Lightweigt battery

[Mopar DLM]

Looking for a good lightweight battery. The lithium stuff looks real nice but am I going to get $1000 worth of performance out of it. The current battery is a 12v lead acid mounted behind driver over the axle tube. Not having trouble out of it just looking for anything to get faster. With that being said buying one would not cause us to skimp on new tires or shock maintenance or cut corners anywhere else.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Just run a mag and push start it.

[Mopar DLM]

battery is only a hundred or two dollars more than a mag and way more advantages to the battery

[CCHIEF]

Move it.... unless you have no lead on your car, then you need to drop weight elsewhere....maybe the DRIVER!

[over4T]

Take a look at the Dynabatt that Davis Distributors makes. It only weighs about 13 pounds, is very compact and cost around $160. They, oddly, don't give ratings for it but the durability and power it gives is awesome. Karl Fredrickson, of Speedway Illustrated, says they've had the same one in their asphalt Modified for over 10 years and they love it.
We're going to get one for our older car that could use a little diet if this season ever happens.

[billetbirdcage]

Look at it this way!

If you need to save weight, where else are you going to save between 15 and 30# for a thousand bucks?

Not easy to do for that amount of money for sure.

There are batteries out there that weight as little as 4# but more then the $1000.00 but if you were using a regular full sized battery, then it weighed around 39 to 49#. That's a huge weight cut.

[billetbirdcage]

I should also add:

Removing that much weight typically mounted high may require a change on lead placement or alter your set up some.

So remember that if the car acts different

[Mopar DLM]

But does a 4# battery have enough capacity to crank maybe multiple times and last a full race

[billetbirdcage]

But does a 4# battery have enough capacity to crank maybe multiple times and last a full race

Yes, but that battery is 4 times the money we was talking about. Most of your lithium batteries in that 1000.00 range are 8 to 10# and will last a race no problem but do need recharged often. Since they are typically half the size, many teams run 2 of them in the same battery box just for safety.

Now keep in mind you see a lot more battery issues then before if you watch Lucas oil or WoO. No idea of the brand everyone is running or having issues with but he go lithium is pretty popular.

If it's not a lithium battery and very low weight like around 10 to 12# then it might be on the limit of how long the battery will last for anything but short races.

[billetbirdcage]

Take a look at the Dynabatt that Davis Distributors makes. It only weighs about 13 pounds, is very compact and cost around $160. They, oddly, don't give ratings for it but the durability and power it gives is awesome. Karl Fredrickson, of Speedway Illustrated, says they've had the same one in their asphalt Modified for over 10 years and they love it.
We're going to get one for our older car that could use a little diet if this season ever happens.

PS: That dynabatt battery is just a rebranded Genesis G16EP battery (least it in the past assume it's still the same)

https://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Hawker-Enersys-0769-2007-Battery/dp/B0002ILK68

You can buy it here for 100.00

[over4T]

Interesting billet. Didn't figure Davis actually made them. Best I can dig up is that they're 675 cca. Frederickson said you had to keep up with keeping them charged but I do like the extended time they are said to last. Been only getting a couple of seasons out of the Interstates we've been using the last few years at $200+ a pop. May try one ...if we ever get a season this year. Thanks for the info.

[billetbirdcage]

Interesting billet. Didn't figure Davis actually made them. Best I can dig up is that they're 675 cca. Frederickson said you had to keep up with keeping them charged but I do like the extended time they are said to last. Been only getting a couple of seasons out of the Interstates we've been using the last few years at $200+ a pop. May try one ...if we ever get a season this year. Thanks for the info.

http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm

Read that if you want more info.

Again a small light weight alkaline battery is going to have limited capacity compared to a lithium. You are going to give up a lot of capacity with a light weight alkaline type batteries. My suggestion would be if you stay alkaline to stay more in the 16 to 20# range, but again depends on you engine, race length and situation.

You guys can read it for yourself and make you own minds up but here is a section from it.

"The reserve capacity is the number of minutes a fully-charged battery at 80ºF (26.7ºC) can discharge 25 amps and not drop below 10.5 volts. The G16EP/PC680 battery has a reserve capacity of 28 minutes. However, a "usable" reserve capacity of only 19 minutes is also listed. I would guess the "usable" rating means the battery should retain enough power to run the engine starter. At 10.5 volts, the battery is discharged and will not turn the starter. The starter in the 3000GT/Stealth, by the way, draws up to 90 amps or more."

19 to 28 minutes isn't a lot of time at 25 amps, but a lot of that will depend how much you drew from the battery by starting it and will have a huge effect on run time.

[CCHIEF]

Look at it this way! If you need to save weight, where else are you going to save between 15 and 30# for a thousand bucks? Not easy to do for that amount of money for sure. There are batteries out there that weight as little as 4# but more then the $1000.00 but if you were using a regular full sized battery, then it weighed around 39 to 49#. That's a huge weight cut. Agree, but, I have seen some things, like bolt on intrusion plates, that really add unnecessary weight. Mopar DLM, what is your minimum weight requirement?

[over4T]

Thanks for the link billet, interesting read and gives me something else to ponder during this downtime. I also better take a look at the various chargers and battery tenders in the shop before I decide. I'm optimistically pessimistic (oxymoron like jumbo shrimp?) about there even being a season this year,

[Mopar DLM]

CCHIEF, for the car it's 2350 after the race with a # a lap burn off

[riddle28]

i bought a dyna batt and it wouldnt even turn my crate over, dont recommend

[CCHIEF]

So, what does your car weigh with driver, no lead? Or how much lead you adding, if any, to make weight? What engine deal in it also, wet /dry sump, iron or alum block/heads? Also what year/make car........................................ I guess the other simple question would be are you overweight without any ballast. Trying to determine if you got a heavy car, components, driver or none of the above.

[Mopar DLM]

With driver it's 2356. One chunk of lead 25#. All aluminum dodge on dry sump in a 09 updated to 15 B/G rocket.

[kiwi1955]

We've run the XS 1000 16v battery since 2013 with no issues. They weigh 30.8 lbs and cost $329 from Speedway. SLM with 14.5 compression, no alternator, on tender during week. I hope everyone and their families are keeping safe with this Covid-19 deal. Back here in New Zealand we have been in full lock down for two weeks.

[racer69]

Most of us here are too Kiwi. State by state orders. Hope y'all are safe as well. My track promoter has the virus. My first experience with those 16Vs was back in the summer. Wow. Working with another team that ran them. So much of a difference. Not sure exact location in that rocket(seems like LR corner fairly high). But at 30.8 pounds you could do a little relocating and possibly come out pretty good

[CCHIEF]

Curious...What are you trying to accomplish Mopar DLM? Less left or rear weight? Where is the ballast now? I know we favored the LR with ballast when we ran them. But also 25# toward RF in most conditions too.

[Doc88D]

We've run the Dyna-Batt in 2 crate cars for 2 seasons, (3 if we get to race this year). We havent had any troubles with it. We slow charge it on fridays in the shop, Dont touch it the rest of the weekend...

[Mopar DLM]

CCHIEF, With lots of down time just looking for ways to get faster. Don't need it to cut weight. Just wondering if I would get $1000 dollars worth of performance out of a battery. Losing a little left side won't hurt us. Have one 25# chunk of lead mounted under the dry sump tank

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

CCHIEF, With lots of down time just looking for ways to get faster. Don't need it to cut weight. Just wondering if I would get $1000 dollars worth of performance out of a battery. Losing a little left side won't hurt us.

Cutting weight would be the only reason to buy an expensive battery?

[Mopar DLM]

Going up to the 16V stuff would be another reason we would get one. Just to improve starting and ignition

[CCHIEF]

Put a XS 1000 16v battery in it and forgetaboutit. You have a heavy driver? > ~200# Spend your money elsewhere!

[Mopar DLM]

But then I would be spending money on something that is heavier than what is currently working in the car now.

[CCHIEF]

Buy the battery that makes you happy. But if your only adding 25# of ballast..... you got something/s heavy in that car.

[Mopar DLM]

What do most cars typically weight nowadays without driver in it and how much ballast on average are most having to add

[Jking24]

Depends what class crate limited or super ?

[Mopar DLM]

Just the super late models

[billetbirdcage]

It varies a ton to be honest.

If your required to have: Steel door plate (18 to 20#), fire system 10 to 15#, etc. It can add up pretty quick so anywhere from 25# to 100# is normal to get to 2300/2350 unless it was built as a light weight car for a class.

Sure you can get a car to 2150-2170# with a Steel block type SAS motor and 165# driver, as I've done it but it takes a lot of work and preparation on parts selection. Note: This was before door plates, fire systems and heavy components in places.