Lightweight Batteries

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by Ryland

I have to wonder if those A123 batteries would start the engine on their own or if it was the lead acid battery acting as a buffer that helped make that work.

A123 26650 specs:
Maximum Continuous Discharge (A) 70
Maximum Pulse Discharge (10 seconds, A) 120
X4

My guess is yes it can start the engine on its own even at that temperature. Double the size of the pack (8cells series parallel) and you have yourself one hell of a car battery.
26650 lithium ion battery cell

[elektrick11]

I have been testing 12V lithium car batteries on my car and I'm very happy with the results. For about 6 months I've been using it on my car. I used to have lead acid battery - DIN/JIS-80D26L I swapped it with 12V40Ah lithium battery. Lithium battery with the same size as lead acid battery (DIN/JIS-80D26L) but weighing only 6kg. When I started looking for these batteries, I was amazed by their prices! And especially living in Australia there is not much to choose from. Because of that I found a company that makes lithium batteries, that custom made me these batteries. My dad also uses 12V30Ah lithium battery instead of his old lead acid (DIN/JIS-55D23L) on his Toyota Camry 2004 2.4L Auto. Because he has on board hydrogen generator, lead acid battery had problems with keeping up energy, especially in traffic because of unmodified alternator. Once he started using lithium battery, this problem disappeared. Me and my dad making a little project where we are trying to achieve the same fuel consumption as on a new Camry hybrid, and this battery reduced fuel consumption by extra 2% on our old Camry. Hope I gave you some interested info. Here is a link to a youtube video of how lithium battery works on my car

[ConnClark]

To start my car in the winter I need at least 1000 cold cranking amps. Lead acid is the only thing that can deliver it.

[oil pan 4]

I wouldn't try to use them in my diesel, that is for sure.
I would stick with gas engines using a gear reduction starter (they draw about half the amps of a straight drive).

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by ConnClark

To start my car in the winter I need at least 1000 cold cranking amps. Lead acid is the only thing that can deliver it.

Lithium phosplate cells are far less susceptible to temperature than lead acid. In your case 12 A123 cells would deliver well over 1000 cca.

[oil pan 4]

I was just informed the battery in my car is finished.
It was on its way out when I left 5 months ago (I have access to a snap-on battery tester).

I had planned on doing a battery relocation, just not so soon. So flooded lead acid is out.
That leaves:
Optimia AMG (yellow top since that is what I plan to put in my diesel suburban next)
Lithium

I plan on relocating it under the back seats (lots of cutting and welding).

I know the optima weighs about 43lb, I handle them almost ever day at work. The bigest lithium battery weights 5lb I think.

35lb+ of weight loss and more room up front is very tempting.

[California98Civic]

I have seen some lightweight lithiums too while looking around for a new battery since my current 3-year lead acid is on 4 years and losing its grip on this world... but my sense was I would get little reserve capacity and/or weak cold cranking power. The Optima AGM yellow top has capacities I need but it's not as light as you hoped. Unless I am missing something it is 26 pounds in its lightest version, but I did not find lithiums on Optima's site, just sealed lead acid. http://www.optimabatteries.com/optim...wtop/specs.php

Know a supplier?

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I was just informed the battery in my car is finished.
It was on its way out when I left 5 months ago (I have access to a snap-on battery tester).

I had planned on doing a battery relocation, just not so soon. So flooded lead acid is out.
That leaves:
Optimia AMG (yellow top since that is what I plan to put in my diesel suburban next)
Lithium

I plan on relocating it under the back seats (lots of cutting and welding).

I know the optima weighs about 43lb, I handle them almost ever day at work. The bigest lithium battery weights 5lb I think.

35lb+ of weight loss and more room up front is very tempting.

[oil pan 4]

The 750 CCA yellow top, the same I use at work is quite heavy. I would go with the 43lb 750cca battery or the 53lb 830cca battery so that I could have interchangability with my diesel truck which requires 2 large batteries.
The 26lb 450cca battery would barely have the power to turn my cars engine over. Plus I have not seen those smaller 450cca batteries for sale at any store front.

Correct optima does not do lithium.
I was talking about the units found on the lithiummoto page (motorcyclecyclebattery dot com).

I have not tested my cars starter draw my self but, according to the papers that came with the TCI gear reduction mini starter I installed it draws a max of 440amps with under 400amps being normal.

What ever battery I go with, it needs to be able to handle the new engine I am building, slated to go in about 18months from now. A 6.7L with about 12:1 compression.

[oil pan 4]

I herd that the battery in my car isnt holding a charger so I broke down and bought the 550 cca lithium starting battery from lithiummoto.
I will see how it does.
That is 30 to 40 pounds less battery weight to lug around in the car.

[redpoint5]

I have found little advantage to reducing weight in my vehicles mostly because MPGs at sustained speed is not greatly affected by weight. With sustained speeds above a crawl, aero-efficiency has more to do with MPG than anything else.

That said, reducing weight for a stop and go driver would help tremendously.