I would like to replace my OEM battery. If I leave the ignition in the 'on' position,
and the radio on, it drains the battery in less than a hour.

I would like to find a lighter battery with enough juice to keep my radio/dvd/lights running for 3 hours at least.

Any suggestions?

thanks

 

Just shop for the battery that's physically the largest that will fit with the maximum # of Cold Cranking Amps available. Consumer Reports likes NAPA, Duralast, and AC Delco best. Die Hard (which used to be great) came out with black circles at the bottom of their ratings across the boards

 

Someone here (Ken?) put a Optima battery in his car reducing 20 pounds (l/w racing battery I guess).

His setup looks like he has a aftermarket stereo. Will I get the energy required out of this one and will it hold a charge for the time I need?

 

First, You are not going to be able to find a battery that will hold up to that type of abuse. 3 hours without the car running is stupid!! I don't care what type of battery you have, it won't hold up to that. I have been doing car stereo for 8 years, and believe me, that is not a good way to treat the battery. I understand you don't want to waste gas, but what in the world are you doing for three hours that you need your car radio on without the car running?

If want a radio, buy a boombox or the Dewalt radio that uses the 18volt battery. Even a stereo compition gel cell won't do what you are asking. If this is something you are going to do, you need to look into a deepcycle battery, if you don't you will be replacing the battery every other month, as it won't continue to hold a charge. Everytime you kill the battery, or drop the voltage to low, you damage the cells in the battery. Once they get to the point that the cell won't hold a full charge, you drop the over all voltage of the battery. This means that the battery won't have enough juice to start your car!!!! UB Stranded!!!!

The other solution is to wire the car up so you can hook a power converter to it, that way you can plug it into a 110v socket and run it on that and not the battery. Again, I am not sure what you are trying to do, but if you are doing car shows, you need to come up with something else other then a new battery.

 

I really need a recommendation for a battery that is:
1. lighter
2. markedly can provide more lasting time than the OEM battery.

I was using 3 hours as an example not an actual scenario as it sounds in my original post.

Members, please chime in if you have upgraded to a better, lighter battery for your TL as I am in need.

Here would be a solid example of what I am dealing with right now:
driver door open, working on removing center console or something for maybe an hour. Radio on low or not on at all. Battery needs a jump... I do not want to deal with this anymore.
Need recommendation from fellow TL'ers who have upgraded and saved weight doing so.

thanks guys...

 

So to be so blunt, but I have people that have battery problems all the time, and immediately blame the stereo equipment at work. They will have a 3-5 year old battery that they are trying to use to listen to there stereo system while cleaning the car, then wonder why it went dead.

Here in lies the problem. As a battery gets smaller and lighter, extend life and CCA 's are sacrificed. Personally I am a fan of the Optima spiral cells. The yellow top battery is higher CCA then stock, will hold up better, provide better sound for a stereo system and looks cool. As for weight, It is in the 40Lb range, that’s a little lighter then stock. You could go with the Red top, still a strong battery. Has about the same CCA as stock, but will hold up better under repeated drains then stock, and is in the 30+ pound range. To go with a racing type lightweight battery, you won't have near the life out of it.

 

Buddy Club Light weight battery only 16lbs i have it in my car is work great

 

Do Drive-In theatres still exist? I last remember they required you to use your car's FM radio tuned in to a specific frequency for the movie sound.

Does anyone know the Group # of the battery for our TL's? 24/34/65/75, etc

 

A guide to buying car batteries

The time to think about buying a new auto battery is before the old one fails. Once you're stranded by a dead battery, you probably won't want to spend time shopping around for another. At the first sign that your current battery is growing weaker, have a garage perform a "load test" to see if it's holding a charge properly. If it isn't, find a new battery.

All car batteries aren't created equal. A battery's size, rated capacity, and age help determine how it will perform.


WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.

Service centers such as Firestone, Goodyear, Pep Boys, and Sears tend to have a large, fresh inventory and relatively low prices. They also handle installation. Stores such as Kmart, Target, Trak Auto, and Wal-Mart may have the lowest prices, but not all of them can install a battery for you. Installing a battery yourself is not technically difficult, but it can be cumbersome, and you have to dispose of the old battery properly. Service stations and tune-up shops sell batteries as well, and they offer convenient and comprehensive service, but their selection tends to be limited and their stock may not be fresh. For cars and trucks still under warranty, a franchised dealer is your first choice, particularly if the vehicle warranty covers the battery. For older vehicles, though, a dealership is probably the last resort--it's the most expensive service venue. The two most crucial factors in choosing a battery are its "group size" and "cold-cranking amps," or CCA.

Group Size. A group size defines the battery's outside dimensions and the placement of the terminals on them. For instance, group size 75 fits mainly General Motors cars. Size 65 applies to most large Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury products. Newer Hondas, Nissans, and Toyotas use size 35. Most Chryslers use 34. You'll also see combinations like 34/78, which has two sets of terminals and will fit either Chryslers or some GM models. Choose the group size recommended by your car's manufacturer. (Reference guides at battery retailers can tell you which group size your car needs.) The wrong size might not fit securely.

Cold-cranking amps. CCA is a measure of a battery's ability to start a car in cold weather, when thickened engine oil and slowed chemical reactions make starting hardest. CCAs denote how much current the battery can deliver to the starter at 0° F. Don't confuse CCA with CA, which stands for cranking amps. That's a measure taken at 32° instead of 0° and is typically much higher than the CCA rating.


Key considerations

Reserve capacity is another important measure of battery quality. It indicates how many minutes your car might run using the battery alone, should the car's alternator fail. You may have to check product literature rather than the battery's labeling to find the reserve capacity.

Buy a fresh battery--one manufactured less than six months earlier. Batteries are stamped with a date code, either on the battery's case or an attached label. The vital information is usually in the first two characters--a letter and a digit. Most codes start with the letter indicating the month: A for January, B for February, and so on. The digit denotes the year: 0 for 2000, say. For example, B3 stands for February 2003.

Warranties. Like CA ratings, battery warranties can sound better than they are. You'll see two numbers: one for the total warranty period and one for the free-replacement period (usually three months to three years). The free-replacement period is key. If the old battery fails after this period expires, you get only a prorated credit toward a new battery.


How to choose

Performance differences. Our tests of batteries regularly show wide variations between and within brands. You'll find Ratings of auto batteries below.

What you can do. Check the battery group size and CCA for your vehicle. Not every brand comes in every CCA level. To get the brand you want, you may need to go a bit above your car's CCA requirements.

Steer clear of batteries with a CCA rating below the one specified for your vehicle, as well as those rated 200 amps or more higher than the specified rating. It's a waste of money to go too high. Buy a battery with the longest reserve capacity you can find. If it's not printed on the battery (and it usually isn't), ask store personnel or check product literature. Should your car's charging system fail, a longer capacity can make the difference between driving to safety and getting stuck.

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Car batteries: Some go the distance


hidden from view Covered batteries like the one on this Nissan 350Z can make installation and upkeep harder. Batteries with caps (at rear) require periodic care. Batteries may look alike on the shelf, but under your hood it’s a different story. Our tests show that some are far more likely than others to last longer and provide more cranking power.

Longer life is especially critical if you take lots of short trips and you do at least some of your driving in warm-weather regions. Quick drives shorten battery life by offering little recharging time, while high temperatures can increase oxidation within the battery and boil off the electrolyte needed for current.

Our life test mimics those tough conditions by measuring how many repetitive, 100-hour drain-and-recharge cycles batteries can handle before their cold-cranking voltage falls below an industry-specified minimum. Models that excelled in that test endured as many as seven drain-and-recharge cycles, compared with less than two for the worst performers.

Widely varying life-test results aren’t the only reason to be picky about your next car battery. Some models provide more cold-cranking amps (CCAs) for frigid climates, where thickened engine oil and reduced battery capacity make starting harder. Months of grueling battery tests also revealed that one year’s top-performing brand isn’t necessarily another’s. Here are the details:

Two big names trade places. Sears’ DieHard batteries have consistently performed well in our past tests, while Wal-Mart’s EverStart brand often trailed the pack. This year, the EverStart batteries we tested were among the better performers, while DieHards didn’t score as well.

Many batteries are hard to reach. Chrysler, Nissan, and Volkswagen are among the growing number of carmakers that put batteries beneath covers under the hood, rear seat, or trunk, in part to insulate them from engine heat. While that might help battery life, it can make removal and replacement an hour-long project. Less access can also pose maintenance hassles, since most batteries have capped cells that should be checked and filled with distilled water as needed: once a year in most areas, twice a year in hot climates.

Few meet cold-cranking claims. CCA has long been a selling point for cold climates. But claims are often inflated, since manufacturers base their ratings on tests that charge batteries at a higher voltage than a car’s charging system provides.

Just 6 of the 39 batteries we tested met their CCA claims at the real-world, 14.5-volt charging standard we use; 4 of those 6 were EverStarts. Several other models came close. That’s a step up from last year, when just 1 battery met its claims, but it’s still an unimpressive showing.


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November 2005
CR Quick Recommendations

All of these batteries will start and run the vehicles they fit. Our Ratings emphasize life-test results over reserve capacity and cold-cranking performance; you’re likely to find the trade-off worth it.

Some battery compromises are a function of design. For example, specialized North and South batteries emphasize cold starts or heat resistance and are sold only in those regions. While several regional batteries did well, so did many nationwide models. The pricey group-size 34/78 Nascar (25) has spiral windings instead of the usual inner plates, making it spill-proof and promising longer life. But as our test scores show, two conventional batteries performed as well and cost less money.

The Ratings rank auto batteries by overall performance within group sizes and footnote models that are sealed and maintenance-free, a plus if your vehicle’s battery is hard to reach. See Types to choose the right group size for your vehicle. Then see Quick Picks, which focuses on specific needs and value. Group size is indicated in parentheses.


Quick Picks

Best for cold climates:
1 NAPA $80 (65)
4 ACDelco $90 (65)
13 ACDelco $90 (75)
22 EverStart $40 (24/24F), CR Best Buy
24 EverStart $60 (34/78), CR Best Buy
32 NAPA $60 (35)
34 Autocraft $50 (35)

The EverStarts (22, 24) are especially good values within their group sizes.
If you live where it’s warm:
1 NAPA $80 (65)
2 Duralast $60 (65), CR Best Buy
15 NAPA $70 (75)
26 ACDelco $90 (34/78)
32 NAPA $60 (35)
34 Autocraft $50 (35)

All of these scored relatively well in life and reserve capacity. The NAPAs (1, 15, 32) and Autocraft (34) scored well for CCA, a plus for trips to cold areas. Also consider the Nascar (16) if you’re willing to trade some life for a low price.

 

 

OEM Battery (24F/550AMP)

 

i have a duralast in my acura and it has a system in it, starts like a champ every time, i dont really run the system with the car off, but no issues and half the price of the optima

 

Get an Optima!

 

i've been happy with optima in the past, little pricey but they seem to last forever. i have a personal grudge against napa and refuse to buy anything they make

 

^


this man is a genius, listen to him!

 

i think you need orange text the rest of the night

 

Dont BS, I only graduated a few spots behind you at Stanford.





He is modest people, get an optima!

 

shhhh, we are supposed to be 3rd gen retards

 

Thats a negitive. As for the drive in, at the time there where not that many electronics in the car to drain the battery. With all the crap that is in a modern car, it will drain a car quite fast.

As I previously stated as well. Optima is the way to go. They can take a bullet and keep working, Top that NAPA!!!

 

Just on the topic of saving gas...

Do you actually save any gas by have the engine off and the car turned to on? You will drain battery, and the car will then use more gas charging it back up? I know shit bout cars really, but I know energy can't just disappear.

 

Even though they probably do have a battery that fits, a search for 2004 TL on their site doesn't find one.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...ry_search.html

Optimas are made by Johnson Controls, the same company that makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.