Need a new battery, Suggestions? Options

[00 SS]

I'm thinking getting an Optima red top but was wondering what else might be a good choice. The car is mostly autox (ESP now but maybe FS next year) these days but does still see some street duty. Any other suggestions besides Optima?

[racerns]

If you want to take this opportunity to do some weight reduction I would suggest the Hawker Odyssey PC680. It only weighs 14lbs. I run it in my car that is a track car that sees the street one or two days a week. The only time I have had problems with it is if there is a starting issue the causes you to have to do repeated starting attempts (like trouble shooting a starting issue) then it drains down. I have had the car sit for more than a week and start up with no problem.

This post has been edited by racerns: Sep 6 2007, 09:04 PM

[cccbock]

I'm thinking getting an Optima red top but was wondering what else might be a good choice. The car is mostly autox (ESP now but maybe FS next year) these days but does still see some street duty. Any other suggestions besides Optima?

NAPA carries a spiral wound battery similar to Optima which is made by Exide. So if you can locate an Exide dealer, or your local NAPA, they have a similar battery to the Optima. PRice varies. Optima may be cheaper now that they are mass market items.

I ran an Optima Red for 4 years with no trouble and only replaced it because I was getting nervous about its age..., however there was a significant thread going around awhile back that Optima had warranty and quality control issues after being bought out by Johnson Controls a few years back and went nationwide mass market. Because of this, I opted for the NAPA version for my last battery which I have owned for a year with no troubles. They may have solved all these issues.

Neil mentions the Hawker which I know zip about, but it looks like a good weight reduction measure. Longevity would be my main question.

Just as an aside, the spiral wound batteries do not like to be "fast" charged with an external battery charger (keep amperage under 2 amps preferred). It supposedly reduces the life. I purchased a "Battery Tender" (brand name) 0.75 amp trickle charger which I keep hooked up the battery pretty much all the time when not running the car. Works like a charm, and shuts itself off when the battery is fully charged. I highly recommend it for all cars not driven daily.

bock

[CMC #37]

I like a nice big amperage Delco. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I've had the same bad luck run with Optimas.

[00 SS]

The original Delco is leaking. I'm not saying anything bad about it, it lasted over 7 years. However, I like the idea of a battery that can't leak. I've had optimas and the exide (spiral style) in other vehicles in the past and both were excellent batteries. If I remember right, the optima lasted longer. Both were in 4x4's with electric winches.

I thought about the Hawker, but if the SS gets moved to FS next year, I think I will put it back to stock and the Hawker would not be legal.

The optima now has a 7 year warranty with 3 year free replacement. I think that's what I'm going to get.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[sgarnett]

My OE Delco only made it to about 4 years. My Optima Red has been working fine for two years. In that time, I've gone through two alternators, so the Optima has been on a conventional "automatic" charger several times (since I didn't know any better) with no apparent issues. That doesn't mean I haven't reduced the life though - time will tell.

The OE alternator lasted 5 years. The remanufactured replacement only lasted one year, so now I'm trying a new (but not Delco) replacement. I run on a lot of 1st gear courses which are not good for alternators (or anything else). Neither alternator failure coincided with battery issues, but in both cases the Optima started the car fine several times and got me home with the fuel pump, injectors, and ignition running off the battery only.

This post has been edited by sgarnett: Sep 7 2007, 03:20 PM

[pknowles]

Delco batteries just seem to last. The Delco battery in my truck was the original when I got the truck used, that battery lasted 8 years total. It started getting weak around 7 years and then I left the interior lights on all night by accident and that killed it. My original Delco battery in my Camaro lasted 5.5 years before I killed the battery by leaving my Wideband 02 on all night again by accident. I put a Delco Diesel battery in the truck (more internal plates) and an Optima red top in the Camaro. The Optima is lighter then the Delco and our cars use a lot of electrical power, so I didn't want the possible headaches of the small lightweight 680. Yes, I'm carrying the extra 15 lb's from using a full size battery, but the car starts with ease every single time.

[00 SS]

I found the leak in the OE Delco. When I went to disconnect it, the positive terminal tore right out of the side. There was evidence that battery acid had been leaking there and running down the side of the battery and down the cable. I used a 1/2 box of baking soda making sure I neutralized any acid still sitting around. I lost some paint on the frame below the battery, so when I get more time, I need to pull it all back apart repaint a few areas to prevent rust.

I agree, the Delcos do last well. The OE battery in the TA lasted 5 years and this one was 7.5 years old and still working, even with a leak, when I removed it.

[DRD T-bone]

I purchased a "Battery Tender" (brand name) 0.75 amp trickle charger which I keep hooked up the battery pretty much all the time when not running the car. Works like a charm, and shuts itself off when the battery is fully charged. I highly recommend it for all cars not driven daily.

bock

Agreed, I have one of these, they're great

[dailydriver]

The Optima is lighter then the Delco and our cars use a lot of electrical power, so I didn't want the possible headaches of the small lightweight 680. Yes, I'm carrying the extra 15 lb's from using a full size battery, but the car starts with ease every single time.

I agree. One of the reasons I got the Red Top is because it was lighter than either the Delco, Interstate or a Johnson Controls made Die Hard Gold <(by a lot!). On top of all this, it won't leak! The car has NEVER failed to start on the first revolution of the starter (even with worn plugs!) with the Optima, for the 4 years it's been in there.
I view the Hawker/Odessey "lightweights" as a racing ONLY battery (and mainly a DRAG race one at that!). I just would NEVER trust that thing in a full/near full accessory daily driven (especially in the winter!) f body.

Does anyone know if the new Sears Platinums are spiral wound/gel electrolyte like the Optimas?? Even so, I'll bet they are significantly heavier than the Red Top.

This post has been edited by dailydriver: Sep 7 2007, 04:30 PM

[CMC #37]

I have a Battery Tender for the CMC car when I am not racing it on a regular basis. Works great!

[Todd]

I found the leak in the OE Delco. When I went to disconnect it, the positive terminal tore right out of the side. There was evidence that battery acid had been leaking there and running down the side of the battery and down the cable. I used a 1/2 box of baking soda making sure I neutralized any acid still sitting around. I lost some paint on the frame below the battery, so when I get more time, I need to pull it all back apart repaint a few areas to prevent rust.

I agree, the Delcos do last well. The OE battery in the TA lasted 5 years and this one was 7.5 years old and still working, even with a leak, when I removed it.

Thats a typical leak for the delcos...the dealers "claim" that it happens when the posts are overtightened. I just replaced the OE battery in my 99 Montana for the same reason. Held a charge, but was leaking from the positive post. I find that the GM service replacement batteries (GM Professional Series) don't last as long unfortunately.

[CrashTestDummy]

<SNIP>
I thought about the Hawker, but if the SS gets moved to FS next year, I think I will put it back to stock and the Hawker would not be legal.

<SNIP>

It's not? Isn't it a normal wear item? If this is true, I didn't know that. Of course, it has been a while since I have run stock, but seem to remember some of the stock Honduhs in our region with those tiny little batteries installed.

Battery Tenders are great! I have our 95 SS with it's red-top Optima hooked up to one. The car gets out of the garage maybe once a quarter. When I want to go, I simply unplug the Battery Tender and fire it up and get on the road. I'll soon be getting a 4-port Tender so I can hook the Firebird up and have it on the 'mind' between events.

The Optima in the SS is over 3 years old now, and still going strong. On little-used cars, I would only get about 3 years max out of an optima. I installed the optima because the Delco I replaced it with leaked, as they all seem to do. I'll probably replace the little battery in the SVO with a Hawker when it gives up. I already have acid burns on the hood latch cable.

[pknowles]

<SNIP>
I thought about the Hawker, but if the SS gets moved to FS next year, I think I will put it back to stock and the Hawker would not be legal.

<SNIP>

It's not? Isn't it a normal wear item? If this is true, I didn't know that. Of course, it has been a while since I have run stock, but seem to remember some of the stock Honduhs in our region with those tiny little batteries installed.

The few opening paragraphs on stock class in the rule book list common replacement parts (battery being one of them) and say it must be similar to the original part and provide no performance benefit. So lightweight batteries are not allowed in stock class.

[ws6transam]

I too, run a Hawker Genesis. It was purchased in 2003. It still works great, but I'm just now getting to where I need to keep it on a battery tender if I do not run the car for a few weeks.

Super sweet battery: Lots of instantaneous current delivery, and you can mount it in any orientation, including in the FLAT position on the original battery tray. It's only three inches high when it's like that.