OJCrush08

So, my '10 Z06 (Project Crystal) on this Forum, sits dead in my garage with it's second Delco Battery. I do use a trickle charger on this car, but not 100% of the time.

Along with all of the power and handling mods I have done, I have been putting the car on a modest weight reduction plan, and it is now at 3090 lbs, even with gaining a few pounds when I added the Apsis custom leather/alcantera seats to replace the former folding chairs. I figure that I am now at about 425 lbs lighter that the dreadnought C7 Z with power levels very close.

So making lemonade out of lemons, perhaps I could knock off a few more lbs with the new battery, old battery is 36 lbs.

I have narrowed down my choices based upon my review of the excellent spreadsheet in this Forum that documents comparative weights. My primary concerns are not $$$, but weight, and decent reliable startability for a recreational toy.

Candidates are:

1. Autozone Gold - 29.7 lbs
2. Odyssey - 26 lbs
3. Braille 2015c - 15 lbs.

Opinions?

Thanks!

WhiteDiamond

I am running a Shorai in mine with nice results. Right around 5 pounds.

WhiteDiamond

Shorai LFX36L3. Shorai makes a specific charger for these batteries and I do use it. I killed the first shorai, I should say, my alternator killed the first shorai. That is the weakness of them, once full discharged it must be sent back to have the chemical makeup restored. My alternator's voltage regulator drained the first one completely and killed it.

It seems to be fine. Other members on here have/are running it. It is super small and very light(less than 5 lbs). I used Katech's braille battery foam support to secure it, but you could easily cut pieces out of foam to secure it yourself.

Cor430vette

I have been trying to find out a replacement battery for about a week, I will share what I have learned:

1. If your battery is an enclosed battery you need a vented battery.
The Duralast is vented....( I have a GS that is enclosed in the rear battery so it calls for the same Z06 battery which is vented)
The Optma and Odyssey claim you don't need venting but read their website and they can still create hydrogen gas in uncommon situations. Worth the risk...? Probably not,,,
Here is a link in the forum with discussion on this topic..Post #1 and Post #7 ...: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...y-options.html

2. 3 companies make all the major batteries for example Johnson control makes a ton of different batteries.
Here is a list of the batteries they make....
http://bestbatterytips.com/best-bran...nson-controls/
Many people use this as a reason to buy the cheapest at Walmart, however, Chevrolet makes a bunch of cars just like Johnson makes a ton of batteries, the most expensive cars at Chevrolet (like our corvette) are better than the lower cost ones. So surely although Johnson makes many brands they are not created equal?...Or maybe its like generic prescriptions and they are all the same? I don't know and I don't think, based on reviews I have read, it makes a big enough difference to matter. Some of the best name batteries last no longer in some cases than the cheapest...

3. Nonetheless, with our cars you will be replacing them sooner than later so I have gone to looking at only the Cold cranking amps, cranking amps, reserve time, vented or not , and weight....the Duralast was my final decision. http://www.autozone.com/batteries-st...96492&cmpid=cj

I hope this helps!

SuperchargedTundra

I replaced the stock one with the autozone gold. Gets the job done...10lbs lighter...less damage on the wallet also

Cor430vette

I believe the Duralast gold exceeds all of the AC Delco from the factory specs. I know my Delco had CCA of 590 versus the CCA of 650 from Duralast. I know some people will argue CCA is not important but CCA, CA and reserve time are all used by The Battery Council International and I quote "as standardized tests that allow all battery manufacturers to list specifications for their batteries, based on the outcome of those standardized tests. One of the measurements that can be determined from those standardized tests is how many cold cranking amps (CCA) a battery can generate." So collectively all the standards can be weighted against each other as a way to generate at least an idea of how good a battery is relative to its competition.

Here is more information also on the venting dilema straight from optima's web page....if you type in "venting" on their webpage there are allot of comments from them stating that it needs to be vented from a safety stand point...
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us...tima-mailbox5/
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us...ries-trailers/

AZDANZ06

Same here, and a good warranty with it

wrh3

Odyssey if you want the best (does require an Odyssey specific battery maintainer/charger though):


Mil-Spec batteries that won't die....

Cor430vette

I really like the stats on Odyssey but it is like the Optima battery and is not vented and it has the risk in certain situations of producing hydrogen gas .. although probably a low probability. I am unsure if I am willing to take a risk of explosion for any battery. Especially when the Duralast gold will do the job is vented so no risk, costs around 100 dollars less and weights over 10lbs less. Odyssey weights 40lbs....

Here is a quote:

Cor430vette

Did not know that. I wonder if they were not aware of the risk back then? Nonetheless, even if risk is low we actually have the option to not take the risk at all....unlike back then ....if the Optima and Odyssey were so astronomically better it may be worth the risk but I have read about them going dead also...

OJCrush08

Thanks for the replies, guys. I am a bit confused by comments on the Odyssey battery since I thought it was quite a bit lighter than the stock unit, not heavier...

Hib Halverson

Odyssey is not lighter, it's a tiny bit heavier, but it has much greater "pulse cranking" power which is what you need to start an LS7, especially a modified one. The reason the Odyssey is a bit heavier is the virgin lead plates. There's a lot of info on Odyssey's web site.

One of the first things I did with my '12 Z is put an Odyssey in place of the OE Delco.

In theory, yes, the Odyssey might make hydrogen, but I don't think that's an issue unless you constantly run a high charge rate. The battery is not vented so it's going to be hard for the H2 to get out.

lebvette

My original battery lasted 5 years, and most of the time I didn't have a charger on it. I replaced it for a warm fuzzy feeling, and it was from Auto Zone.

wrh3

My original Odyssey battery lasted 10+ years and was still in it's second car when I sold it.....I have not been able to kill one yet. I did run that one in the ground a few times and the Odyssey charger brought it back to life every time. If you use a regular charger/maintainer they might be damaged, but other than that can handle a lot more total discharge cycles than OE.
Odyssey PC1200 weight in specs is 38 lbs, AutoZone/Advance OE replacements weight in spec is 32 lbs, so not a huge difference. Of course there are smaller Odyssey batteries that weigh less but might require some type of mounting solution, the PC1200 fits perfect.

Odyssey PC1200MJT vs OE size (you can also see the double-duct-taped-handle method of extraction used):




Hib Halverson has a review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RC63...SIN=B002496GK8

The Technical Manual may answer other questions: http://www.odysseybattery.com/docume...1_0411_000.pdf

FWIW, some of the DieHard Platinum batteries are/were rebadged Odyssey batteries at a lower cost.

The Odyssey in my 427 was originally in my GS, to date I have not had any issues with any of the Odyssey batteries I have owned......maybe I'll have this car/battery long enough to replace one.

3LZZ06

2 Batteries in 5 years should have been 100% covered under the standard 30 month full replacement for AC Delco...

RamAir972003

Just installed the new interstate battery works perfect.. More cranking amps starts right up with my heads and cam..

Yes it does have the vent for the battery..

OJCrush08

The Odyssey I was originally referring to was Part PC925MJT, listed in the Sticky spreadsheet itemizing weights of various parts, as 26 lbs. Clearly, this must be a different model than the one referenced in Hib's response....

OJCrush08

Well....probably not...You see, bought this '10 3LZ (one of two left in the country) brand new off of the showroom floor at a RI dealership in the summer of '11, at an extremely serious discount from MSRP Just before I picked it up, they had replaced the original battery with another Delco, said the original went dead. Car had about 30 miles on it when I bought it.

Robert_M

Anyone have any easy trick for lifting out the old battery and lowering the new one back in? Looks very tight for fingers in there!

wrh3

If you look at one of my photos on page 1 of this thread, I found the easiest way was to make a duct tape handle, run from the bottom of one side of the battery to the bottom of the other side so that it has a lot of surface area to stick to, doubled up for strength. You will still have to maneuver a bit to get it out (kind of like that old game operation but with a heavy organ) but it does the job.