Guys,

My car is going on a permanent diet. LOL First thing I did was remove most of my windshield washer fluid, that's a big freaken' reservoir!! Next comes a lightweight battery. I've been doing tons of research today and still have a few questions for you guys with lightweight batteries....

For both the Odyssey and Genesis battery, we have the option of getting them with or w/o a metal jacket. From what I've gathered, it weighs about 1-2 lbs and is recomended for temperatures that exceed 113 F. For those who have these batteries, did you get the metal jacket? I'm sure it easily gets over 113 F under the hood, especially us boosted guys, right?

For those with the Hawker Genesis battery, how did you securely mount it to the car? Please explain, and or show pics.

For those with the Hawker Odyssey battery, did you buy the optional hold down? (See link) I know some of you did after searching and reading several threads. So, how well does it bolt down to our existing battery tray/chassis?
Link: http://www.odysseybatteries.com/pc680hd.htm

Also, did you mount it vertically, or horizontally? Will the cables reach if mounted horizontally?

From what I've gathered from various sites, this is what I've come up with. Anyone know any different?

Hawker Genesis G13EP w/o the metal jacket--11 lbs ??? CCA
Hawker Genesis G13EPX w the metal jacket--12 lbs ??? CCA
Hawker Odyssey PC680 w/o metal jacket--14 lbs 220 CCA
Hawker Odyssey PC680MJT w metal jacket--15 lbs 220 CCA

It seems like most people on here who have lightweight batteries have the Odyssey battery. Why? I'm thinking the Genesis battery and save an extra few pounds. What do you guys think? Any reason not to go with the Genesis? They're roughly the same price too.

Anyone runnin' the Braille battery?
http://mastrowrx.com/index.asp?PageA...ROD&ProdID=244
Anyone runnin' the Dyna-Batt battery?
http://www.performancedistributors.com/batteries.htm
If so, why did you choose that one over the Odyssey or Genesis? From what I've gathered, they are the same as the Odyssey and Genesis, but mucho $$$. Please enlighten me otherwise?

Thanks.

 

If you're boosted wouldn't you want to put the battery in the trunk anyway? More room in the engine bay. Temps aren't really an issue in the trunk.

 

I would get the Odyssey battery.

 

i would like to know this as well, and the best place to purchase one. also, the wizard, so do you not use your windshield washer fluid at all? are the washer nozzles just connected to nothing?

 

Is 220 enough cold cranking amps for our maximas?

 

Mine is 6lbs, 300cca and cost $30.

 

Please elaborate.

Brand? Where to buy?

 

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/341792/6

 

Here is a 400 cca unit with a compressor for $39. What I did was remove the battery and put posts on it.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...94320?v=glance

The unit on the left is 400 cca and the battery weighs 12 lbs the one on the right is 300 cca and the battery is 6 lbs, thats the one I use this year, last year I used the larger one.



This is how big it is and what it looks like out of the case.




This is the same battery installed.

 

how does a bettery that little keep the car charged?

 

DAAAANGG! NIccce!

 

This is the best thread I've read in a long time. I thought that little battery thing was a joke. Then I realized the joke is on me.

Good work. I never thought about using one of those booster pack batteries in my car.

 

Actually its runs everything quite well, I misquoted when I said I used the larger one last year, it was the year before, I used the small one all last year.

I had it installed when my MAF blew early last year and it started the car multiple times that day when it kept stalling. I wouldn't recommend using it if you have an amp or a heavy draw item, but I used my bottle heater all the time with it, just not when the car is not runnng.

It does go dead after about 4 days of the car sitting from the constant draw of the security system but most people never let their car sit that long.

It is more of a drag racing, weight saving device than an every day battery. I also bought 2 of these power packs and keep the other fully charged and in the car at all times, just in case.

 

Man that's tight!!!! Great idea!!!

 

how did u put the posts on it and where did u buy the posts at???

 

You ended your sentence with a preposition.

 

I got mine at Canadian Tire which is similar to Pep Boys, Advance Auto Parts etc. The come in + and - with a stud sticking out the bottom. I just made an L shaped bracket drilled 2 holes in each and attached them.

Just take it easy on them they are somewhat soft and won't take a lot of torque when tightening the posts on.

 

I have got the little 10lb hawker battery that I bought from a surplus place. It has never messed up on me once, even in the freezing cold. works good.

 

please no grammar lessons lol. i am hate teh grammar in what you are call the internet

 

I've got the Hawker Genesis too. Pardon my dirt, this was right after winter I think.


Like Jime said, you need to run these every few days otherwise they die. I'm using my old Optima as my jumper now. I had my battery tray dropped down below by the tranny instead of the trunk. Lighter, lower CG, and no heavy cables to run the car length. Regular j hooks hold it now but something more pretty could be made.

 

how did you mount your battery? did you keep the tray and drill holes in it? also what kind and where did you purchase your battery and how much?

 

ptatohed... if u want to teach grammar go to college... here we are talkin about cars and we really dont pay attention to our grammar. sorry i offended ur assets. lol. well i did the battery swap and it worked out fine.. so good so far. thanks for the idea jime.

 

I'm very interested in getting a small light weight battery, Jime and BEJAY1 where did you guys get your batteries from and what are the names/brands? Ive been looking for small ones but I've only really come across Braille. The hawker genesis looks pretty good, not sure which one I'd need though.

 

You can buy these batteries inside a booster pack. Get the whole pack. Some stores have them for $29. Then open the thing up and pull out the battery.

 

ive run the odyssey 680mj for a little over a year now. no issues except one slow turnover during winter after sitting for a week. i figured the jacket was worth the 1-2 more lbs for insurance. i picked up 3 off ebay and split them between other local members. none of them had issues either. we simply laid the battery on its side and ziptied it down. i used a slip free cell phone pad underneath and it has never moved.

 

Ah I see now. I'm still suprised a battery this size doesnt cause any issues of running low or anything. Anyone here have one of these batteries and a UDP? If so, any problems?

 

sweet, thank you for the useful information. is the jacket flat black w/ that odyssey sticker on it? i would take that odyssey sticker off.

 

I went with a more expensive, 13 lb option. Batcap 800.

800 cold cranking amps and hasnt died on me yet either. But I dont blast the stereo or leave the lights on w/o motor running. It cost about $150...

 

What do you guys do for battery tie downs too? I have an optima red right now, and thats even a lot smaller than the original battery and I had to put spacers in to make the stock tie downs work. I'm going to drop the battery down like the one a few posts up so its entirely out of the way.

 

Nice nice...

 

any auto parts store. they have universal hold downs for less than $10.

 

awesome thanks, this will be my plans for monday, a new 6lb battery.

 

i think i remember the non jacket housing being black for some reason. the sticker is not one that would just peel off without leaving spots and residue so i just left it on. might be a good idea to leave it in case of any warranty issues in the future.

 

If, you, talking, don't, Sorry, I, your

 

Jime, for the battery out of the charger pack, I'm curious about what you used to make the L brackets to put the terminal posts onto. Just a decent thickness metal or what?

 

Ya, don't get too carried away I think its around 1/8", not too thick that I couldn't bend it in the vice fairly easy.

The only little problem I have is that occasionally the bolt through the bracket to the battery comes loose because the ground and positive connectors are fairly heavy and put a lot of strain on the little battery connector so I have to tighten it occasionally. Its hard to tighten because they are quite close together and you don't want to touch the + while you are tightening the - and I don't have a wrench that small so I have to use pliars etc.

As far as a tie down I again just bent a piece of metal and got some tie down bolts and drilled a couple of holes for them. Doesn't take too much to hold it down.

 

Is this Jime kid amazing or what?

You're the man Jime.

Jim, so your car is a daily driver and you leave this battery in 100% of the time, right? Or did you mean that you only switch it in on track days?

 

It stays in 100% of the time in the summer, but when you are retired you don't drive as much and I live right downtown so I don't drive that often during the week. After it sits for about 2 or 3 days the alarm system kills it.

Tomorrow I am going to buy a 5 watt solar panel to see if that will keep it up. If that doesn't keep it up I will give it some of my Viagra. jk not quite ready for that or Depends yet.

Will keep you posted on the solar panel.

 

Retired at 57? Nice. Congrats.

You say you keep a charged spare with you, right? How do you charge it given that you already seperated it from the casing?

Since you only brought up this awesome idea after The Wizard started a thread on the subject, are there any other 'weight savings beans' you're not spilling?

 

I retired almost 10 years ago this June when I was 48.

The spare is still in the casing I just clamp it on, I usually leave it there driving to the track so it gets charged too by the alternator.

The other thing I did was run a couple of wires out of the empty casing from the charger section and put a couple of clips on it so I can use it to charge at home with an extension cord to the car.

Hey nobody tells all their secrets, always have to hold a couple back.

Most of the things I do come from daydreaming of a way to get a Maximas to do something that Nissan didn't do because they don't expect anyone to race one.

Remember there are 3 kinds of people, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those that say wtf happened?

Also like the dogsled team if you aren't the lead dog the scenery never changes. Not that I am a lead dog but I hate something that won't function the way I want it to vs the way it was designed to. I spent a lot of years working in Mechanical Engineering and dabbling in electronics so I know just enough to be dangerous.