MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Maintenance, Problems & Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Zxrob on November 15, 2024, 21:18

Title: New Battery
Post by: Zxrob on November 15, 2024, 21:18
Hi All

I think its new battery time, thinking of lithium, have run them on my bikes for ages with no issues, never had one on a car, any recommendations, advice.

Cheers Rob
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Alex Knight on November 15, 2024, 23:07
I know lots of people have lithium batteries.

What put me off getting one, is a story from a track Marshall at Blyton Park. He told me he watched two cars burn down to the ground (one was a 991 GT3) due to lithium batteries catching fire. An entire fire engine tank couldn't put the Porsche out. They had to stand there and watch it burn to the ground.

My 2p.
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Gibla on November 16, 2024, 04:55
Have used Exide ELTX20H for 2-3 years in a couple of my cars, they weigh about 1kg

One started to lose it ability to hold charge after about 12 months but was replaced foc by Tayna

Originally about £120, now nearer to £170-180
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Joesson on November 16, 2024, 13:26
@Zxrob

This recent Lotus EVORA thread maybe of interest:

https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/anyone-with-experience-of-lightweight-lithium-12v-starter-batteries-in-ice-cars.1811/
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Gibla on November 16, 2024, 14:45
Quote from: Joesson on November 16, 2024, 13:26@Zxrob

This recent Lotus EVORA thread maybe of interest:

https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/anyone-with-experience-of-lightweight-lithium-12v-starter-batteries-in-ice-cars.1811/

Good call @Joesson some mention the Antigravity battery that I just happen to have fitted to an MX-5 that I also own, whether by coincidence there is a mention of battery management issues (something somewhere in the circuitry not directly associated with the battery itself)that I have also periodically experienced. When the charging circuit is working as it should the Antigravity battery is great- albeit hugely expensive and way larger than the Exide I mentioned in my earlier post.
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Gibla on November 16, 2024, 15:04
My Antigravity battery on the MX-5 is WAY larger than this one on their website, but looks a good alternative to the Exide that I am using with success

https://antigravitybatteries.com/products/starter-batteries/restart-oem/atx20-rs/

Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Jared on November 16, 2024, 16:41
I've been looking into this and not sure the lithium is worth the money. I like the idea of agm but not sure if I'm gonna be able to lose much weight over a normal battery.
Mine us a daily driver so don't want to have any starting issues but I have found a normal battery 40ah and 330ca that is 2kg less than the 45ah that I have now so for £40 it's not a bad loss.
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Carolyn on November 16, 2024, 16:46
Mine is starting to feel a tad sluggish on a cold morning....
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: boor on November 16, 2024, 17:13
For a daily driver would recommend the oem. Better brands cames with 5y replacement guarantee - which I used twice already, as mine is a weekend car. Have some audio and additional gauges, also 2zz and supercharged, so my case is a bit different.
Friends used light weight ones and experienced some issues on daily cars - long story short, they moved back to the normal size. Great for the track, for sure.
There's always an alternative to move battery to the front on on top of the rear subframe, to get better weight distribution.
Title: Re: New Battery
Post by: Jared on November 16, 2024, 19:21
Bit of investigation...
We use a 45ah battery which can use 50% of its charge so that's 22.5ah capacity.
AGM can use 80% so if you go for a 26ah (pretty common) AGM battery that "should" fit the bill and weight is around 6.5kg plus the xr-600 is about £60 so not too expensive.