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> 914 Battery, Odyssey models, other AGM brands?
JamesJ
post Mar 17 2023, 12:24 PM
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Hello World,

I am needing a new battery for my 2.2 four cylinder 914. I have read many of the battery threads from recent years. I know many of you have had success with Optima, but I've also read about the quality concerns in recent years. The Odyssey seems like a good choice as I've not read any threads addressing quality concerns with this brand.
The Odyssey Group 42 standard size battery for our 914s is 600 CCA, is as heavy as a lead acid battery at about 40 lbs., but it is a plug and play(no extra bracket required). I am not opposed to this option, but like the idea of a much lighter battery.
Odyssey sells a PC925(330 CCA at 24 lbs.) and a PC680(170 CCA at 15 lbs).
My mechanic friend recommended that I stay within 100 CCA of the standard size Group 42 battery, which would mean at least 500 CCA.
My car is stored at a remote storage facility that does not have power, so a battery charger/tender is not an option for me. I currently disconnect the negative battery cable when not using the car, but will purchase a disconnect switch when I purchase the new battery. The car is not a daily driver, and it's not unusual for the car to sit for a week or two at a time without starting or driving it. I have a/c and a CLA for my cell phone, but no radio or other electronic gadgets and I don't run any of the above with the key on.
I've read where several of you have the PC680 or PC925 and have not had any starting issues, but I don't know how often you start your cars or if you use a battery charger/tender to keep it from draining down. I live in California, so CCAs are not as critical as other areas in the country.
Any thoughts on CCA ratings or other issues I should consider? For terminals, do you use the SAE battery posts or the M6 receptacles? Other AGM brands recommended?

Thanks!
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technicalninja
post Mar 19 2023, 09:23 AM
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The Li-ion batteries scare me enough to not run them in anything but a track car.

My youngest, Michael, was a track marshal for MSR (Motor Sport Ranch).

If any of you have video where a young blond "punk" made funny faces in your camera just before you left the pit area, that's my son...

One of his duties was fire suppression.
A Li-ion battery fire is very similar to a magnesium fire. Nothing but burying them puts them out. 20 minutes AFTER you think you have it out it starts back up.

A lithium-ion battery fire almost always takes the entire car with it.

These are NOT cheap batteries either. A 200K track car usually gets the very best equipment.

Owners are pissed when this happens...

They have lost multiple cars and garages to Li-ion battery fires at MSR.

I do see the benefits to the Li-ion batteries but until these becomes less flammable, I'll stay with heavier batteries.

I wish my Optimas lived as long as Clay's and Jim's...
10 years is a shitload for any battery.
Had mine lived longer I'd recommend them over everything else.
Optimas can fail but when they do they just barf their guts out of the cases.
I have not heard of any fires being associated with this.

The usual reason for Optima failure is long term trickle charging with equipment that is not specific for Optima batteries.

The Optima smart chargers are a bit on the expensive side and don't work seamlessly with lead acid batteries.

Out at MSR, Porsches gained the title "fire lizards" due to the fact when they leave the track and slither into the grass they catch it on fire far more often than any other brand of car...

PCA and Porsche events at MSR were always super professional with extremely friendly people. Michael loved to work when the fire lizards were running.

The motorcycle crowds were exactly the opposite...
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Posts in this topic
JamesJ   914 Battery   Mar 17 2023, 12:24 PM
rjames   I have the Odyssey PC925 with SAE posts and love i...   Mar 17 2023, 12:46 PM
mlindner   I've had Optima's for the last 20 years, n...   Mar 17 2023, 12:51 PM
Root_Werks   I'm running a PC1200 for 3 years on my 2.7 six...   Mar 17 2023, 01:19 PM
yeahmag   Just bought an AntiGravity ATX20-RS https://antig...   Mar 17 2023, 04:02 PM
mepstein   Just bought an AntiGravity ATX20-RS [url=https:/...   Mar 19 2023, 06:30 AM
zoomCat   Group 96R is a drop in, new Die Hard AGM is 31 lbs...   Mar 17 2023, 05:57 PM
nditiz1   Running the PC680 on my 6 conversion. Over winter...   Mar 17 2023, 07:43 PM
PlaysWithCars   PC680 for me as well on a 2.4l six with a high tor...   Mar 17 2023, 11:48 PM
oakdalecurtis   i use an Optima Red, got about 8 years out of my ...   Mar 18 2023, 02:46 AM
slotty008   I have the PC680 since 2 years now. It's very ...   Mar 18 2023, 10:29 AM
nditiz1   Slotty from this angle it looks like that positive...   Mar 18 2023, 11:11 AM
slotty008   Slotty from this angle it looks like that positiv...   Mar 18 2023, 11:48 AM
rudedude   I have an odyssey pc925 that is in one of my 911s....   Mar 18 2023, 11:43 AM
technicalninja   I've used the Optima batteries in quite a few ...   Mar 18 2023, 01:42 PM
ClayPerrine   I have Optima batteries in every single vehicle I ...   Mar 19 2023, 05:58 AM
jim_hoyland   Great discussion of batteries, thanks for the info...   Mar 19 2023, 06:46 AM
930cabman   Great discussion of batteries, thanks for the inf...   Nov 15 2023, 12:08 PM
ClayPerrine   If you are interested in a lighter weight Optima b...   Mar 19 2023, 07:17 AM
technicalninja   The Li-ion batteries scare me enough to not run th...   Mar 19 2023, 09:23 AM
914rrr   The Li-ion batteries scare me enough to not run t...   Nov 29 2023, 08:43 AM
campbellcj   I've used the PC680 for years now with good re...   Mar 19 2023, 10:27 AM
horizontally-opposed   Have had Optima red tops in my 914 since ~1992. ...   Mar 19 2023, 11:43 AM
Highland   I need to buy a new battery. Is the Odyssey PC925 ...   Nov 10 2023, 04:26 PM
Root_Werks   I need to buy a new battery. Is the Odyssey PC925...   Nov 14 2023, 01:00 PM
Justinp71   I was trying to put my car on a diet so I went wit...   Nov 14 2023, 01:06 PM
campbellcj   I was trying to put my car on a diet so I went wi...   Nov 14 2023, 02:32 PM
rjames   I’m still running an Odyssey PC925 with zero iss...   Nov 14 2023, 01:53 PM
VaccaRabite   I had a PC925 in my car. I went back to a standard...   Nov 15 2023, 06:31 AM
Spoke   I had a PC925 in my car. I went back to a standar...   Nov 26 2023, 08:51 AM
VaccaRabite   [quote name='VaccaRabite' post='3112863' date='No...   Nov 27 2023, 10:07 AM
Spoke   [quote name='VaccaRabite' post='3112863' date='N...   Nov 27 2023, 08:13 PM
euro911   I had a Odyssey PC925 in the 'BB' from 201...   Nov 15 2023, 12:55 PM
scallyk9   I installed an Interstate Group H5/47 AGM in my 3....   Nov 15 2023, 04:48 PM
tygaboy   I'm running a Braille in my LS car. 17 lbs and...   Nov 15 2023, 06:09 PM
raynekat   I went with this battery for my six conversion bui...   Nov 26 2023, 11:20 PM
infraredcalvin   Another optima guy here, I’ve been using since l...   Nov 27 2023, 09:37 PM
GBX0073   Napa Did not exclude batteries from Cyber Monday 2...   Nov 27 2023, 10:28 PM
rjames   Napa Did not exclude batteries from Cyber Monday ...   Nov 29 2023, 02:24 PM
fiacra   Napa Did not exclude batteries from Cyber Monday ...   Dec 5 2023, 09:52 PM
mlindner   Optima, love it.   Dec 6 2023, 05:24 AM


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