Which Battery to use?
Discussion
My current Odyssey battery seem to be broken (just after 1 year).
Not sure if it's not powerful enough,
or if it's because the car is sometimes standing for weeks,
but even after 1 hour of driving it can't get the engine to start up again.
Looks like it lost its capacity.
Which battery do you recommend nowadays to use with an LS7 given the limited space we have?
Not sure if it's not powerful enough,
or if it's because the car is sometimes standing for weeks,
but even after 1 hour of driving it can't get the engine to start up again.
Looks like it lost its capacity.
Which battery do you recommend nowadays to use with an LS7 given the limited space we have?
I was looking at the battery installed in one of the factory cars and it was half the size of mine.
I suspect that if you track only then the smaller battery is fine so long as conditioned regularly.
If it's infrequent road use then a bigger battery will stand the abuse of irregular charging and road use lights air con etc,
My aircon is on all the time full fan speed, I'm sure if I had a lower capacity battery the car wouldn't start so easily.
I'd have thought you would have some come back through warranty with your battery, after alll they claim three times "normal" battery life.
If you need a battery to abuse then optima yellow top are supposed to hold their charge / voltage for longer between long discharge /charge cycles, be prepared to have you trousers taken down though!
I suspect that if you track only then the smaller battery is fine so long as conditioned regularly.
If it's infrequent road use then a bigger battery will stand the abuse of irregular charging and road use lights air con etc,
My aircon is on all the time full fan speed, I'm sure if I had a lower capacity battery the car wouldn't start so easily.
I'd have thought you would have some come back through warranty with your battery, after alll they claim three times "normal" battery life.
If you need a battery to abuse then optima yellow top are supposed to hold their charge / voltage for longer between long discharge /charge cycles, be prepared to have you trousers taken down though!
spatz said:
Go for a Yellow Top like i did and your Troubles are gone
I do like these timely posts 
I'm about to order up all my electrics, (as the build it ticking along nicely) and was wondering what sort of battery to go for!Spatz - you say "Yellow Top", which make / model exactly if you don't mind me asking? I'm a road user, so like mentioned about, irregular use, A/C etc on, it feels like I'm going to need a decent (uprated) battery.
Thanks! Mark
I haven't. But like you, I use a "conditioner" on all my irregular use stuff and it means I no longer need a new battery every spring.
That said, I did forget and leave an odyssey battery in my boat for just over a year without even touching it, it still started the motor like it was fully charged.
That said, I did forget and leave an odyssey battery in my boat for just over a year without even touching it, it still started the motor like it was fully charged.
GTRMikie said:
So have I, which I connect to an Optimate battery "conditioner" when the car is not being used. Battery is eleven years old and still going strong!
Am in holidays at the moment but if I remember correctly it was something like 2.7 will add a Link later
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.de/viewitem?itemId=1706...
This was the largest that could fit in the ultima using the Standard Location but requires a different holder
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.de/viewitem?itemId=1706...
This was the largest that could fit in the ultima using the Standard Location but requires a different holder
Edited by spatz on Tuesday 16th August 10:11
Edited by spatz on Tuesday 16th August 10:14
A UK Yellow top supplier for the battery Spatz mentions above.
Allowing for inflation £159 Inc VAT and delivery seems ok. (£15.90 a year)Assuming ten year life.
http://www.advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/carbatter...
Allowing for inflation £159 Inc VAT and delivery seems ok. (£15.90 a year)Assuming ten year life.
http://www.advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/carbatter...
Mr.Snood said:
My current Odyssey battery seem to be broken (just after 1 year).
Not sure if it's not powerful enough....
My original didn't last long with my LS7 (6 months) - factory now recommend a different battery for LS engined cars - changed mine and no longer need to have trickle charge, it keeps it's voltage and unlike the original doesn't struggle to turn the engine over at all. Not sure if it's not powerful enough....
I'd say call the factory and see what they'll do - I couldn't find anywhere cheaper.
Cheers
Paul
If a battery has any parasitic load on it ie alarm or stereo memory, clock etc and you leave it until fully discharged ie a week or two depending on the load the battery will be fecked be it new, old or whatever. Even a disconnected battery will loose charge over time. If your battery cannot provide the cranking current that your 7 litre chevy requires to turn it over then the battery may work for a while but soon enough it will also give up. The std SBC Ultima battery is made by one of the best battery co's in the world but it is only really suitable to start a Jet ski engine!!! which is what it is normally supplied to do do. Due to the harsh conditions of heat and vibration that an Ultima battery is subject to it would be best to fit a race quality gel battery by Varley ie red top or Odyssey. But it needs to be able to supply the CCA (cold crank amps) that your engine requires at start up. Further more your alternator needs to be powerful enough to supply all the electrical needs of your car whilst running or the battery will slowly go flat as you drive. With a fuel injected LS7 with headlights etc this can be around 80 amps. If your car is not a daily driver then get a good battery conditioner ie ctek to keep it charged up. Leaving a std battery charger connected will overcharge and damage the battery as well!!!
I have the Odyssey Extreme 40 which meets all the above requirements and is still perfect after 3 years! It also fits the Ultima with very little adjustment.
I have the Odyssey Extreme 40 which meets all the above requirements and is still perfect after 3 years! It also fits the Ultima with very little adjustment.
Not sure if available in the UK, but the Dyna Batt is a great little true Dry cell battery and it weighs half that of an Odyssey.
Fact is that any Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) or Gel Cell lead acid battery benefits to be maintained with a trickle charger (I also use CTEK intelligent chargers). If allowed to fully discharge they are toast, even if recovered the life is reduced to a few hundred starts. In fact some quote not to let them fall below 50-60% charge. The Gel cells are particularly sensitive to overcharge voltage (boosters) and should have an intelligent charger designed for Gel cells.
IMO Optima quality is not what it once was (apparently they are offshore manufacturing now) and I returned two batteries within short periods for warranty claim. Summit Racing was not surprised and stated that Optima no longer offer a full exchange warranty only a pro rated as they were getting too many back.
Julian
Fact is that any Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) or Gel Cell lead acid battery benefits to be maintained with a trickle charger (I also use CTEK intelligent chargers). If allowed to fully discharge they are toast, even if recovered the life is reduced to a few hundred starts. In fact some quote not to let them fall below 50-60% charge. The Gel cells are particularly sensitive to overcharge voltage (boosters) and should have an intelligent charger designed for Gel cells.
IMO Optima quality is not what it once was (apparently they are offshore manufacturing now) and I returned two batteries within short periods for warranty claim. Summit Racing was not surprised and stated that Optima no longer offer a full exchange warranty only a pro rated as they were getting too many back.
Julian
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