Review your Battery Choices...

[PedalOnTheRight]

I searched and found only one thread on batteries. Just wondering what brand and model you guys use for batteries.

Please post your specs and any good characteristics about the one you chose. We've used a couple singles in the past that were of poor quality. Thanks!

EEJ

[PedalOnTheRight]

I searched and found only one thread on batteries. Just wondering what brand and model you guys use for batteries.

Please post your specs and any good characteristics about the one you chose. We've used a couple singles in the past that were of poor quality. Thanks!

EEJ

[JR @ CFS]

We considered cutting a couple of kilos last year by going for a smaller battery. The car would need to start battery assisted prior to any event beginning, but in the event of a stall could handle a start itself...but we weren't 100% certain! If you can't restart your car in the endurance event, goodbye finish hello DNF! Your battery is absolutely crutial! You can cut a few kilos, but my best bet is to go with the standard that is advised for the engine...speak to guys who race in the "production" class of a motorcycle club and they are your best bet for the lightest but most powerful battery.

[PedalOnTheRight]

That is good advice thanks. I understand that most people prefer the 7ah gel cell batteries, I'm just wondering what brands, so I can do a detailed comparison...

[Jonathan R.]

We used a YUASA YTX9-BS. There is a common problem for FSAE cars caused by repetitive start-up and often not running long enough to fully recharge it, and you end-up killing your battery.

[Erich Ohlde]

We have run the ytx10-(something) with no problems. We are going to test a ytx7-(something) this weekend.

[PedalOnTheRight]

anyone else??

[BStoney]

Yuasa batteries

[Chris Boyden]

Batcaps if you have lots of money.

[Dave M]

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc310.htm

[Korey Morris]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave M:
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc310.htm </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

There is an odyssey 310 in the first UKFSAE car built in 01, then abandoned. Since the club's rebirth, we have been playing with that car. It has never given us trouble, even after sitting 4 years. Our 06 car is using a pc 680. it's a lot heaver, but this car will get more use. For comp, we may shed the ~10 pounds and go back to the 310, but for now its nice to have the extra power (training drivers that kill the SOB all the F-ing time grrrrrr).

After my experience w/ the odyssey batteries, every racecar that I have will get one. So far, they are bulletproof. We have a local vendor that has been selling them to us at cost. That helps too http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Sooner_Electrical]

We used odyessey for the last 3 years in our cars, different model each year and all of them are still working great and never had a problem with the power of them. They are great if you need to mount in a weird orientation with alot of vibration.

[Erich Ohlde]

The odyssey is only 8 AmpHr and 5.4 lbs? Yuasa makes a 7 AmpHr that comes in at 4.6lbs. Although it doesn't have that many cranking amps. But I find it hard to believe that an 8 AmpHr battery can provide 300 cranking amps.

[Rob.C]

we use one of the odvsey batteries, cant quite recall the model number, but i do know that is gives 550 cranking amps! even when the battery is at 11 volts, it still has enough to actually start the car!

awsome battery!

PS check out www.ubracing.co.uk (http://www.ubracing.co.uk) for our launch updates which will be going up soon!

[Richard Pare]

If you are really serious about saving weight, check out Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) batteries. About 10-15 times the power density of NiCads, depending on which ones you buy. Not cheap!

These are used by all of the serious model airplane and helicopter fanatics now.

Takes a special charger, or you can have them blow up, so research that side of things well.

[Korey Morris]

phew..

I wish we where that serious...

[Geoffct]

Technically a high power density is not a weight saving merely a space savings, but its nice to put mass lower and packaging smaller. What you mean is high power/mass.

I did a bit of analysis with lipos a while ago, here's the idea:

YTR9-BS
12V CCA=120 AH=8 DIM=6x4.5x3.5in Weight 6lbs Cost $70

Kokam 3200mAh 20C 3Series2Parallel
11.1V CCA=128* AH=6.4 Dims 5x2x2in Weight 1.5lbs
Cost $250

But then you have to add in cost and weight of a charging circuit to handle ~6.4A charging Lets say minimum of $20 and .5 lbs and .5x2x3

Your up to $200 for 3 lbs and 1/3 the volume. And usually a battery is very low, so you can't even argue cg. $66/lb. Hell give that offer to your driver.

Not to mention that on many small teams this is a month long project or more, so your down one man on the rest of the car.

For us it didn't make sense, but maybe if you have a very light car with a low current starter and a huge team....

Geoff

[Richard Pare]

Actually, Power Density is defined as the ratio of power to the volume, though it more common for it to be used when speaking of the power/mass ratio.

In either case, they are pretty incredible batteries, and definetely for only those who have big budgets!

[C.Casper]

I've been thinking of going with a PTZ10S (http://www.batterystuff.com/power-sports-battery/PTZ10S.html)
Haven't been able to find much info on how good they are...little low on the CCA. Anyone used this brand before? Also, I would think its more important to have the amp/Hr more than the CCA since this is a near stock replacement, 130 must have been good enough for a stock F4i. Still need to check out the Yuasa batteries.

just my two cents, too many other things to get done to do too much research unfortunately.

[Greg 08]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Technically a high power density is not a weight saving merely a space savings, but its nice to put mass lower and packaging smaller. What you mean is high power/mass. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://www.plantraco.com/hobbies/product-lpcells.html

A google search yielded this site. While what you are saying may be true, they still attest that it is higher specific energy in the mass context. But like everyone else has said, they are mighty spendy. I do agree with you as well that drivers are the easiest and cheapest way to lose weight and decrease the cg.

Greg MTU FSAE

[Andycostin]

We used wet cell batteries before, and had always been close to having trouble with restarts in endurance. Last year we switched to an oddessy, and the difference is well worth the weight penalty. Where our old battery would have probs if you couldn't start it within the first 10 secs or so, the oddessy will even start the car in gear..... Well worth it in my opinion.

Andrew Costin
Swinburne University