Reducing Battery Weight

[JP X]

Hey y'all,
I experienced the whole Antigravity Battery elegy and am wondering what you are doing to reduce battery weight. Seemed like an easy weight reduction when I tried the AG thing but that didn't work out (although I made out better than FabMan did).
Suggestions?

Thanks!
JP

 

[Champale]

I am curious to know about your Antigravity experience - have been contemplating one for a different car but am having trouble justifying the incredible cost.

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

Another option I’ve read about is the Deka ETX18L. 17lbs AGM.

 

[JP X]

I am curious to know about your Antigravity experience - have been contemplating one for a different car but am having trouble justifying the incredible cost.

I bought one in 2019. Used it for about 14 months. Then I got all sorts of alarms and notices of "shutdown imminent". I also noticed the voltages varying wildly and getting as high as 16v. I think lithium tech is good, but not well paired with the Ford smart charging algorithm.

 

[Champale]

Very interesting - thank you for that information. Keep us posted on your next steps.

 

[JDee]

I have a Braille B2015, weighs less than half of the stock battery. But. The damn thing would not start the car if anything else was using current, so I had to unplug everything whenever it was shut down. OBD reader, cell phone, camera, any of those would kill it to the point that it wouldn't crank.

Often that would get overlooked and there you are getting ready for a session and the damn thing wouldn't turn the engine over. Rush around, get the big battery and jump start it. There's nothing worse than that when you are starting a session, totally not what you need or want to happen.

Got sick of that dance and gave up on it, just so much less hassle using the big battery. It also doesn't like to start the engine hot, so if you cough it on track you're making a problem for everyone else. If I was racing I guess I would stick it out, but for just doing lapping days it's too much hassle.

 

[JP X]

I have a Braille B2015, weighs less than half of the stock battery. But. The damn thing would not start the car if anything else was using current, so I had to unplug everything whenever it was shut down. OBD reader, cell phone, camera, any of those would kill it to the point that it wouldn't crank.

Often that would get overlooked and there you are getting ready for a session and the damn thing wouldn't turn the engine over. Rush around, get the big battery and jump start it. There's nothing worse than that when you are starting a session, totally not what you need or want to happen.

Got sick of that dance and gave up on it, just so much less hassle using the big battery. It also doesn't like to start the engine hot, so if you cough it on track you're making a problem for everyone else. If I was racing I guess I would stick it out, but for just doing lapping days it's too much hassle.

One of the things I had been researching with no real validation is that there is supposed to be a (blue?) lead to disconnect from the alternator which disables the Ford Smart Charging system, leaving it to charge at a standard voltage level. I think that might have worked better with the Antigravity Battery.
- I spoke with a racer at VIR who said that he had done it on his S197 but didn't know how to do it yet on a S550.
- Asked at 2 dealers, they knew nothing of it.
- I called in to Fort Performance Tech, they didn't know what I was talking about.
That's where I left off but it has been a couple of years so I thought I would check in with everyone. Right now I have a Wal-Mart battery (hint: they are made by JCI, who makes the ones for Autozone. As far as I can tell they are the same but 30-40% less $).

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

On an S550 you can disable smart charging by unplugging the “ring” shaped sensor that goes around the negative battery cable just in front of the passenger strut tower. It will keep voltage at least at 14.5. I’ve seen 15v doing that as well. I believe I’ve read that constant 15v is not good for lithium ion batteries either.

 

[JP X]

On an S550 you can disable smart charging by unplugging the “ring” shaped sensor that goes around the negative battery cable just in front of the passenger strut tower. It will keep voltage at least at 14.5. I’ve seen 15v doing that as well. I believe I’ve read that constant 15v is not good for lithium ion batteries either.

Well the Ford guys need to start calling Scoots.

Based on the conversations I had with the manufacturer, the LI can handle up to 15v for short periods if time. But something between 14.0 and 14.3 sounds optimal.

I'll just keep my Wal-Mart battery for now.

 

[Tractor Junk]

I’m on my second antigravity since 2019. It’s probably my fault for being lax about keeping a trickle charger on it. I've been using a model without the “Re-Start” system. Perhaps I'm on borrowed time, but I haven't had any electrical issues related to the battery.

 

[JP X]

I’m on my second antigravity since 2019. It’s probably my fault for being lax about keeping a trickle charger on it. I've been using a model without the “Re-Start” system. Perhaps I'm on borrowed time, but I haven't had any electrical issues related to the battery.

IMO, I don't think the trickle charger is the issue. If you look at the characteristics of lithium, it has a much longer shelf life that lead-calcium, has a wider operating temperature window, and can accept a much higher number of complete discharges. I think the Smart Charging is killing them. I'm not trying to throw Anti-Gravity under the bus. The H5 battery with restart that I had was a good product. I just think that being an early adopter with lithium for a starter battery is not for me until Ford gives Smart Charging algorithm options.
That said...having their ATX on a trickle charger that you install for track events is probably the way to go. I'm just too lazy for that approach.

 

[docs302]

I've had my second AG ATX for 3 years now. The first one I killed when I let it completely discharge by mistake. I sent it back to AG and they somehow resurrected it but I did it a second time and that one did it. My car is track-day only but I always keep it on a trickle charger at home and over the winter. I take it to the track for a couple of days off charger and it starts up every time. I even left the car with a shop for a week and it still fired right up.