Red Top or Powervamp Batteries

[JohnCL]

My car type battery has failed and I'm thinking of spending a bit more on one of the above makes to save some weight, about 6kg. Red Top are dearer by about £10-15 but lighter. Has anyone had experience of which is best? The 20 or 25 type of each seem to be the ones OK for a Pinto engine.
Cheers
John

[Corpulent Tosser]

John

I have a Red Top and it has worked fine, apart from when I flattened it at Kames trying to start the car with the crank sensor hanging out

It is a few years old now and I was thinking about replacing it as a precaution so it will be interesting to see what feedback you get.

Murray

[Kiltie]

John,

I think you'll need a 25 for you'r car.

I just got a red top 25 but haven't used it so can't comment on performance.

Red top 25 is 6.1kg which is a surprising weight for such a small fella (182 x 77 x 168).

I did some very brief shopping around (far from exhaustive) and best price I got was here.

Cheers,

Eric

[g4addicted]

Stick to Varley redtop - it is what the pros use.

PS - Broomsticklady said eat less, lose weight and buy a cheaper battery...

[JohnCL]

The Red Top guy said either a 20 or 25 would do, I'm undecided. He said,

"If you are confident that you will be able to return the energy back to the battery with a charger within 24 hours of using it, there is no reason why an RT20 would not work but because this can never be guaranteed, it may be worthwhile stepping up to the RT25."

I have a charger so would be able to charge it up at home so I was going for the 5kg RT20. My present battery is around 11.5kg so saving quite a bit.

David, I have tried to lose that from the two legged bit of the outfit but no luck yet! I'm sure my heart pills caused me to gain weight and I'm sticking to that view, the fact that I enjoy food has nothing to do with it!!

John

[JohnCL]

Thought of another query for you engineery types. Would putting the new battery flat on it's side in the bottom of the battery box, as opposed to upright, lower the centre of gravity when the battery box is suspended in the car at it's top?

[hast2]

JohnCL said:

Thought of another query for you engineery types. Would putting the new battery flat on it's side in the bottom of the battery box, as opposed to upright, lower the centre of gravity when the battery box is suspended in the car at it's top?

The closer you can keep all your weight to the road and the centre of the car the better. How you mount it doesn't matter as long as it's secure!
You don't need a battery box for a red top battery, as there gel and won't spill out in an accident.
If you do use a box, don't rely on it to hold the battery, use a separate bracket mounted to the chassis integrated into the box. Those fibreglass battery box's don't need a big accident for a battery to smash it to pieces. The thump on the head is sorer than the headache of trying to think how to get it securly mounted.

[D-Speed]

Afaik the batteries are the same but with a different sticker & price tag.

I recently bought a (cheaper) Powervamp PC545 for my car.