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Good morning everyone, on the 964 forum there is a good thread going on about lightweight battery options. My battery is on its last legs I need to replace it soon. I have looked at the antigravity option as well as the battery tender deltran option. Does anyone have any experience with those two? Thanks.
I've just bought the Antigravity RS30 with the mounting plate. I haven't fitted it yet as the car is going in for a service but will do so when I get it back. The car will be away for a little while (48K service, distributor rebuild, etc. The distributor rebuild is what may take some time.)
I've been researching as well as I need a new battery.
Through conversations with Scott at AntiGravity I learned that they will be offering a discount over the upcoming Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend.
I know nothing additional, but Scott did mention that he will be posting more information on Rennlist soon.
What am I missing? Why does one want to lighten the front end of a tail heavy car? Isn't any 993's handling more balanced with a full tank? I get lightening anything in the engine bay as long as it doesn't result in a drop in power.
Ideally , I'd want to take some weight out from the back of the car as well but that's not easy.
I tend to trail brake into corners so that gets some weight transfer to the front anyway to help the front grip and tuck in. Reducing a bit of weight at the front hasn't created an evil handling car.
What am I missing? Why does one want to lighten the front end of a tail heavy car? Isn't any 993's handling more balanced with a full tank? I get lightening anything in the engine bay as long as it doesn't result in a drop in power.
I'm all for losing weight on a sports car, but how important really is it on a street car driven by an enthusiast, yet amateur driver?
To my mind, if it's easy, and either cheap or free to do so, let's knock some weight off for sure. If it's expensive for teeny weight loss, or compromises the car from a NVH standpoint, I'm not sure it's worth it for a street car.
I've seen some of these lightweight batteries sell for $1000 or more, and I don't think I could justify paying 5X more than a regular battery, unless I was obsessed with shaving tenths off as a pro on a track
I'm all for losing weight on a sports car, but how important really is it on a street car driven by an enthusiast, yet amateur driver?
To my mind, if it's easy, and either cheap or free to do so, let's knock some weight off for sure. If it's expensive for teeny weight loss, or compromises the car from a NVH standpoint, I'm not sure it's worth it for a street car.
I've seen some of these lightweight batteries sell for $1000 or more, and I don't think I could justify paying 5X more than a regular battery, unless I was obsessed with shaving tenths off as a pro on a track
Leaving weight reduction aside, lithium batteries will last three to five times longer than a conventional lead/acid battery. And the low voltage cutoff (LVC) circuitry can prevent you from being left out in the cold with a dead battery. I run with a Voltphreaks VPR-P6 in both my 964 and my 993. Not cheap, but an incredibly powerful and light battery. Voltphreaks VPR-P6 And prices are coming down as the quality of these lithium batteries is going up. Antigravity has made.some great strides producing affordable batteries that have the LVC technology.
Can our 20 year old cars charge a LiPO battery correctly? Even modern cars that come with LiPO batteries require a specific LiPO tender, not a regular/AGM battery charger.
Can our 20 year old cars charge a LiPO battery correctly? Even modern cars that come with LiPO batteries require a specific LiPO tender, not a regular/AGM battery charger.
live had a voltfreaks in my 964 for near 3 years now. It charges fine. The battery has they appropriate circuits.
I loved my Braille because it was light reliable. You could unplug it (I cannot easily put the car on a battery tender) and it won't discharge. And frankly when I do need to remove the battery it's great being light. However, after getting a detail I should have had the guy keep in on it's specific tender because he was opening and shutting doors leaving them open - or something. It discharged and as I understand it the alternator charged it up too fast from dead. There were no actual sparks or fire but it went loco with lots of smoke and each cell was exploding. I just exited 280 and had I been on the freeway it would have been worse but you can image the panic that was already occurring. (At least I wasn't on the traffic news)
Also let me add as a positive, when I left the battery connected and the parasitic drain killed it one time I simply used it's specific charger to with no damage although that is not recommended for the maintaining the life of the battery. The picture is of catastrophic failure when the alternator was not charging it at the proper rate after being dead from a jump start. Not sure if I will buy another one. And it's true weight on the front axle makes these cars handle better but for my purposes it had some advantages (no drain when disconnected, very durable). I'm 4x4 so I do have a little more weight up front. Volt freaks with it's circuit might be the way to go. I lean away from the new cheaper light weight batteries that are largely made in China? The price seems too good.
I loved my Braille because it was light reliable. You could unplug it (I cannot easily put the car on a battery tender) and it won't discharge. And frankly when I do need to remove the battery it's great being light. However, after getting a detail I should have had the guy keep in on it's specific tender because he was opening and shutting doors leaving them open - or something. It discharged and as I understand it the alternator charged it up too fast from dead. There were no actual sparks or fire but it went loco with lots of smoke and each cell was exploding. I just exited 280 and had I been on the freeway it would have been worse but you can image the panic that was already occurring. (At least I wasn't on the traffic news)
Also let me add as a positive, when I left the battery connected and the parasitic drain killed it one time I simply used it's specific charger to with no damage although that is not recommended for the maintaining the life of the battery. The picture is of catastrophic failure when the alternator was not charging it at the proper rate after being dead from a jump start. Not sure if I will buy another one. And it's true weight on the front axle makes these cars handle better but for my purposes it had some advantages (no drain when disconnected, very durable). I'm 4x4 so I do have a little more weight up front. Volt freaks with it's circuit might be the way to go. I lean away from the new cheaper light weight batteries that are largely made in China? The price seems too good.
Well that's #3 I've seen from Braille. Your car faired better than the others. You got lucky.
I suspect the issue Braille have no intelligence in them.
VF do, and won't allow the battery to go into deep discharge like this. And they have a very specific procedure to bring them back up if they do.
The newest ones from AntiGravity seem to have a similar circuit. I have no experience with them.
Bottom line: these batteries are more sensitive to maintenance than AGM or lead acid. I think, if you can't keep them maintained, just get a boat anchor. At least your car won't burn down.
11-12-2018, 12:51 PM
Experience with lightweight batteries?
