Might be new battery time!

[brick]

Well, I think that it's getting to be time that I replace my 12V battery. I knew when I bought the car that the battery is the original (delivered 5/02, so ~4 years of use) which would make this about the right time for recycling & replacement. This is especially important to me now that I FAS from time to time, and the ScanGauge has clued me in to just how much strain is put on the battery under those conditions.

I thought to glance at voltage before I started the engine this afternoon, which read 12.2V after sitting for 9 hours (and no FAS this morning to drain it before parking). I have also kept track of how far the voltage falls after entering a FAS, and though I haven't timed it I can tell you that things drop off pretty quickly. Sitting at a stop light yesterday with headlights on and the key in IG-II, it fell below 12V after less than a minute and got down to 11.6V by the time I was ready to start up shorthly thereafter. From what I've read, it should be able to hang on longer than that.

So what it comes to is this: I'm going to replace the battery at my leisure so that I don't end up with any unpleasant surprises. I can either go for a direct replacement or I can spring for a more expensve deep-cycle battery that might be better up to the FAS duty cycle. (I've been eyeing the Optima "Yellow Top".) Any comments on on this? Any experience with the Optima batteries vs. standard batteries would be particularly interesting.

[krousdb]

I replaced the battery in the Del Sol in Feb. Not because it was bad but because it was oversized and I couldn't put on the battery strap that was required for the safety inspection. I got the cheapest one that Pep Boys sells and it works just fine for me. The oversized battery that came with the Del Sol was only a year old so I put it in the Outback which still had the original battery after 9 years and 120k miles. I had no problems with that battery either but I took it back to get back the core charge.

[xcel]

Hi Brick:

___I was on the phone speaking with Bradlee about Hybridfest 2006 plans tonight and remembered your 12V battery post earlier today. He has connections into JCI (Johnson Controls Inc. - Battery Division, makers of the Optima’s here in Milwaukee) and I asked him if he could speak with the AGM experts there about a nice and lightweight AGM replacement for your Accord, my Accord, and Bradlee’s Insight as we all need them now. I mentioned the fact that us non-hybrid hypermiler’s FAS at a whim and although that does not mean deep discharge except during the winter with the lights on for FAS after FAS after FAS for an hour or so on end, we do stress our 12V’s far more then just about anybody other then those running huge current amps to Sub’s (Tom comes to mind ). Anyway, he said he will E-Mail those JCI experts and see what they can provide.

___While you are waiting, JCI’s Battery division’s site has a lot of info on the Yellow and Red Top Optima’s that you might be interested in reading. Tom follows the High End Stereo guys recommendations given their needs but I don’t think that is in our realm?



Red Top - 12V Starter batteries

Yellow Top - 12V Deep cycle batteries

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[brick]

Great reply, Wayne! I look forward to hearing what the experts have to say about our application. JCI's website should keep be busy in the mean time.

[xcel]

Hi All:

___I just ordered an Optima - Yellow Top 51R to see how it acts given the Accord OEM 12V’s CAP is to the point I just don’t trust her anymore. Or I just wanted to try out a new high tech battery It will be interesting to see how she handles extended FAS’ing with all the electronics the EX-L w/ NAVI comes equipped with over the next year or so.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[brick]

Let us know how you like it! Odds are I will do the same thing sometime this summer unless I can find a compelling reason not to.

[tbaleno]

I heard yellow tops aren't great for using as starter batteries for some reason. I don't remember why exactly. Or maybe it was blue tops. Humm. I have to look that up.

[xcel]

Hi Tom:

___Look it up fast as I pick it up after work in the morning.

Dual Purpose (Starting and Deep Cycle) Batteries for Professional Use

OPTIMA YellowTop is made to install and forget. No matter the conditions, be it dampness, heat, dirt or exposure to extremes in vibration or regular discharge, you can count on OPTIMA to deliver uninterrupted power. OPTIMA's ability to hold a higher voltage during the discharge cycle makes it possible to utilize more of the stored power in the OPTIMA compared to ordinary batteries. The YellowTop handles many discharges as well as re-charges without losing significant capacity. OPTIMA is also ideal for seasonal use because of its very low self-discharge rate. That means you can store your seasonal vehicles all winter without regular charging and still spring out of the starting block when winter is over.

• Dual Purpose starting and deep cycling.
  
• Lasts up to 2 times longer than other batteries.
  
• Constant performance quality keeping your battery running at the same level even as it's being discharged.
  
• More power in the initial 1, 3, 5, and 10 seconds of the starting process than comparably rated conventional lead acid batteries.
  
• Ideal for seasonal use, fully charged, it can sit unused for up to 12 months at room temperature (or below) and still start a car.
  
• 15 times more resistant to vibration than other batteries.
  
• Nonspillable and can mount in almost any position.

___Possilby the same information that “All” battery manufacturers release

___Thanks in advance.

___Wayne

[lakedude]

Originally Posted by krousdb

I got the cheapest one that Pep Boys sells and it works just fine for me.

Yikes! I've learned my lesson on batteries. My Boat was going through a couple cheap batteries per season. Getting stranded in a car or boat sucks! They were giving me free replacements but after 3 or 4 I spent the money and put in an Optima. I won't use anything but AGM/drycell or Optima.

Truck - Optima
Vette - Optima
Boat - Optima
Tractor - AGM "Big Crank"
Old Jet ski - "Oddesy drycell"

The HCH and new Jet ski are still on their stock batts.

[philmcneal]

hm how much did the battery cost + shipping?

I N T E R E S T I N G, but my car can still hold its 12.8 volts before starting! (after topping it up with 13.5 volts parked)