Battery needed, info required.
Discussion
Ah well, just tried to start the 5.5 but the existing battery had little life although fully charged.
Not surprising as the car has been sat for a long while.
The battery is also the wrong one, much smaller then my 4.6 one.
Soooo, what am I looking for?
Is there a specific model? What amp/hour?
Is it a case of measuring the box and getting he best sized battery or it?
Not surprising as the car has been sat for a long while.
The battery is also the wrong one, much smaller then my 4.6 one.
Soooo, what am I looking for?
Is there a specific model? What amp/hour?
Is it a case of measuring the box and getting he best sized battery or it?
The original was an 072
The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
My Odyssey PC1500 fits in the Chimaera battery box a treat, the dimensions of this battery are:
Length: 275.6 mm
Width: 171.7 mm
Height: 198.6 mm
Grunty too
Pulse Hot Cranking Amps: 1500 (For 5 seconds)
Cold Cranking Amps: 850
Hot Cranking Amps: 1250
Marine Cranking Amps: 1050
The dimensions for the 096 Varta Ultra (cheaper than my Odyssey but still very good quality) are:
Length: 278 mm
Width: 175 mm
Height: 190 mm
So the bottom line is lots of batteries fit, just keep an eye on the length as this is where things can get a bit tight.
TBH any 096 should fit (just), and would be a great option as typically it's a case of the bigger & heavier the better with lead acid batteries.
AGM technology is definitely the way forward if you can stretch to it, but anything that fits & has 500-600 cold cranking amps will do the job.
A BatteryBrain is also a brilliant addition to avoid the disappointment of a finding the car has a flat battery just when you want to use it.
Great car BTW Peter
The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
My Odyssey PC1500 fits in the Chimaera battery box a treat, the dimensions of this battery are:
Length: 275.6 mm
Width: 171.7 mm
Height: 198.6 mm
Grunty too

Pulse Hot Cranking Amps: 1500 (For 5 seconds)
Cold Cranking Amps: 850
Hot Cranking Amps: 1250
Marine Cranking Amps: 1050
The dimensions for the 096 Varta Ultra (cheaper than my Odyssey but still very good quality) are:
Length: 278 mm
Width: 175 mm
Height: 190 mm
So the bottom line is lots of batteries fit, just keep an eye on the length as this is where things can get a bit tight.
TBH any 096 should fit (just), and would be a great option as typically it's a case of the bigger & heavier the better with lead acid batteries.
AGM technology is definitely the way forward if you can stretch to it, but anything that fits & has 500-600 cold cranking amps will do the job.
A BatteryBrain is also a brilliant addition to avoid the disappointment of a finding the car has a flat battery just when you want to use it.
Great car BTW Peter
Here's a good option if you want a quality AGM battery at a good price.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Size-096-Varta-Ultra-E39...
You can find a battery that'll do the job from £70, but for me this 096 Varta Ultra E39 at £110.00 delivered to your door represents great value for money.
The 20.4kg weight tells you a lot about the quality.
You pays your money & all that.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Size-096-Varta-Ultra-E39...
You can find a battery that'll do the job from £70, but for me this 096 Varta Ultra E39 at £110.00 delivered to your door represents great value for money.
The 20.4kg weight tells you a lot about the quality.
You pays your money & all that.
phazed said:
20 KG.........blimey! I thought I had a fairly light car 
Never mind the weight, just think of the balance of the car.....with you in the driving seat, it will be so much better balanced with that lump of lead in the other side. 
(Now guys, how can we get another 60kg of lead into that car so that us less well endowed mortals stand the faintest chance of staying with him on the track?
)Peter, have you considered hitching 4 of those batteries together in parallel to boost your starting capabilities? There should be room in front of the passenger seat.....

Edited by QBee on Tuesday 24th September 11:26
over_the_hill said:
ChimpOnGas said:
The original was an 072
The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
I have a '98 model with an 072 battery.The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
I measured my box to be
Length: 270mm
Width: 180mm
Height: 225mm
Put some "D" ring bolts through the floor & strap it in.
Then it doesn't matter what size your box is.
Did I just say that?

ChimpOnGas said:
over_the_hill said:
ChimpOnGas said:
The original was an 072
The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
I have a '98 model with an 072 battery.The dimensions of the 1996 Chimaera battery box are:
Length: 280mm
Width: 190mm
Height: 230mm
I measured my box to be
Length: 270mm
Width: 180mm
Height: 225mm
Put some "D" ring bolts through the floor & strap it in.
Then it doesn't matter what size your box is.
Did I just say that?

phazed said:
If I was sensibe, I'd delay the starting proceedure and fit an icle one in the boot.
Hi Peter, you could never be called "sensible"!. You have 2 heavily modified Chimaera's, you have spent a little while working on your new one and just when you are ready to start it, you think "I know i'll wait until I have put a tiny battery in the boot". Get it running, and then plan ahead with repositioning the battery and swapping over your stripe.I hope it runs well, and it is everything that you wanted
If anybody needs some TVR luck, it's you
Good luck
Jamie

phazed said:
If I was sensibe, I'd delay the starting proceedure and fit an icle one in the boot.
Icle ones are for the Ghays, they may well crank the lump Ok when fully charged but it's the amp hours you lose out on.In the world of lead acid berries, size (& weight) is everything, you cant beat the rules without changing the chemistry.
Not a problem if you've got you're icle one permanently on a trickle charger but I wouldn't want to leave the car for a long time without disconnecting or having it on a float charge.
However, I've been thinking about two Odyssey PC680 icle ones stacked

If there's enough height to stack em, wired in parallel it'll still give 12v but double the amp hours.
A PC680 is only 79mm deep, so two staked will not only give you sufficient life & grunt, but will also release 3.5 inches of leg room for your passenger.
Job jobbed, & no need for super long battery cables as with a boot mounted battery.
Even better you could mount two parallel linked Odyssey PC680 behind the seats, one in the driver's side cubby hole & the other in the passenger cubby hole.
This would put the weight just forward of the rear axle line pretty much at the centre of gravity point, using two batteries one in each cubby hole evens up the weight distribution left & right too, so more or less perfect.
You get ll this plus a massive 7 inches of additional passenger leg room & plenty of amp hours too.
ChimpOnGas said:
......
This would put the weight just forward of the rear axle line pretty much at the centre of gravity point, using two batteries one in each cubby hole evens up the weight distribution left & right too, so more or less perfect.
All this careful balancing, what a shame there's an 80 kilo lump in the driver's seat, upsetting the balance......This would put the weight just forward of the rear axle line pretty much at the centre of gravity point, using two batteries one in each cubby hole evens up the weight distribution left & right too, so more or less perfect.
Edited by QBee on Tuesday 24th September 13:45
Edited by QBee on Tuesday 24th September 13:45
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