Date:         Mon, 1 May 1995 11:40:00 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         drew@interport.net (Derek Drew)
Subject:      Re: Leak Free Battery (fwd)

The optima has really great CCA but 

--they won't have a deep-cycle version until a year from now (they told me
on the phone three weeks ago), and,
--the reserve capacity seems to be less than you would think for this rating
of battery (can't remember the details now)
--my buddies in the 4x4 world seem to really like this battery

Derek 



>This posted to the corrado mailist recently and might be of
>even more interest here.
>> 
>> There is a leak-free (so they claim) car battery, the Optima.
>> Is uses a significantly different construction than
>> ordinary car batteries.  It is basically a "six-pack" of
>> spiral-wound cells.
>> 
>> Claims:
>> 
>> 	Can be charged at 20 Amps in 2.75 hours.
>> 
>> 	No vibration-caused failures.
>> 
>> 	Lasts 3-4 times longer.
>> 
>> 	Can be operated in any position, even upside down.
>> 
>> 	Zero-maintenance, no corrosion.
>> 
>> 	Longer shelf life.  ("months")
>> 
>> 	2 year full replacement warranty, remainder of
>> 	72 months pro-rated.
>> 
>> 	800 Cold cranking Amps
>> 	Reserve capacity: 120 minutes
>> 	9 15/16" x 6 3/4" x 7 13/16"
>> 	39 pounds
>> 
>> For Corrados, you want the 800S model.  There is also a
>> 800U model with both top and side terminals, and a 850/6
>> 6 Volt model.
>> 
>> I bought one of these last week.  So far so good.
>> 
>> The spec is a bit taller than the stock "group 41"
>> battery, but it seems to fit okay.  I had to rearrange
>> the cables slightly so they would reach without being
>> strained.
>> 
>I personaly have seen these as about 8 of them were used
>in an electric car project around the university where they
>were frequently quick charged with good results.  800cca is
>pretty impressive as is the 2 yr full replacement warranty.
>I had thought these were actually lead acid gel cells and
>don't know what the spiral wound construction implies but
>the cases do have six individual circular bumps.  Certainly
>the ticket for stopping battery related rust problems forever.
>I though the university paid about $100 each though.  And
>how about that 6 volt model, perfect for the split that doesn't
>get out much.  I'll try to find out more about these things.
>
>
>John Anderson
>ja@coe.wvu.edu
>'71 Westy, '90 Corrado G60
>
>
>
___________________________________
Derek Drew
drew@interport.net (main address for e-mail)
derekdrew@aol.com (alternate/backup address, checked infrequently)