Light Weight Battery S2

[Martin R]

As everyone appears to be busy in the garage I thought I would join in. I have decided to fit a lighter battery to my S2 K.

 

I have gone for the Oddessy PC 680. 99 quid off ebay including a mounting bracket from Powervamp. I also bought the battery terminals for about 13 quid.

 

The oddessy weighs about 6KG as opposed to my normal battery at 11KG. Its also a lot smaller so gives more room in the boot for Euro jaunts.

 

First pic the batteries old and new.

 

 

 

 

Also a pic of the bracket as supplied.

 

 

 

 

I have removed all the boot carpet, battery bracket and sound deadening. Its going to go upright here. It should fit nicely. The old battery protrudes into the boot here and is a pain.

 

 

 

Im just waiting for a bit of ally angle off ebay and i will carry on. The ally angle has finally arrived. i bought a bit 75mm x 75mm x 300mm and its just over 3mm thick. I cut a piece to the correct length. I have also cut a bit of 2mm Ally sheet the same size as the battery bracket.

 

I have drilled and countersunk 6.5mm holes in this to match the bracket.

 

 

 

 

I then fixed the 2 together using 6mm countersunk pins like so. The angle is drilled and tapped 6mm obviously. I fixed the sheet to the rear of the angle.

 

 

 

I cut drilled and tapped some ally to pick up the side fixings. I also found some stickey backed foam to hopefully stop any vibration / rattling.

 

 

 

 

A pic of it all assembled with the battery in place. Im going to get some S/S pins to replace the steel ones.

 

 

 

 

With a bit of careful measuring i picked up the bolts that fix the clam to the rear longerons like this

 

 

 

 

I also filed off the bit that overhangs into the boot on the corner of the bracket and popped the battery in.

 

 

 

 

Im still concerned there will be a lot of strain on the bracket when on track and cornering hard.

To be continued

[Alex B]

Same battery as mine I think Martin.

[Lunner]

I have had numerous red top batteries on my old car, and i've found that if you don't keep them trickle charging after a few weeks they will die, and they they are stuffed, and need a new one....ended up buying about 4 of them over the years, because i just didn't learn my lesson the first few times

[Martin R]

I have had numerous red top batteries on my old car, and i've found that if you don't keep them trickle charging after a few weeks they will die, and they they are stuffed, and need a new one....ended up buying about 4 of them over the years, because i just didn't learn my lesson the first few times

 

I have a trickle charger. if im not using the car i will disconnect it. 2 mins with a 10mm spanner. The Oddessy are designed to Keep the charge for a looong time disconnected. we will see    

[Alex B]

I have a trickle charger. if im not using the car i will disconnect it. 2 mins with a 10mm spanner. The Oddessy are designed to Keep the charge for a looong time disconnected. we will see

Mine was good for the 4/5 weeks it was off the road at te start of summer.

[AlanS1]

Same battery as mine I think Martin.

Alex - Any photo's of how your is fixed?

[Alex B]

Alex - Any photo's of how your is fixed?

Will take some tonight mate.

[DeanB]

I wanted to do this mod.  It is good value and saves a lot of weight from the best place to save it from - high up at the very back of the car.

At the moment though my car is in service doing the daily commute, in the winter with lights, fan, radio and wipers often on so I will stick with the standard battery for a bit.

[fentuz]

Martin,

 

While you're at it, why don't you fit a kill switch?

[Alex B]

Martin,

 

While you're at it, why don't you fit a kill switch?

Make sure it's a good quality one I've had some issues with cheaper ones.

[chris_h]

Ok it's tripple the price, but here is the real weight saving!!

 

LiFEPO4 only 5lb / 2kg

 

http://www.carrotcycles.co.uk/index.php?_a=product&product_id=1648

 

Quite a few of the US lotus owners are using these now instead of the oddessy.  It's fine for elises/4pot exiges, a touch small for the evora/v6 exiges.  I've been looking at either running two in parallel or the larger braille etc on my evora.

 

(Dean i used the pc680 through several winters on a daily commute and it was fine, always started with loads of instant umph.  Problem is 7-10 days is the maximum time without putting it on a trickle charger.)

[Lunner]

The LiFEPO4 can't be trickle charged

[Martin R]

Martin,

 

While you're at it, why don't you fit a kill switch?

 

Bill im trying to remove weight not add it. 2 mins with a spanner will do me    

[fentuz]

that's what you need then

 

http://www.technologystudent.com/images6/dril9.gif

[Martin R]

Bill, i have plenty of them, dont tempt me           Lighter battery, exhaust and seats to start with before i get serious. Im trying to get down to 750KG with a full tank of fuel. It was 767KG at the last weigh in at Mallory with about 2/3rd of a tank of fuel.