Anyone with experience with Braille batteries

My 7 yr old Optima is not holding a very good charge. I can tell it's getting weaker and weaker.

I'm kinda wanting to move the battery back into the factory location and out of my trunk. But I don't want a huge battery because of FMIC piping rubbing and it's bulky so I'm looking at the tiny skinny Brailles. Are they reliable? Do they last a long time? Can they take a lot of demand (I have two amps, radio, a sub, HID kits, and gauges so I demand a lot but I know the alternator is responsible for keeping juice but still I want to know).

I think the Bushur kit is a Braille so it has to be decent.

Discuss.......thanks.

 

They seem to be ok but you have a lot of electrical demands for a mini battery.

 

Don't forget the odessey PC680 and there's another one that starts with a D (and I can't remember the name).

 

Would the odessey be up to my demands? It doesn't have to be sealed since I would be moving it back to engine bay.

 

I run the odessey PC680 and have not had an issue with cold weather or powering a single 150w amp.

 

Ask TS how many working Braille batteries they have over there. The PC680 works out well. Basically around $100.00 and you can even get them at Batteries Plus.

 

here's the one that starts with a "D", Deka. These are made by the same manufacture as the brailles but for about half the price. Pick which ever one you think you'll need. That price even includes shipping, a damn good deal. http://www.tristatebattery.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=deka+power+sport&x=0&y=0

 

Same here, I love mine. Running a 200w amp, 1 - 10" sub too. No problem after 4 years.

I got mine from here for $68 back then: http://www.gotbatteries.com/items.asp?params=search/SLA/1/all/pc680T


I'm guessing Braille raised the value a little.

 

If you have a high powered stereo, you could always buy two of the Deka batteries and run them in parrallel. I did this back in the day when I use to compete in car stereo.

 

Braille sucked for me! Its was way 2 expensive for what it was lasted for 1 year! It powered my 12 and amp ok,but really expected it 2 last much longer! I just bought a factory subie for 80 with a 36 month guarantee!

 

Just tell me....you saying the Brailles don't work well.

I don't really have a high powered stereo, just Pioneer AVIC D3 with front components and 1 10" sub and I don't 'blast' my radio or pump a ton of bass. Just nice clean crisp sound. But I do have all the other stuff but again it only is working while the car is cranked.

That odyssey.....I read that you can't put it under the hood. Where you guys have yours all mounted?

 

Could always do a little battery in the stock location and run a small capacitor in the trunk for the stereo if you are concerned it will suck too much power.

 

Again I don't draw that much with my stereo. It's mostly the combination of 2 HID kits, gauges, WB02, radio, 2 amps, turbo timer that concerns me but again it's the alternators job to keep the charge which it is unless I have the A/C running and it'll dip to 11.8 volts if I'm sitting still in traffic (time to mod the alternator).

However I've read that I can't put that Odyssey under the hood and I want to confirm that.

 

I ran the odyssey in my last car under the hood. The only problem that I had was leaving the lights on once or twice. Totally dead after only a few minutes. I listed to the radio once for about 30 minutes in the parking lot of school, and it drained me to nothing. Other than that it was great. About half the weight and space, plus it was sealed.

 

Thanks I never have radio on with car off. Lights come off with the car so I'm good there.

LiquidForce where is your's mounted?

 

Well they haven't had the most luck with them. They had to send back to Braille a whole box full of them. Majority of them were brand new. Wouldn't hold a charge very well. If you let your car sit for more then a day or two you'd pretty much need the jump box.

Unless it was free I wouldn't get them for my car.

Take care!

 

AMS also has a small battery kit for sale. I wonder if it is any good? Looks to be promising but dont know much about it.

 

Sweet find integroid. That is the Odyssey battery it looks like! Anything from AMS is good just about.

 

Yeah I thought the same but it is not the same size as the Odyssey...I cant find any sealed battery with the exact same specs.

 

Well they have an email from me waiting. However I'm not keen on it being under the hood after hearing that heat kills them and that you need to park under shade as much as possible. Shoot my car is NEVER under shade.

I may just give up and go with another Optima Red Top.

 

Buschur & AMS use stickers over their battery kits from what I remember.

 

another vote goes to PC680 from summit racing complete with automotive terminals, and recommend a version with metal jacket too

 

What the metal jacket do?

 

Just a FYI - For people looking for a smallery regular battery, you can use a Group 26R battery instead of the Group 35 most places will sell you. The 26R is smaller and weighs about 5-10 lbs less but still uses the factory tray and hold down. It is actually rated to have more CCA than the bigger group 35 battery....go figure. I got one from Autozone for $59.99.

 

Excellent. So I just go to AutoZone and tell them I want a Group 26R battery?

 

Yup, it is listed as an alternate battery for your car. I think the part number is 26r-vl.

 

I will run 1gal less gas in my car instead of having to worry about a small battery.

FWIS

 

Are any of us competing on a professional level where saving 5-10 pounds accounts for that extra .01 second? Aside from Doug in Lucy, I can't see anyone on this board needing a lightweight battery for any practical reasons.

 

Yup, I agree and that is why I posted the info above about the alternate battery. I am sure some people that have the smaller batteries is due to IC piping. That is why I posted the info. It gives you a little more clearence than the factory battery but just as reliable. The extra weight savings is just an added bonus for me.

 

Fwiw you can goto any autozone or advanced and buy a battery made to fit a (92-01) honda civic for 40-50 bucks. It will be a bit smaller to give you the additional clearance sometimes needed yet still power the car fine and have a better life span then a mini battery.

 

This is 100% what I was looking for! I want to put my battery back up front but wanted to avoid the FMIC piping issues I had. Mine was rubbing bad when I had the Optima Redtop up front which is why I moved it to the back.

Thanks a ton Doug! So the 92-01 Civic batteries give you a lot more clearance than the Stock battery or the Optima Red top?

 

Yeah, I would assume as long as the battery had the same height and same battery terminal psoitions, you could use it. The 26R gave me a few more inches of room plus more CCA than the standard sized battery. They had a yellow top optima battery at Costco that was about half the width of the standard sized battery and the exact same height that I almost purchased but couldn't justify spending $120 on a freaking battery.

 

What brand was the 26R? I went and they were clueless to what I was talking about.

 

It was the Autozone Valuecraft Line of batteries.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ca...ery&fromWhere=&searchText=&_requestid=1567674