Light weight powerful battery

XSLeo

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I bought one of Ballistic Batteries, 8 cell, 275 cca batteries. It weighs next to nothing compared to stock. It is about half the size of stock. I eventually will build a new battery box to hold it, but for now I just shimmed it up in the stock box.
I wanted new cables for the starter. I was going to the Salvage yard to look at wheels for my van, nice to have winter tires on one set of wheels, the summers on another.
I figured I'd shop for new cables while I was there.
Found the new wheels and a bunch of lug nuts, mine where in bad shape. A hand full of lighting relays, the kind Pamco pete uses to wire the ignition through.
By the time I was done with the wheels and looked at how hard getting cables off of the cars I decided to call it a day, and get cable off Ebay. As I was dragging the wheels up to the shuttlebus stop a almost tripped over a bundle of cable. It looked to be cut out of a truck with a deisel engine and two batteries. The bundle was about 3 1/2 foot long and had two 2 gauge cables and a 4 gauge cable in the bundle.
I used the 4 gauge cable to make new cables from the battery to the starter relay, from the relay to the starter and had enough left to run a cable from one of the starter mount bolts right up to the battery negative.
I even pulled the starter, easier to get the cable off. While out I used my spare car battery and tested it. Not real scientific but easy to do. I had three starters to choose from. I held the case on the negative post of the battery and tapped the cable from the starter to the positive. The one that bucked hardest in my hand I put back in.
I'm glad to report that my 75 kitted 75 starts much better now. The extra cca's and the heavier cables make it spin right over better than the stock battery at 180-200 cca's ever did. The extra 75 cca's make a big difference.
I didn't find any fittings for the cables I liked much, Most were too long. So I went to Lowes and bought a short piece of 3/8 inch copper pipe. It just fits over the 4 gauge cable, like it was made too.
I then cut pieces about 3/4 inch long, slipped them over the bare cable, hammered it flat, soldered it just at the outer ends. Didn't want to solder it enough so solder got into the cable and make a stiff spot. Then drilled 1/4 inch holes and covered them with heat shrink tubing.
Looks almost like a pro built them. The best part was the price. The about 20 lug nuts, 8 relays and the cables was $6.58. Can't beat that.
So if you want a better battery I can reccomend the Ballistic Battery. For replacement cables, shop at the junk yard, and build them.
Leo
 
Ballistic batteries are awesome. I will never use another battery again since I went over to them. Well worth the investment.
 
Agreed! I have the 4cell on my rebel. The only issue with them is they don't preform well in the cold next to a lead acid battery. They will lose charge in the cold of fall nights.
 
Nice trick with the copper tubing Leo I bet it does look slick. Thanks for the how to and recommendation.
 
I guess I should pick up some batteries for the camera. Pics would have been nice.
Leo
 
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