Battery relocation/fitment
 

I realize this topic has been touched upon on numerous other areas, but none are quite conclusive, or comprehensive in terms of what batteries will fit in the little utility space next to the spare tire in the trunk.

I have tried to compile here a list of batteries which I THINK would fit, based on measuring 3 different orientations of the compartment area, and referencing the direct websites that make the following batteries. I make no promises, but would REALLY appreciate any feedback on which of these do or do not fit (based on actual trial, not just speculation), how well they work, and also what is an appropriate or minimum CCA(cold cranking amps) rating for our cars.

I would like to note also that there should be 2 discussions at work here in terms of the CCA question, one for the motor swapped 6 cylinders, and one for the stock or otherwise 4 cylinder motors. I personally have an s50 and am looking for more info on that, especially given that I live in an area that has all 4 seasons, and am worried that a terribly small/LTW battery would be of absolutely no use to me in the winter. I do not claim this to be 100% comprehensive, and would like to add additional information if provided, but PLEASE include a reference to pertinent information if provided, or if anything I have listed is incorrect. Please feel free to add any I have missed and I will try to update this post as necessary.

The battery I will ultimately put in the car will most likely be the highest CCA/AH that I can possibly get, out of a battery that will fit in the aforementioned space, I realize there are some batteries that will work in warm conditions and are better suited for race/track use, but I am looking for a compromise of the best of all attributes, something that I can use year-round without needing to use a battery tender, and without needing to drive the vehicle everyday, but that provides the best, weight savings, AH, CCA, and most importantly fitment. (also, I am not going to spend $2000 on a Lithium Ion race battery, and have found no cold condition statistics on the ones I found that would fit, so I am not including them unless you can provide specific and useful information about them)

If this goes according to plan it may turn into a FAQ/sticky and be useful to other members, so please keep the posts as objective as possible

The batteries I researched that fit the measurements I took are as follows:
Measurements are rounded, for L/W/H to 2 decimal places, and for AH and Weight to the nearest integer. (Some sites, even within the site, had conflicting information, so rounding was the best solution, if you want more specific info on one particular battery go look it up, don't complain to me that its .005 off, and there will be natural fluctuations based on the actual battery anyway)

*ALL LISTED BATTERIES ARE AGM (Absorptive Glass Mat, for safety, mounting, and ventilation purposes only AGM batteries were considered for this list)

BRAND MODEL Length Width Height CCA AH Weight

Braille B129 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.10" CCA 323 12AH 10lbs
Braille B14115 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.80" CCA 360 15AH 12lbs
Braille B2015 L 6.80" W 3.40" H 6.10" CCA 425 21AH 15lbs
Braille B2317 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille B2618 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille *CA-641 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille *CA-626 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
DEKA ETx14 L 5.86" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 220 12AH 12lbs
DEKA ETx16 L 6.89" W 4.00" H 6.13" CCA 325 19AH 17lbs
DEKA ETx18L L 8.13" W 3.56" H 6.38" CCA 340 20AH 18lbs
DEKA ETx20 L 6.88" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 310 18AH 16lbs
Odyssey PC 680 L 7.27" W 3.11" H 6.67" CCA 220 16AH 15lbs

* these are the Carbon fiber version of two of the same batteries braille also makes of the apparent same weight(as per the website)

Aside: unconfirmed(by me) rumor, that the OEM AGM Miata battery fits as well, but I have no information on it and any legitimate information would be greatly appreciated for this compilation.

I hope this compilation proves useful and can be the start of something bigger. I realize I do not have probably HALF the actual batteries out there that fit this space, but I am working on it, and as I find more information and batteries to add to the list I will include them. The following is the same information listed above but by different statistics:

BY WEIGHT (for same weight batteries they are listed by highest CCA first):

Braille B129 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.10" CCA 323 12AH 10lbs
Braille B14115 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.80" CCA 360 15AH 12lbs
DEKA ETx14 L 5.86" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 220 12AH 12lbs
Braille B2015 L 6.80" W 3.40" H 6.10" CCA 425 21AH 15lbs
Odyssey PC 680 L 7.27" W 3.11" H 6.67" CCA 220 16AH 15lbs
DEKA ETx20 L 6.88" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 310 18AH 16lbs
Braille *CA-641 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille B2317 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
DEKA ETx16 L 6.89" W 4.00" H 6.13" CCA 325 19AH 17lbs
Braille *CA-626 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille B2618 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
DEKA ETx18L L 8.13" W 3.56" H 6.38" CCA 340 20AH 18lbs


BY COLD CRANKING AMPS (for same CCA batteries they are listed by highest AH first):

Braille *CA-641 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille B2317 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille *CA-626 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille B2618 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille B2015 L 6.80" W 3.40" H 6.10" CCA 425 21AH 15lbs
Braille B14115 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.80" CCA 360 15AH 12lbs
DEKA ETx18L L 8.13" W 3.56" H 6.38" CCA 340 20AH 18lbs
DEKA ETx16 L 6.89" W 4.00" H 6.13" CCA 325 19AH 17lbs
Braille B129 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.10" CCA 323 12AH 10lbs
DEKA ETx20 L 6.88" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 310 18AH 16lbs
Odyssey PC 680 L 7.27" W 3.11" H 6.67" CCA 220 16AH 15lbs
DEKA ETx14 L 5.86" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 220 12AH 12lbs

BY AMPERAGE HOURS (for same AH they are listed Highest CCA first)

Braille *CA-626 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille B2618 L 8.10" W 3.50" H 6.30" CCA 472 26AH 18lbs
Braille *CA-641 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille B2317 L 6.88" W 4.00" H 6.12" CCA 475 23AH 17lbs
Braille B2015 L 6.80" W 3.40" H 6.10" CCA 425 21AH 15lbs
DEKA ETx18L L 8.13" W 3.56" H 6.38" CCA 340 20AH 18lbs
DEKA ETx16 L 6.89" W 4.00" H 6.13" CCA 325 19AH 17lbs
DEKA ETx20 L 6.88" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 310 18AH 16lbs
Odyssey PC 680 L 7.27" W 3.11" H 6.67" CCA 220 16AH 15lbs
Braille B14115 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.80" CCA 360 15AH 12lbs
Braille B129 L 5.80" W 3.40" H 5.10" CCA 323 12AH 10lbs
DEKA ETx14 L 5.86" W 3.44" H 6.13" CCA 220 12AH 12lbs

Hope any of this is even a little bit helpful for people, as I have spent probably 5+ hours collecting this info and typing it all up. I will try and add more batteries as I find them, as I already know there are a few more DEKA group size batteries that would probably fit, but I need to reference them. I would really appreciate any input that you have, and if you bothered reading this ENTIRE post, KUDOS to you. ALSO, any pictures of said batteries located in that location would be cool reference for anyone looking, so please feel free to do that as well. THANKS!

SOME NEW INFORMATION posted (9/21/12)
1. I found pictures of the Miata battery and it does indeed fit, someone on the forum here posted them a while back on another thread but I can't seem to find them again, looks nice though.
2. Confirmed fitment for the Braille B2618 (pics if you scroll to a later post) and so far so good at cranking the 3.2 M3 motor at ambient temperature... more to come if I have any problems with it.
3. After speaking with a Braille representative the Carbon Fiber versions of the Batteries listed have no additional weight savings at all, but offer an increase in vibration resistance for race purposes, and they also look cool, but for most of us would not provide any benefit over the regular versions of the already AGM batteries.

i have pics for reference, how it looks on the trunk and how it looks inside the stock battery box or w/o the battery box in the engine bay :rolleyes:

also i have the deka etx14 ~11lbs and that little thing can crank the engine like nothing, multiple times 10+ times that i tried it :eek:

hope this helps some to see how it can fit in different places and im pretty sure that this battery can handle the 6 cylinders too:wink:

What kind of weather does that battery see? and how often/how old do you drive it with that battery?

battery is about 6 months old and so far is been really good, and i daily drive my car too, and i also live in washinton so we get all kinds of weather, all the way from 20ish to 100 degrees

Found a few more batteries but I need to recheck the measurements. There are some off brands that I found, I think one is Tempest AGM batteries, I will try and confirm the measurements and add them to the list. I will also try and post the websites I found the information on for all these, to reference if you need to know more or more specific info about anything.

Finally after much humming and hawing I made the plunge and ordered the Braille b2618 battery but the car is in the shop getting some head work done. When I get it back I will post pics of the battery and how it fits. I also did find some pictures of the miata bosh battery fitting in the area and will try to find that again to link here. It seems to be a decent option for us. Wish me luck.

For swapping battery to the rear, anyone ever consider using two small batteries, one in each storage bin in the back. Thinking of putting a box on each side for my ADS mini-subs and rear speakers and thought maybe I could include a battery box while I was fabbing something up. Getting ready for impending s50 swap. Love my DASC but the wife loves BMW 6cyl...so she has (cough!) twisted my arm into upgrading. So Thinking to get a little more weight to the rear.

I am going to do this now! Thank you, I have something to do to the Ti now.

OK, I moved my battery to the trunk and I can really get rear traction now with the weight over the rear. :cool:

http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/p...875EAF7D4D.jpg

Dibs on your DASC if you decide to sell it. :rolleyes:

Just got my car back after $3600 in head work and other...(OUCH!!!!) and the battery was totally shot, so I installed my new Braille B2618 and it fits perfectly as predicted WOHOO! Here are some pics to show it. I need to get a new terminal connector and cut the line a little but it works for now. I also need to figure out a way to mount it more securely, lust a little loose right now with no tie downs or bungees or anything at the moment. But I couldn't be happier that it fits nicely and doesn't take up any trunk space... I could also try mounting it in the spare space sideways because it is AGM, but I like where it is right now and I can access it for trickle charging or jump starts if I ever need to.
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resurrecting this thread...
Thinking of going with Braille 14115/DEKA ETX-14. Should fit perfect in the right rear cubby hole. What a difference in prices!!!

Check out this little combo:
http://www.amazon.com/East-Penn-ETX-.../dp/B0026H81CO

For roughly $35 more I get the trickle charger and the posts.

Thoughts?

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...ps02e69d28.jpg
Still waiting on adapter posts. Should come in later this week.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2133c91d.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0a538263.jpg
Its a boy! 11 lbs 5.8oz.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9fa37354.jpg
Snug!

Very nice!

BTW, in regards to this:

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showpost....9&postcount=32

Whats the weight of the oem battery? And why is it possible to lay that little battery on its side? Was thinking of relocating the weight to the rear, but if that little one fits nice up front, I wont bother tearing up my interior to relocate it. Nice write up :)