Lightweight LiPO4 batteries - only 4.5 lbs!
08-31-2007, 12:47 PM
#1
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Lightweight LiPO4 batteries - only 4.5 lbs!
I've been reading alot about new lightweight LiPO4 batteries on my M5 board. Several members have installed and save more than 50 lbs. These batteries are extremely light (4.5 - 6.5 lbs) and offer some other tangible advantages over traditional batteries, including stated lives of 5-10 years, safety, quick charge, 5-year warranty, etc. These batteries are so small and light that some of the guys are actually mounting near the engine and shaving weight on the heavy battery cables.The downside is the cost ($500 to $700).
Just thought I'd introduce this idea to this forum and see what everyone thought. It appears that the top manufacters are Tekbatteries and Voltphreaks.
www.tekbattery.com and www.voltphreaks.com.
Feedback and thoughts welcomed on this. I did contact the owner at Voltphreaks who offered to give me a significant discount if I purchased, evaluated and posted feedback on the forum. However, even with the disount it is pretty pricey, for a guy with a heavy C4 cab. Any of you weight-conscious guys interested in trying it out, please PM me and I can give you the details. He also said he'd arrange a group buy for us, but only extended an offer of free shipping and free accessories.
G
Just thought I'd introduce this idea to this forum and see what everyone thought. It appears that the top manufacters are Tekbatteries and Voltphreaks.
www.tekbattery.com and www.voltphreaks.com.
Feedback and thoughts welcomed on this. I did contact the owner at Voltphreaks who offered to give me a significant discount if I purchased, evaluated and posted feedback on the forum. However, even with the disount it is pretty pricey, for a guy with a heavy C4 cab. Any of you weight-conscious guys interested in trying it out, please PM me and I can give you the details. He also said he'd arrange a group buy for us, but only extended an offer of free shipping and free accessories.
G
08-31-2007, 12:58 PM
#2
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From a "C2" perspective, I'm not sure how shedding weight up front where it's already the lightest end would be a benefit without an equal or greater weight loss in the rear.
08-31-2007, 04:26 PM
#4
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Shedding weight is always nice and there are very few opportunities to reduce weight in the rear. Most of the weight comes out of the space between the wheels, but some comes from up from and a tad from the rear. You simply need to have a new corner balance done once you remove significant weight (a few hundred pounds). My Turtle now weights about 2450 lbs (down from over 3000) and not much of that came from the rear.
To lose much weight from the batterery and wiring will take a lot of work. Mounting it in the rear makes little sense as there is no room, it's too hot and unless you gut the car and re-wire, it's njust not realistic. If you were to gut the car and rewire, mounting it in the cabin makes some sense.
I have a lightweight Odyssey battery in my track car (about 13 lbs, cost about $100). You have to decide if 10 pounds is worth the extra $500+ dollars to go with the Li-battery that you are suggesting. I'd say there are plenty of cheaper options to lose that 10 pounds.
To lose much weight from the batterery and wiring will take a lot of work. Mounting it in the rear makes little sense as there is no room, it's too hot and unless you gut the car and re-wire, it's njust not realistic. If you were to gut the car and rewire, mounting it in the cabin makes some sense.
I have a lightweight Odyssey battery in my track car (about 13 lbs, cost about $100). You have to decide if 10 pounds is worth the extra $500+ dollars to go with the Li-battery that you are suggesting. I'd say there are plenty of cheaper options to lose that 10 pounds.
