metroplex

We've been using the Battery Brain for another application. So far it seems to work, although you can just buy a $18 maintainer from Wal-Mart, Meijer, Target, AutoZone, etc... which will do a better job of keeping a float charge.

m05fastbackGT

+ 1 Charlie

Ric

Marine 'Deep-Cycle' batteries are way heavy. I don't think you want one of those.
I'd check into a modern AGM battery (do a search). I know they loose their charge very slowly, like maybe 1% per month. They hold up to cold weather better. I'm sure for the same capacity you can get them in a smaller package so they may also be lighter. I know they were more expensive (now ?) but I believe they last a lot longer as well.
it's the only way to go with a motorcycle.

metroplex

The Optimas are AGM batteries. They have a much smaller capacity and don't work that well in cold weather compared to a standard flooded lead acid battery.

Stoenr

I've had my battery removed for over a week and never lost stations or time.....

06GT4RAD

The Optima Blue weighs no more than the Red or Yellow version. At least not enough to matter. I like the Blue Tops as they are designed to hold up in the marine environment which is very harsh. I have been using Blue Tops for years in my boats and cars and never had issue one with them.

Richard

metroplex

The reason the Optimas weigh about 5-10 lb less than their flooded lead acid counterparts is because the Optimas have much less surface area due to the spiral wound cells. There are empty spaces between the cells that would otherwise be utilized in a flooded lead acid battery. What you end up with is a battery that costs twice as much with less capacity. Unless you really need a VRLA AGM battery (e.g. storing the battery upside down inside the passenger cabin a high vibration environment), it's a waste of money.

krnpimpsta

Cool.. let us know if you get it.. I'd like to see how well it works too.

krnpimpsta

I never lose my stations, but I lose my time when my battery is disconnected. I also lose settings stored in my ECU that determine how my car drives. One big thing that I notice every time is that the window motor controllers get reset. The first time you completely roll your windows down/up, you can hear/feel the windows "slam" into the end of their tracks. Then after that, your windows stop rolling just before the end of their tracks because the computer remembers how far to move the windows - until you disconnect the battery.

As for the clock, since an electronic timer requires power to increment the time every second, your clock will either reset or be stuck at the wrong time when it loses power. Maybe I'm mistaken and we actually have an extra battery somewhere in the car that powers the clock (that would be the only way that the time would stay right with the battery unplugged for a week), but I feel like my clock has reset whenever I disconnected my battery.. don't remember.