R. Pare]

One maintaining your battery, the most overlooked thing is keeping them de-sulfated. For that, I had recommended to me by a friend - an EE with a lot of battery recovery experience (and he has some totally bizarre ways of recovering even those that are totally shorted-out internally) - that the CTEK chargers are the ones to go to to keep the batteries as "fresh" as possible. I have, since I started using them, recovered a couple totally dead car batteries that have worked like new for over a year now.

https://smartercharger.com/

http://www.ctek.com/

[Jerry Kehoe]

Dave, sounds like it is definitely worth a try with your history with it. Sure beats the old Varley batteries which might last a season or two or maybe one day! Scary part with that is that the Varley's were Aircraft batteries!

[Lotus7]

...Scary part with that is that the Varley's were Aircraft batteries!

In their partial defense, the vibratory environment differences between a race car and an aircraft are huge.
Were Varley's ever targeted at racing specifically, or did we just adopt them?

[DaveW]

Yes, I still recommend the DEKA ETX-18L. However, I have not bought one recently.

Hot starts are no problem. I do it all the time on pit stops, and, as I said, I never use a jumper battery. And the ETX-18L I am using is actually 8+ years old. I keep doing battery tests and it just doesn't seem to lose any capacity.

One maintaining your battery, the most overlooked thing is keeping them de-sulfated. For that, I had recommended to me by a friend - an EE with a lot of battery recovery experience (and he has some totally bizarre ways of recovering even those that are totally shorted-out internally) - that the CTEK chargers are the ones to go to to keep the batteries as "fresh" as possible. I have, since I started using them, recovered a couple totally dead car batteries that have worked like new for over a year now.

https://smartercharger.com/

http://www.ctek.com/

On the subject of charging, I charge mine with a Schumacher SpeedCharge 2, 8, 12 amp "smart" charger. Has settings for normal, AGM, and Gel-cell. They are available from various suppliers (Walmart, etc.) for ~$50.

[Steve Demeter]

On Dave's recommendation I bought a Deka 2 years ago and it will start my car that has no alternator all weekend. Do charge between sessions for about half an hour. It cranks as fast as the giant jumper battery.

Hot restarts after a spin or a stop in the pits are no problem whatsoever.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Hope you two guys get a commission, as I just bought one!

[Steve Demeter]

I don't. Not well known enough. Dave W on the other hand....should