Let's talk batteries

The battery in my car has been there going on 7 years so it's time for some preventative replacement. I'd rather it not decide to give up the ghost out in the woods.

I gots two questions:

1. Batteries to avoid? In other words, are there batteries that don't hold up well to the rally environment? I think I heard Varleys are vibration sensitive.

2. Super Production rules:

15. Electrical Equipment
The original battery and alternator may be replaced by another commercial automobile unit of equal or larger capacity provided the location remains unchanged. The make is unrestricted.

So I'm assuming I have two choices:

a. Get another OEM sized battery

b. Get some high-tech battery that has as much "capacity" in a smaller, lighter package. Although that might be a bit of a challenge with tech if the spirit of the rule means a.

It should probably be mentioned that I'm on the OEM alternator and the pod is using halogen lights. I'm not sure this is a good indicator, but at idle with all the lights on the voltmeter reads the same as it does with the lights off so it seems I have sufficient amps coming out of the alternator to power the pod and all the other junk.

Optima Red Top for me. Works great.

You can always bring a spare battery with you to the rally.

I will put Optima on the list!

And yeah, we should probably bring a spare battery.

I always read the rule as it must be in the same location..under the hood or wherever. Some vehicles easily accept a larger battery in the stock location. We don't measure the case, just check for mounting integrity and cable insulation.

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heymagic
I always read the rule as it must be in the same location..under the hood or wherever. Some vehicles easily accept a larger battery in the stock location. We don't measure the case, just check for mounting integrity and cable insulation.

Okay, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. Our car is porky, about 150 lbs overweight so a lighter battery would be an easy place to drop some pounds without breaking the bank.

In your case I would go for an Optima. Personally, I run Odyssey batteries, but the part that SUCKS is when your battery goes dead and your backup (you have a backup right?) is bad as well, you can just go to a local auto parts store and pick up another one.

In hindsight. I like the odyssey batteries, and my battery mount accepts two sizes of odyssey batteries. However, I would more like to make a better universal battery mount with some adapters that would accept a standard Optima battery in a pinch.

Optimal yellow top. Alternator failure and you might be able to limp back to service on battery only. Burmeister did once, testemonial on specialstage.

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Grant Hughes

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NoCoast
Optimal yellow top. Alternator failure and you might be able to limp back to service on battery only. Burmeister did once, testemonial on specialstage.

Is that anything out of the ordinary though? I ran 2 stages and transit before my car shut off going over the flying finish of the last stage for the day. I just have a big ass walmart special.

Lightweight ones and others just have enough to start a car...

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Grant Hughes

I'd check to see what other people are doing for batteries in your class. The creative reading of that rule would seem to allow you to run a smaller battery as long as it's electrical capacity is better than OEM.

I'd assume that the intent of the rule is actually to ensure that you're running a battery that's the same physical size and weight...so as to eliminate the people wanting to drop $1000 on a nano-tech battery that is 1/4 the size but the same cranking amps.

Rules like this are why I think the open classes are better.

Dave

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BillyElliot
In your case I would go for an Optima. Personally, I run Odyssey batteries, but the part that SUCKS is when your battery goes dead and your backup (you have a backup right?) is bad as well, you can just go to a local auto parts store and pick up another one.

In hindsight. I like the odyssey batteries, and my battery mount accepts two sizes of odyssey batteries. However, I would more like to make a better universal battery mount with some adapters that would accept a standard Optima battery in a pinch.

Hey Billy,are you running the small pc680 Odyssey lightweight like I have in my Focus pictured here..or something larger?



Grant's got a good point about limping home thing at night with a bad alt.
My cars not on stage yet, so lightweight works for me.

And I've had WAY better luck with Odyssey brand than Optima.

In my old Jeep grand Wagoneer 4x4 ,I used to run Optima red-tops-never tried the yellows.

Maybe the yellow's have better reliability,but I'd never buy another red-top.

If you do,never run one dead.
And don't bother trying to charge it-it's done....

Even then..getting a good or bad one with the optima was totally hit or miss.
Had one that went for 4 years or so, and several that didn't make it more than a few months.

I used to deal with the red-top warranty issues back when I worked at Four Wheel parts, and we got an ASSLOAD of them returned.

Odyssey brand has been great, and always has given me warning(gradually slower cranking on really cold mornings).

Of course they make larger one's than what I'm running as well.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2013 02:07PM by RALLYRS.

Well this has given me something to think about.

Small battery: No "limp mode" available, possible problems in tech.

Big battery: Limp mode, no problems in tech, opportunity cost on weight reduction.

We generally don't have a service crew so "limp mode" might not be a big deal. But getting dinged in tech would suck. Maybe the answer is to keep the stock mounting hardware and battery in the tow vehicle. If it's a problem it's not a difficult swap back. And that would be our spare battery.

Reliability > weight savings in rally cars.

Shit, just having to jump a small batteried car every time it sits for more than a day or two annoys the shit out of me.

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Grant Hughes

I don't think that 10 pounds of saved battery weight is what is holding you back... Mash the gas harder!

No, that's where you're wrong. It's the 10 lbs of battery weight.