Small batteries

[Dragger_Dan]

I'm planning to undertake a battery relocation in my AW11 and I'm wondering what's the smallest battery - both physically and in terms of capacity - that you can get away with. The car has no stereo or auxillary electronics, just needs to be able to power the starter really. I've seen a few lightweight small batteries in racing magazines etc but most of them are rediciously expensive and weight isn't that much of an issue. A large motorcycle battery perhaps?

Main reason for this is I want to be able to fit a full size spare as well as the battery in the frunk of the AW11.

[MR2BOY23]

Century dry cell batteries ps series. I sold one to a customer once for his race car, its dry cell so he could mount it sideways. It also had enough cca to power the 1.8l engine. They dont weigh much more than 3-4kgs and are alot smaller than motorcycle batteries

[Dragger_Dan]

Cool, what sort of terminals did they have on them?

[Leon]

Dexgt here might have some feedback too, as he has a microscopic battery in his race car. But I think some of the feedback he might give is 'don't buy a battery as small as I did'.

[Mr Revhead]

the issues for AW11s when mounting in the frunk are as you are aware, spare wheel! and cable length
longer cables = more resistance = voltage drop = wimpy starter power!

if i was doing it again, i would look at one of the mentioned smaller dry cells mounted behind the passenger seat with cables running through the rear bulkhead. that would make for relativly short cables and heaps of frunk room

you can get quite narrow dry cells that you could even mount lying down uner the seat.
also if your going for one of that type, the smaller size and weight would mean there really isnt as much downside to having it in the engine bay afterall..... however adding weight to the front of an AW11 is a good idea... but removing weight from the rear also = adding weight bias to the front, so swings and roundabouts! in which case ease of fitment, cost and maintaince would be the deciding factors....

[flying_wedge]

if i was doing it again

Instead, when you did do it, you picked some huge arse battery for a tiny wee car!

[pc]

Dexgt here might have some feedback too, as he has a microscopic battery in his race car. But I think some of the feedback he might give is 'don't buy a battery as small as I did'.

The problem with his battery is that his engine doesn't start.

If you have a 'normal' japanese car and it starts if you wiggle the key, then a little battery in a regularly driven car will be fine.

I use a 17AH battery out of a 900amp jump pack, $35ish from Repco, part number JP900B.

[DexGT]

Dexgt here might have some feedback too, as he has a microscopic battery in his race car. But I think some of the feedback he might give is 'don't buy a battery as small as I did'.

The problem with his battery is that his engine doesn't start.

If you have a 'normal' japanese car and it starts if you wiggle the key, then a little battery in a regularly driven car will be fine.

I use a 17AH battery out of a 900amp jump pack, $35ish from Repco, part number JP900B.

my problems were mainly to do with the V5 link not liking the voltage dropping below 8 volts while cranking , after the motor got warm it was fine . I would think you may have problems with the distance you want to run using normal size cables , but PC's battery is mounted at the very back of his corolla and starting doesn't seem to be a problem , I belive he has run rather large cables .
At $35 its probably worth a go though running welding earth cable will cost more than the battery

[MR2BOY23]

Cool, what sort of terminals did they have on them?

Not the ordinary round ones, but those square ones like you see on motorcycle batteries

[Mr Revhead]

if i was doing it again

Instead, when you did do it, you picked some huge ar*e battery for a tiny wee car!

yep, refer to long cables = voltage drop! i wanted big CCA

[Dragger_Dan]

I've got some huge thick cable that I think is welding earth cable. Finding terminals that would fit that cable and bike battery terminals might be a bit tricky tho.

[KinLoud]

Dan - yeah, jumper pack battery gets my Carina going every time... Cheap too!

Ken

[Prymal]

I run an odyssey sealed battery - $ 280 delivered from the states ( dont buy them from NZ dealers - too $&#$% expensive )

been running it for 4 months now - with no dramas at all

heres a link to the general specs

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680t.htm

[MR2BOY23]

I run an odyssey sealed battery - $ 280 delivered from the states ( dont buy them from NZ dealers - too $&#$% expensive )

been running it for 4 months now - with no dramas at all

heres a link to the general specs

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680t.htm

That batteries awesome

[Prymal]

yes .....yes it is ..

Same battery starts up a friends 800 HP rb26dett on a daily basis so they have no dramas kicking over big HP applications , and we used similar ones back in the ford factory v8/ Gt1 race cars whe i was playing about over there

[gasman]

I run an odyssey sealed battery - $ 280 delivered from the states ( dont buy them from NZ dealers - too $&#$% expensive )

been running it for 4 months now - with no dramas at all

heres a link to the general specs

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc680t.htm

where about in the states did you buy it from? and was it when the nzd was strong?

[Prymal]

yeah - bought it before the peak ..

ill try and find the weblink for the compant but it was something like "gofastdepot" or something like that