lightweight battery installation pics
05-25-2005, 01:29 AM
#1
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lightweight battery installation pics
Tonight I installed my little bitty battery in place of my 2-ton lug. The lightweight battery is an Odyssey 680, that weighs in at 15lbs. I am not sure how much my original battery weighs, but it's a heck of a lot more!
This new battery is sealed, so it can be mounted on its side which is nice for lowering the center of gravity. I wanted to keep the battery in the same location, as to not throw off my previous corner balance settings by too much. Race regulations require a metal strap to be over the battery, and the positive post needs to be covered, too. So, to get this thing to fit, I started with some steel that I fashioned into a bracket that I welded together and painted it up. It uses the original bolt that goes into the floor pain, and I added a bolt that goes through the sheetmetal of the car into the area where the A/C condensor used to live. I reach through my fog-light opening to tighten it down!
Here's some pics of the battery itself, and the bracket I made. The bracket actually snaps firmly onto the battery, then is bolted in two spots to the chassis - it's rock solid!
This new battery is sealed, so it can be mounted on its side which is nice for lowering the center of gravity. I wanted to keep the battery in the same location, as to not throw off my previous corner balance settings by too much. Race regulations require a metal strap to be over the battery, and the positive post needs to be covered, too. So, to get this thing to fit, I started with some steel that I fashioned into a bracket that I welded together and painted it up. It uses the original bolt that goes into the floor pain, and I added a bolt that goes through the sheetmetal of the car into the area where the A/C condensor used to live. I reach through my fog-light opening to tighten it down!
Here's some pics of the battery itself, and the bracket I made. The bracket actually snaps firmly onto the battery, then is bolted in two spots to the chassis - it's rock solid!
05-25-2005, 01:32 AM
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Here's the battery in its place. I had to lengthen the negative battery cable (yes, the red one), and I mounted crimp-on ends instead of the big nasty normal style battery clamps.
Here are some close-ups of the mounting....
Here are some close-ups of the mounting....
05-25-2005, 01:46 AM
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That was quick!
Here is an interesting read on the Odyssey 680, it is sold under different brand names.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm
Here is an interesting read on the Odyssey 680, it is sold under different brand names.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm
05-25-2005, 09:26 AM
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nice read. I've always wondered about using different battery technologies in cars. Would love to hear how it works out for you.
Specifically, I've wondered about Lithium Ion batteries. They are extremely light and have large capacities. From my brief research on them, though, they can't handle high currents.
NiMH may be a compromise.
I used to race model cars and I used those Nickle Cadmium cells to jump my old 4-cyl rabbits (vw) on many occasions. I considered using those as car batteries, but their memory problems scared me away.
Specifically, I've wondered about Lithium Ion batteries. They are extremely light and have large capacities. From my brief research on them, though, they can't handle high currents.
NiMH may be a compromise.
I used to race model cars and I used those Nickle Cadmium cells to jump my old 4-cyl rabbits (vw) on many occasions. I considered using those as car batteries, but their memory problems scared me away.
05-25-2005, 09:38 AM
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Garrett... Is this for a daily driver that you also track or for a dedicated track car? I'd be very interested in how it performs in a daily driver. It looks like it would take all it's got just to start the car with the battery being that small. Very interesting write-up!
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05-26-2005, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Cupcar
That was quick!
Here is an interesting read on the Odyssey 680, it is sold under different brand names.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm
Here is an interesting read on the Odyssey 680, it is sold under different brand names.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm
05-26-2005, 12:45 PM
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agentPP - post a pic of your setup - it would be neat to see another way to mount it!
Cupcar, great link with lots of info; more than I could ever need! Glad I chose the right battery and didn't get ripped off by the more expensive replica!
My car is still up on jackstands, so it will be about a week before I get to start trying it out!
Cupcar, great link with lots of info; more than I could ever need! Glad I chose the right battery and didn't get ripped off by the more expensive replica!
My car is still up on jackstands, so it will be about a week before I get to start trying it out!
05-26-2005, 01:10 PM
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As it states in the link I gave above, the capacity of the Odyssey is 16 ampere-hour.
The stock C2/C4 964 battery is a 75 ampere-hour battery while the European Carrera RS uses a 36 ampere-hour unit that weights about 30 pounds.
I find with a Euro RS battery, as in my car, one has to use a battery maintainer if the car is parked for a long period with the alarm on.
A friend has a battery such as Garrett's in his occassionally driven RSA (No air conditioning, no radio) and says it works fine. I don't know if my friend uses a battery maintainer when parked but suspect he does.
The stock C2/C4 964 battery is a 75 ampere-hour battery while the European Carrera RS uses a 36 ampere-hour unit that weights about 30 pounds.
I find with a Euro RS battery, as in my car, one has to use a battery maintainer if the car is parked for a long period with the alarm on.
A friend has a battery such as Garrett's in his occassionally driven RSA (No air conditioning, no radio) and says it works fine. I don't know if my friend uses a battery maintainer when parked but suspect he does.
05-26-2005, 01:38 PM
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FWIW, I use a Porsche battery maintainer on the Cup car everytime it's in the garage.
I still chuckle everytime I see a cigarette lighter in a factory race car
I still chuckle everytime I see a cigarette lighter in a factory race car
05-26-2005, 01:53 PM
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I have been following this thread along with a similar one in the VWVortex R32 forum...
At the price (around 70 bucks) the Odyssey is one heck of a bargain.
There is also the Braille which is what the VW folks seem to be getting. I thought I would post the thread on the VWVortex site for reading and a interesting comparison chart I found in that thread...
VWVortex Thread
No affiliation with any of the brands... do not even have a battery from any of them... (stock in the VWR32 and Optima Red Top in the 964... but considering changing them for lighter units if it makes sense...)
At the price (around 70 bucks) the Odyssey is one heck of a bargain.
There is also the Braille which is what the VW folks seem to be getting. I thought I would post the thread on the VWVortex site for reading and a interesting comparison chart I found in that thread...
VWVortex Thread
No affiliation with any of the brands... do not even have a battery from any of them... (stock in the VWR32 and Optima Red Top in the 964... but considering changing them for lighter units if it makes sense...)