Why I chose Braille over Odyssey, Braille is $199.00 Odyssey $117.00 online. I really hate if my car won't start at the track especially in the grid area, so the numbers below show Braille has more cranking amps etc, but to be totally honest, I am not familiar with what the heck any of it means. Timmy C has a good point on keeping the battery choices open in our rules with the fact that these smaller ones are safer. The only argument there is history, I haven't seen a battery leak or blow up, but Tim is around these cars much more than me.

BTW: I got 10 years out of my last Braille, but it lives in a garage on a trickle charger.

So for future battery choices, I would really like to pay in the low $100's, please share you experiences here to not tie up the rules thread.

Braille 17lbs:
Cranking Amps at 0 Degrees F: 475 amps
Cranking Amps at 32 Degrees F: 641 amps

Pulse Cranking Amps: 1,191 amps

Reserve Capacity: 23 minutes

Length (in): 6.800 in.

Width (in): 4.000 in.

Height (in): 6.100 in.

Odyssey 680 this one is 15.4lbs:
Pulse (5-second) Hot Cranking Amps (PHCA) 520
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) 170
20Hr Nominal Capacity (Ah) 16
Reserve Capacity Minutes 24
Dimensions L x W x H (in) 7.27 x 3.11 x 7.55*
Metric Dimensions L x W x H (mm) 184.7 x 79 x 191.8*
*measured w/SAE terminal
Weight (lbs) 15.4

I use a Miata battery. Its a full size that's source able at all local parts stores for just over $100 and weighs 20 pounds, 16 less than stock. I agree that this is better left open. If a racer needs to shed some weight, this is an easy area to do so as long as they are willing to put up with the tendencies of small form factor racing batteries.

Product ID: MT-MX-5
Cranking Amps: 465
Cold Cranking Amps: 370
Voltage: 12
Weight (lbs): 20.5
Width (in): 5
Length (in): 7.50
Height (in): 6.50
ReserveCapacity-25: 45.00
WET/DRY: W

www.interstatebatteries.com/Products/RT/...aspx?dsNavigation=Ns~product+Type|101|1|%2CNrc~id-3|id-2147384820%2CN~4294784989-4286299960&Title=Battery+replacement++for+various+MTMX5+models

Interstate is a little more expensive by about $30 than local parts store battery brands.

Wish I had posted this a week earlier, we have a Miata street car and I noticed the battery is small and works great with power windows, A/C etc...I didn't even think about purchasing one. I sometimes drive my racecar on the street and to races, after coming in off of the track, I leave the key turned so that the fans run on hi until they switch off at 180 degrees, that sometimes takes awhile and is hard on a small battery. Miata's 20lb battery isn't that far from the full size, maybe 15lbs difference, still an advantage, but not as much as a 14lb or less battery.

Thanks for sharing! Nest time, unless somebody wants to buy my new Braille for $199:) only 17 lbs

I remember last year, Tom Dragoun from Sevens Only Racing, telling me about a lawnmower or riding mower battery. Has anybody had any luck with those?

I can remember some cars not running because the battery was too weak to run the DME or some other component. I really don't believe it's worth the few pounds to not get a decent car battery ie: the Miata one for around a $100. FYI: Push starts really suck if you haven't been there. That's what you will be doing with a lawn mower battery especially if you have your fans running while the motor is off to cool the radiator down.

Is it time to just allow the battery to get moved to the inside of the car where it will do the most good?