Lightweight racing battery

[shomesomesho]

Ok, so I'm seriously getting into weight reduction for my autocross SHO, so I've started looking into lightweight racing batteries.

I am looking at getting the Odyssey PC680 (15 lbs.):

PC680

or the Braille racing battery (11.5 lbs.):

Braille

With the stock battery weighing ~40 lbs., either of these options would represent significant weight loss. Jenny Craig would be proud.

Anyone have any experience with either of these batteries? Good or bad?

The SHO is autocross-only, but I do drive it to-and-from events (up to 2 hours). It has no sound system, no climate-control/heater/a-c, no alarm, no frills. But I do prefer to drive in traffic with the headlights on, and I'm assuming the alternator will take care of that. So it seems either of these batteries would be sufficient for this purpose, right?

 

[Hack]

I have had any Odyssey PC680 in my SHO for a couple years now. It works great for my needs, but I have no electrical accessories and the car is used very infrequently.

 

[92sho16]

Ive got a odyssey pc925 in my sho, with a 300 watt stereo, only have had to times where i had issues, one i left my lights on and my car barely cranked over and the other was when my alternator died, neither really were the battery's fault.

 

[shomesomesho]

Good to know. I'm gonna get the oddyssey.

 

[38SHO]

an altenator is actually designed to power the accessories... an altenator is not really designed to charge a battery, battery is way more for cranking capacity and reserve capacity.... the altenator takes care of the rest... especially if your at higher rpm's(above idle)

 

[SHOZ123]

Those small batteries work great but they have a limited amount of start cycles in them. Due to their high amp output and small cell size this strains the plate grid much more than a larger battery. I would assume the acid strength is higher too compared to a normal battery.

They will work well for a track car. I ran the PC 925 for three years full time in my '97. If I did not drive the car for a two or three weeks it would be discharged to the point it would not start the car. So when not in use it should be disconnected or have a battery tender connected to it.

I really wouldn't bother with the tender though as the Odyssey has an excellent shelf life. Just disconnect it when in storage.