Smaller batteries, recommendations please...

[Mr Ree]

Hi TS'ers...

Im about to pull my car off the road for the winter to do a few things to it, and the new intake manifold and piping is going to require I either relocate my battery to inside the cabin, or to go to a far smaller battery.

I have done plenty of reading on dry cell batteries, and what sort of performance people get from them, but given I hardly use the car, I expect it would die a quick death, so am looking at the possibility of going to a smaller lead acid type, with high CCA, that is factory fitted, as I expect that will cope with alot more.

I have been recommended to look into an NS40 that is apparently fitted to modern Corollas, but I am up for any other suggestions too.

Cheers

[Bling]

If you hardly use the car you will probably want to keep the charge up on it no matter which type. i have a ns40 sized battery that is currently too low to start a car i hardly drive...

That wont help much, but just saying they both go dead if not used. My plan was to put the charger on it every two weeks, but got lazy.

[Mr Revhead]

NS40 is quite small. does it have the CCA for your car?
Have you tried calling your local battery place and asking them for suggestions.

What about a cabin mounted one in a box with a trickle charger hooked to it.

[Mr Ree]

I have a solar panel mounted in the garage window which is connected to my battery, to try and help with drain through lack of use, but I plan on putting an isolator into the circuit when I have it off the road to avoid unnecessary drain, although a battery tender might be required, just to keep things happy.

I think my current battery is 380CCA, so a 400CCA NS40 'should' be enough.

There is a battery supplier out on the Petone water front that I will go and discuss things with, but Im always interested in listening to real world feedback from people who have personal experience with a product.

I figured there are a few members who are into motorsport who might have gone down the same path I am about to walk, and might have some input either good or bad?

[KinLoud]

what car?
Supra?
ive run a battery out of a midsized jumper pack (900 amp - whatever that means! not a cca rating) in my racecar for ages
cheap small and doesnt care about being on its side etc.
it also takes some awful abuse!
dead flat for 1 year then recharge = happy

[fangsport]

ive run a battery out of a midsized jumper pack (900 amp - whatever that means! not a cca rating) in my racecar for ages
cheap small and doesnt care about being on its side etc.
it also takes some awful abuse!
dead flat for 1 year then recharge = happy

ditto.

if it will start a reasonbly high comp N/A carbbed engine, it'll start most things.

[DexGT]

I have a solar panel mounted in the garage window which is connected to my battery, to try and help with drain through lack of use, but I plan on putting an isolator into the circuit when I have it off the road to avoid unnecessary drain, although a battery tender might be required, just to keep things happy.

I think my current battery is 380CCA, so a 400CCA NS40 'should' be enough.

There is a battery supplier out on the Petone water front that I will go and discuss things with, but Im always interested in listening to real world feedback from people who have personal experience with a product.

I figured there are a few members who are into motorsport who might have gone down the same path I am about to walk, and might have some input either good or bad?

Do this , , its called the battery cell , across from the wharf . I got my small race car battery , motorbike and Big one for the bmw from there , the guy who runs it is very helpful / knowledgeable and the prices are sharp

[jspec153]

NS40 would be sweet! A mate of mine has one in his RB30DET skyline brought off me a few years ago i sell the Century/Yuasa Batteries 330cca and haven't had any issues

[Mr Ree]

what car?
Supra?
ive run a battery out of a midsized jumper pack (900 amp - whatever that means! not a cca rating) in my racecar for ages
cheap small and doesnt care about being on its side etc.
it also takes some awful abuse!
dead flat for 1 year then recharge = happy

Yes, its a JZA80 Funnily enough, I was considering doing that if I ended up going with a small drycell, so a jumper pack would have to be part of the budget. Cheers for the feedback.

if it will start a reasonbly high comp N/A carbbed engine, it'll start most things.

Mine is only 9.2:1 so I should be ok there.

Do this , , its called the battery cell , across from the wharf . I got my small race car battery , motorbike and Big one for the bmw from there , the guy who runs it is very helpful / knowledgeable and the prices are sharp

Thanks for the vote of confidence in that place. I have driven past so many times, thinking to myself "I must pop in there" but I have always been in the camry lol

Thanks everyone

[holden_fan2005]

http://www.batterydirect.co.nz/vertex_d ... attery.htm

I've got one of those in the crx and keep it on charge with one of these when it's parked in the garage: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-m ... 125523.htm

They are a small battery, could probably fit it in the glove box if you wanted to No issues with mounting inside the cabin and how it's mounted.

[KinLoud]

Looking at that vertex battery
L181 x W76 x H167 5.8KG


Now compare it to my battery from my racecar (1983 AA63 Carina) - ignore evil cat in the background!
L177 x W76 x H165 5.1KG

17amphour
This is my new battery - I'm retiring my old battery after 8 years - identical to my old one!
It was $76 (on special at repco)
All the moulding of the plastic case looks identical - dimensions and weight very similar!

ken

[Mr Ree]

http://www.batterydirect.co.nz/vertex_drycell_battery.htm

I've got one of those in the crx and keep it on charge with one of these when it's parked in the garage: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-m ... 125523.htm

They are a small battery, could probably fit it in the glove box if you wanted to No issues with mounting inside the cabin and how it's mounted.

What model did you get? I will take those specs to the place in Petone and see if they have something equal or better suited, for cheaper hehe.

Do you have a permanent female plug for the battery tender, somewhere in the car?

EDIT: KinLoud...thats exactly what I was thinking. Behind every branded sticker is a part number lol

[atmosports]

Also check out the Shorai range of batteries, we run them in our Midget, been rolled,bowled & assholed & have yet to kill one, light as & available in a range of sizes,ratings etc. They were quite cheap but think price has gone up & the one we've got is lighter than the carbon fibre cased motorsport Braille battery we payed about 10x more for as well

[Mr Ree]

Thanks for the name

And yes, I have read no shortage of threads saying avoid Braille as theyre simply overpriced, due to the sticker, and are available from the actual manufacturers for less than half the retail price on the Braille.

[nz_climber]

I have a Motobatt MBTX24U AGM Battery in my lotus 7, has been great, starts my beams 3sge easily, even have it laying on its side. It is happy sitting for a couple of months not being used.

But would recommend putting in an isolator to avoid constant draining of any battery though, I have ecu battery wire connected so its always has power though so the fuel trims are kept etc - its a pain having it relearn to idle each time!

They do come in larger sizes too, got it really cheap off trademe with a 2 year warranty.

[Grrrrrrr!]

The Shorai battery is a starting battery only, they have SFA reserve capacity (around 1/3rd of the Lead-Acid Equivalent* Ah Capacity on the battery).., dont even think about it if you have a stereo that you ever intend to run while the engine is off. The other thing is they crank like a mofo until they are completely discharged, but taking them below 20% charge kills them pretty quick.

[Mr Ree]

Thanks again guys for the feedback

I dont ever use my stereo or any electrics when the car isnt running, hell, I hardly even have the stereo on ever when driving, which is quite annoying given I installed a nice new pioneer BT headunit, replaced the rear speakers/boxes, and installed an amp and made up a small sub setup...

But that being said, I dont want to run a battery than might leave me stuck one day, so definitely want it to be capable of slightly more than I would expect to use.

The car always starts up within 1 second, so I shouldnt be draining it too badly in that area atleast

[holden_fan2005]

http://www.batterydirect.co.nz/vertex_drycell_battery.htm

I've got one of those in the crx and keep it on charge with one of these when it's parked in the garage: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-m ... 125523.htm

They are a small battery, could probably fit it in the glove box if you wanted to No issues with mounting inside the cabin and how it's mounted.

What model did you get? I will take those specs to the place in Petone and see if they have something equal or better suited, for cheaper hehe.

Do you have a permanent female plug for the battery tender, somewhere in the car?

EDIT: KinLoud...thats exactly what I was thinking. Behind every branded sticker is a part number lol

I'm just running the V1220 (300ca) in the honda so I'm guessing the hd may be a better choice for a larger engine? But it's so much tidier than having a full sized battery.

The battery I received has terminals that are threaded (you put bolts into the terminal) so I have the female charging lead always on the battery.

The only issue with the small batteries is pissing about with changing up the loom terminals to fit.

[strx7]

Just sussed me out one of these type of batteries for the rx7, heaps cheaper than i was expecting too.

[Mr Ree]

What model did you get, Shane?