Question for Optima, Braille, Odyssey battery owners

[jameshtaylor]

I've now had 3 "incidents" over about ten years where battery fumes from your basic car battery have caused corrosion formation near the terminal destroying the electrical connection. In the most recent incident this seems to have caused an alternator failure. Yes I'm slow to learn, but will changing to a true sealed "mount in any position" battery really and truly eliminate this problem? Seems like it should, but I thought I'd ask for some real world experience. Thanks, Jim

[304065]

The Optima isn't supposed to vent during normal operation, but it certainly has overpressure vents. These can been vented overboard easily if it's a concern.

However, any rechargeable battery can produce gas. If it's a concern, vent it.

[RSTarga]

Since I got tired of repairing acid damage on my car. I switched to optima battery in both my cars about 10 years ago. Problem solved, i've never had acid damage since then. The only caveat is you must put a battery maintainer on these batteries when not in use as they are difficult to charge if allowed to discharge too deeply.

[John Z Goriup]

When I built my car, one of the "non-negotiable" modifications that were going to be done regardless of what else I inflicted on my '70 911 was to eliminate the Mickey Mouse stock twin-battery set-up and go to a single, centrally mounted maintanance-free, "dry" battery.

After initially installing an Optima and experiencing battery failure soon after engine start-up, I switched to the ODYSSEY you see in the attached photo. I put it on it's side, terminals facing forward in the "smuggler's bin" in a home-made bracket to absolutely eliminate any possibility of movement. The Odyssey has been one of the most effective, smartest modifications I've done to the car to date. Haven't had the slightest hint of trouble since.

The only other change I have made ( not shown in photo ) is the addition of a permanently mounted Schumacher maintanance charger next to the battery to keep it fully charged since the car occasionally sits for extended periods of time ( rainy season in northern California).

I can't recommend the Odyssey battery installation strongly enough. Significantly lighter than an Optima, certainly much lighter than stock, totally reliable, small size fits anywhere, & excellent product back-up if needed.

[chiroracer]

I got the even smaller odyssey (think car stereo size) and have had no probs.

[jameshtaylor]

Thanks to all. I'm going forward. Sounds like my terminal corrosion problems will be a thing of the past.
John, that's a very slick installation. If I'd had your experience, I think I'd stick with the Odyssey. I'm going to try the Braille 3121 which is very similar to yours in CCA, Reserve Capacity etc, and is similarly priced but weighs about 16 lbs less. I'll report after I've had some experience with it.
JIm Taylor

[304065]

Jim- one recommendation-- above all else, ensure that the positive terminal is well insulated from contact with ground. With all due respect to John's installation above, he needs a block of wood or plastic between the positive and the body sheetmetal. In a car accident, instantaneous g-loads can be upwards of 100g-- enough to slide that battery forward into the forward part of the smugglers box at the same time the fuel tank splits open, giving new meaning to the word "ignition points." A piece of 2x4 zip-tied to the terminal clamp is a cheap way to buy some peace of mind.

[jameshtaylor]

Thanks John, good advice. I actually have a plastic and silicon rubber cover in place now but have just been planning to fabricate another, tougher, cover which can be more securely attached to the terminal.

[John Z Goriup]

If you look closer you'll notice that in the photo the entire battery installation is only half done, the cables are neither finished nor connected, and that only the mechanical installation has been completed.

I did not post the photo to impress anyone or blow my horn, rather, only to illustrate how nicely the battery fits into the smugglers bin, and a core belief that posts without photos to illustrate a point are pretty much pointless. That installation is the result of a lot of excercise moving that damned battery around the trunk searching for a suitable location where it could be installed safely, conveniently, with a minimum of modification(s) to the body, and yet permit immediate access. Since Day One there have been two 3" x 4" pieces of double thickness harness leather riveted / glued to the inside of the front bulkhead of the smugglers bin, just in front of both terminals, in addition to commercially available plastic terminal caps, which really wouldn't do much other than prevent a short if you layed a wrench across the terminals accidentally....but they do visually clean things up. I have since also added the original smugglers bin lid, powder-coated in gloss black to match the fuel tank, and re-contoured to clear the battery everywhere by at least a 1/4".