Been looking at Braille batteries for the Molvo. Size and weight are appealing. Cost and availability when required maybe not so much.
I hear mixed reviews on the optima batteries to the point where I am put off and wondered if the Braille batteries had similar issues that make them only suitable for race applications?
Pete
I haven't heard any complaints about the quality of Braille batteries but the price is butt-puckering. Deka is a cheaper brand by the same manufacturer. Also check out Shuriken as a cheaper alternative.
don't let them go low on voltage. I did and it killed mine dead dead dead. I know, don't let any battery go low on voltage, but the braille I had seemed especially sensitive.
Optima gets a bad rap because people don't know how to recharge them, it's different than a standard battery & most, including retailers don't understand that. No I don't know if they have other issues aside from consumer ignorance.
In reply to purplepeopleeater :
This would be kinda why I ask. I hear the story about "people don't know how to recharge them"..I have even heard about the "Adoptima" program for unloved Optima batteries.....But really, how often should we need to be mentally involved in the charging of a car battery?
I can swing the $$$ for the Braille but if it has to go on a battery tender every time I park the car, I just ain't that into it.
Pete
Are you looking at the AGM ones or the Lithium ones?
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
I believe the Braille is Lithium technology.
They get freakisly small and light, but I worry about dedicating such a small space for battery and then run into a situation where I need to source a replacement and it wont fit.
The mental game I am playing is to put a braille battery under the hood where space is a bit too cramped for lead-acid or do a traditional lead acid way back in behind the wheel-tub on the PS.
Pete
They have AGM batteries and Lithium batteries. They're not quite an order of magnitude different in price but pretty close.
And what do you need for CCA? These sorts of things exist for much less. 300CCA for $99
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
Pretty sure that would work for a summer driven car. That is a smoking deal and even better than a lead acid bought locally. Will delve into that cause other than having to drive to Port Huron to collect it, it looks like a winner. Thanks
Pete
I just ordered one for the Accord and it should be here Friday. We'll see how it goes.
I’ve had good luck with the Deka brand small batteries for the rabbit but I do keep a battery tender on them.
Haven’t used Braille batteries but have used the sealed Odyssey batteries. They are small but not as light weight as the Braille. Been happy with the Odyssey and amazed at how well they hold a charge even after sitting for a good length of time.
My 8 lb 'Delco' branded AGM only lasted 6 years in a weekend driven BMW. I put a trickle charger on it after year 3.
so I just bought another- $60 from Amazon
NOHOME said:In reply to purplepeopleeater :
This would be kinda why I ask. I hear the story about "people don't know how to recharge them"..I have even heard about the "Adoptima" program for unloved Optima batteries.....But really, how often should we need to be mentally involved in the charging of a car battery?
Ok , what's the trick with the optima batteries ?
It was stupid of them to sell something that the average person would think would behave like a normal lead acid battety
consider them exotic disposable batteries for weekend/track cars. None of the lithium batteries hold up with the load and heat put on them when installed on a car. I have gone through several in the miata and now just use an odessey AGM. Which also is only good for 2-3 years I have found. Also, beyond the marketing there is nothing really special about any one brand of them, there are lots and they generally use the same cylindrical lithium iron phosphate cell in different packaging. Ballistic, shorai, etc.
pirate said:Haven’t used Braille batteries but have used the sealed Odyssey batteries. They are small but not as light weight as the Braille. Been happy with the Odyssey and amazed at how well they hold a charge even after sitting for a good length of time.
I only use Odyssey now, they are a great battery as long as you do not get them too close to high heat.
I looked at the prices of those lithium brailles, I got a nose bleed!
I have a braille in the exocet that I like - as noted it's TINY and weighs nothing. I occasionally use it like a jump box for my other cars and it always starts whatever it's in.
I keep it on the braille floaty super charger thing.
https://www.braillebattery.com/index.php/braille/product_batteries/b106
This is the one I have.
I've seen the insides of a few Braille Lithium racing batteries, and I am very wary of them. Shoddy construction, terrible looking soldering, and weird hacks like two wires running parallel across the same terminals in place of a large gauge wire. Oh, and no controller to balance the cells. This means that even if you regularly trickle charge the battery, you could still end up in a situation where one cell goes dead, rendering the entire battery useless. It's pretty insane considering their lithium batteries are in the $1000-$3000 price range.
I haven't seen the Braille AGM batteries disassembled yet. But it does make me wonder how well they're put together too.
californiamilleghia said:Ok , what's the trick with the optima batteries ?
It was stupid of them to sell something that the average person would think would behave like a normal lead acid battety
If it is deeply discharged, you have to either have an AGM capable charger or hook it to another 12V battery in parallel and put the charger on the charged 12V battery.
Is it worth installing a Braille in a daily driver?
A friend has an Odyssey in his Spitfire. A few years ago we were doing a group trip and his alternator died. He drove the car for another 20 miles before he could get to a stopping point. At which point the battery had discharged to the point where his Megasquirt wasn't seeing enough voltage to run. About three hours later we had the alternator replaced, but oddly enough the battery had "recovered" enough to start and run the car again. And that battery was at least 10 years old.
In reply to amerson :
hell no.
twowheeled said:In reply to amerson :
hell no.
Pretty much the answer I was looking for!
This beauty looks like it will fit where I need it to the 6" height limit is the challenge for this application.
The next question is the battery cable...the factory Miata cable is appealing because it is there, paid for and it will reach where it needs to reach at the back of the car. At $5 a foot for 1 gauge plus the fun to fabricate a new one, it is appealing to use. But it sure looks wimpy to my eyes. Thoughts?
Pete
You'll need to log in to post.
