Good drag racing batteries?

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rally
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Good drag racing batteries?

Post by rally »

Guys,
I run a 69 Camaro BB 468 CI, motor. I do not use an alternator. I use to run Die Hard deep cycle batteries but these things are way to heay to run in my trunk and preload my rear suspension to much. Whats a good light weight deep cycle racing battery out there? Optimia a good brand battery? Anybody i need some direction, thank you
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by Speedbump »

I use Optimas in my toys as well as the toy hauler. They work well. You didn't ask, but...I tried the battery only in S/G for years and it took lots of the fun out of racing. Worrying about starting in the staging lanes or having people to push, etc. I installed a mini one wire alternator down low and drove it off the crank with a Moroso V style pulley. I'll never look back. The car was more consistant and I was way less jumpy, worried, frustrated, tired when I staged the car. I''m doing a 125" altered as my last bash and I guarantee there will be a small alternator hidden in that BBC somewhere. Just a thought.
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BCLS776
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by BCLS776 »

Optimas are good batteries, but deep cycling is hard on them. Speedbump has the right idea -- put an alternator on it and take a load off your mind. Even folks running 16V batteries are starting to use alternators now too, since they have discovered 16V batteries often have less capacity than the 12V ones.

An alternator costs you about 1hp. How much is losing a round worth to you?
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by Alaskaracer »

Optima batteries here as well, and I'd never run a car without an alternator. Good advice you've been given here on that one.............
Mark Goulette
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rskrause
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by rskrause »

I run a 16V w/o alternator and can go many rounds off a full charge. Now, I run a mechanical fuel pump so there is no draw from that and that may be why it works so well. OTOH, I do run EFI which does draw some current. If I used an electric FP I sure would have an alternator.

As far as batteries, I don't think the Optima is anything special. In the end, weight and reserve capacity are directly related, TINSTAAFL applies to batteries unless you completely change paradigms and go to something like an LI-ion technology. Of course, no one paying for their own stuff would buy a $1,000 battery, at least no one I know.

Richard
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by Speedbump »

"As far as batteries, I don't think the Optima is anything special." Would have to disagree. Maybe not so much the brand name, but the gel style batteries have a way better track record for me in vibration prone areas like race cars, street rods and toy haulers.
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by rskrause »

Speedbump wrote:"As far as batteries, I don't think the Optima is anything special." Would have to disagree. Maybe not so much the brand name, but the gel style batteries have a way better track record for me in vibration prone areas like race cars, street rods and toy haulers.
Agree. The gel-type is advantageous.
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Re: Good drag racing batteries?

Post by btnhra »

The best battery to use in racing is a yellow top optima. It is a deep cycle starting battery. If you run a higher amp alternator you won't have to top off the battery at the track even over three day races. The small hp loss from the alternator is made with the repeatabiliy will will get from having a higher voltage to your ignition. If I remember the calculation for hp it equal about 750 watts of power. 12 volts times a 100 amp altenator equals 1200 watts so that is less then 2 hp. The ignition will make that go away.
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