The Hawker as seen in N-Tech's Battery Miniaturization Kit (BMK) seems to be the battery to buy. I have a BMK on order.
I think the BMK comes with the Hawker Model PC680.
The Optima is also a good choice. It has wound coil cells and is gel filled, to stand up to the strain, vibration, etc of racing. There are two models sold by Optima, the regular one (red), and the deep cycle one (yellow). You do not want the deep cycle one. It is for use in cars that do not have alternators (e.g.- race cars started by external batteries).
The Optima and Hawker are also (relatively) safe to put in the passenger cabin (e.g.- storage bins, rear hatch). Few other ones are. Read on for more safety info.
--Steve
________________
Update: If you are going to keep the battery underhood, check out the N-Tech battery miniaturization kit. It is designed to work with the ASP Race IC (the big one). It includes a Hawker plus mounting kit. --Steve
Pictures of the N-Tech BMK (borrowed from N-Tech's web site):
________________
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 10:04:25 -0600 A few key folks were kind enough to provide a preliminary review of the N-Tech kit
in it's various stages when I was anxiously waiting for mine.
Well I received my BMK last night and thought I'd help out and give the List
my first impressions of this kit. I believe it's pretty much in it's final
form.
The battery itself is a pretty great idea. As advertised, it is much
smaller than the stock or Optima battery it replaces. Slim profile, quality
terminal posts (not the lead ones that deform), and yes, 14.7 lbs! (=21 lbs
lighter than stock, I had the bigger Mazda battery).
The custom battery box it came in is also very good quality. It is aluminum
and painted black with two ears for reusing the stock battery tray mounting
bolts. The fit is outstanding in that the battery slides right into the box
snugly with no worries of battery movement, shake or rattle within the box.
There is a strip of foam at the bottom for additional padding, and also a
bead of silicon on the inside of the longer walls for additional insulation.
The kit also came with a battery strap made of canvas and metal buckles
which go around the entire box over the top of the battery.
All in all, a very handsome and professional looking kit. There are some
"custom" kits which look like it was rigged to meet the purpose solely, this
one looks like it should have come straight from Mazdaspeed or something.
Nick just finished the install instructions last night, and should be
included with the kits. The instructions have two pictures and it is very
straight forward. I plan on doing the install tonight, and I don't
anticipate any problems. I'll post if anything comes up.
For those of you who have ordered this kit and are awaiting its shipment,
pls be patient. He is pumping them out as fast as he can. Without laying
it on too thick, so far the products that I have seen and ordered from
N-tech are good, quality pieces and I will continue to support a good thing.
Keep it up Nick!
________________
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 12:40:57 -0800 This week, I installed the N-Tech BMK (Battery Miniaturization Kit), new
plugs, wires, and a Crane HI-6 ignition amplifier into my mediumly modified
'94 R2.
When the BMK arrived, I was amazed at how small it was...much smaller than
it seemed on N-Tech's web site. I kinda got that sinking feeling in my
stomach like, "is this thing really gone power my car properly?" (it does).
The first thing I did was to weigh the BMK and my stock battery. The BMK
weighed in at 14.5 pounds. My stock battery (actually, it was my second
battery, the real stock one died about a year ago) weighed in at 36.5
pounds--a 22 pound savings! :)
Installing the BMK was easy. I made a small mod (drilled two holes in the
box) so that I could mount my Crane to it. The BMK started the car right up
and although my 7 is not my daily driver, I haven't noticed any difference
with the smaller battery in terms of starting the car or driving with
various accessories on.
See pictures
of the BMK and Crane.
________________
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 15:33:21 -1000 (HST) On Mon, 10 Nov 1997, Steve Cirian wrote:
> Make sure you do not get the deep cycle one unless that is what you I got into a rather lengthy discussion a few years back with a fellow car
audio enthusiast about running "deep cycle" batterys in automobiles.
Here's some key points...
With this in mind, we concluded that deep cycle batteries are not a good
idea when using in an automobile, both in a normal starting/charging role
nor in an auxiliary role (due to huge current spikes from large amperage
car audio systems).
___________________
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 15:45:07 -0500 (EST) >Are you a distributor of Optima batteries? If so please Nominal UPS freight to be added based on your zip code.
These discount prices are FOB prepaid our warehouse.
Freight to be calculated and added seperately.
Freight quotations require an exact address including zip code.
Quantity and types must requested in order to calculate weight.
Additional discounts available for quantity orders.
David
DC Battery Specialists Phone 305-758-5041 ___________________
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 1997 18:15:47 -0500 Are you planning on moving the battery to the spare tire well or
the bin behind the driver? I temporarily put my Hawker in the
original location after shimming it up (2.5") to height so that the
pos terminal would reach the fuse box.
I was planning on moving it
to the bin when I have time and warmer weather hits. I was going to
secure it by casting some of the polyurethane (?) insulation foam
from a can in the bottom of the bin, using plastic sheet to stop
the foam from adhering to the bin or the battery, just like they do
for shipping sensitive instruments. I'll probably try to find a
nylon strap / buckle to further secure it. Still don't know about
drilling holes / cutting the bin.
>From the archives:
Andrew Ma recently got some Hawker batteries (they were labeled
something else) for about $75 ea and here is his description:
They're the Hawker Genesis G26Ah 26 ampere version. 600 cold
cranking amps. They measure 6.54X6.89X4.92 (inches) and weight a
scant 23 lbs. sealed. etc..
>Another, From: Linthicum, Sandy * EMC.Ver #2.5.03 ] --
Hawker energy products 800-964-2837 Dry cell car batteries, plastic & metal cased
AVT 800-537-9602
Distributor of Hawker batterys & other battery products, OEM of products
also.
Genensys 26amp battery with metal case _________________
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 98 08:31:38 -0500 >Is the 26EP the correct Hawker battery?
It's what I'm using. It seems to work fine. Installation is NOT a direct
swap for your stock battery.
______________
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 14:33:03 -0600 The Hawker Genesis batteries that most people are using when putting it in the
rear are:
A. Dry cell sealed meaning no liquid acid
B. Have steel plates surrounding the battery itself. The plates I believe are
about a $5.00 option.
___________________
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 20:55:42 -0600 > Who is the best source for the Hawker Genesis batteries?
AVT in colorado springs Colorado. AVT stands for Added Value
Technologies. About $85 to $95. Cam at Pettit has a nice kit to mount
it. Think the price includes the battery though.
___________________
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 23:49:41 -0500 The Hawker is only 6.565"long x 6.920"wide x 4.957"high. My battery location
is in the bin area behind the driver's seat.
__________________
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 18:04:07 -0700 Here is the scoop on that lightweight battery I posted about earlier
today.
Manufacturer: Hawker Technology: "starved elecrolyte" in which a small amount of sulfuric
acid is injected under pressure and then sealed.
Features & Performance: It can't spill anything because the acid is
encapsulized. It will hold a charge for 2 years, won't produce volatile
gasses when charged, so it doesn't need a fancy charger. It can be
discharged 100% to 10.5 volts without damage. Voltage is said to be
stable through 50% discharge.
The magazine did a test, firing up a CRX 1500, then putting a 225 amp
drain on the battery until it dropped to 10.25 volts. After 30 seconds
the battery had recovered to 11 volts after 30 seconds. They discharged
it again from full voltage to 11 volts, and "the battery was still
pushing 700 amps 20 seconds later when the Snap-On battgery/alternator
test gauge lit up like a toaster and began smoking. Without recharging,
we then turned over a 4-cylinder VW diesel twice, with just a hing of
hesitation each time. AT this point, the charge was down to 12.3 volts,
no load."
I don't understand all of this, but the battery seems to do as
advertised.
Cost 150.00
Contact: Odyssey, Hawker Energy Products __________________
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 17:59:03 -0400 (EDT) Most of the listers have been using Hawker Gensis G26EP 26Ah @ 22.3
lbs. Hawker doesn't list the CCA's for their Genesis batteries.
The Taylor Vertex 32Ah puts out 225 CCA's and is a bit lighter at
20 lbs.
http://www.taylorvertex.com/racebat.html
You might try the Hawker Odyssey PC625 at 13.2 lbs. See David
Lane's earlier post about how well it worked in a Civic. It has 265 CCA's.
I think the stock 3rd gen OEM battery puts out about 450 cca's.
The Pettit kit @ $325 uses something in the G26EP class. It's
20lbs. Pettit says "1000 amps of cranking power". If those are CCA's
that's overkill.
The Optima is out of the running as far as I'm concerned @ 39.5 lbs.
On the horizon are lithium-ion batteries. Nissan has announced an
electric vehicle powered by Sony lithium ion batteries. They have a photo
of an individual battery
It looks pretty big and may not be 12V. I called a Nissan dealer
last fall but they had no specifications on the battery as a part.
Also keep in mind some racing classes requires an enclosing box for
batteries outside the engine compartment. Not sure if the metal jacketed
Hawker Genesis design suffices.
____________________
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 97 07:14:50 -0500 And how about a severe street accident that shatters the battery and sprays
you with acid and lead. Even the Hawker dry cell batteries and the Optimia
gell cells are based on acid in an absorbed form. The chance of being
covered in lead and acid debris while in street cloths, and in the summer in
shorts and tshirt, convinced me not to relocate the battery to the
interior. In a race car you have a full cage protecting you and the
battery, are fully covered by a Nomex suit and have rescue close at hand
I will take the space and weight saving of having the Hawker as a
replacement for the stock size battery, leaving it in the stock location,
well away from me and separated from the passanger compartment by the
firewall.
___________________
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 06:35:26 -0600 That's the reason for the steel plates in the Hawker. Also I would shy
away from mounting the battery out in the open as well. Under the bin or
inside the bin mounted to the floor is very safe. If the accident is
severe enough to puncture a steel cased battery inside of the bins and
bolted to the floor behind a seat and cause debris to fly out and make
contact with you I think you'd be praising god that you were around to
feel the pain of the acid burn. Realistically if all of that could
happen I really don't think you have a prayer of living through it even
with a nomex suit and helmet. There is more chance of the gasoline tank
being punctured and spraying burning fuel over and inside the car
through broken windows. Geezzz I'll never wear shorts again. Come to
think of it I don't anyway. Hmmm.
_______________
Tom wrote this regarding what to do if you have too much electronic gear
on board (e.g.- stereo, driving lights, etc.). --Steve
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 23:00:26 -0500 Cheapest solution (and probably the best). Take your alternator to an
alternator shop and get them to rewind it to provide more current.
If that isn't feasible because the casing is too small, try checking
around for a HD replacement (most car audio people will have a large
replacement alternator).
__________________
Date: Fri, 8 May 1998 12:54:09 -0500 Well I just dropped in the 800U in the stock location last night. The
vendor didn't have the 800s, so gave me the "u" instead. I guess those
add'l side terninals may come in handy some day.
Anyways, I find out that the original J-bolts that held down the factory
battery are too tall for the optima. Even w/ the nut at the lowest
point on the bolt, it is still too tall. I guess I'll have to look for
some shorter j-bolts at Pep Boys or something...
On the original factory battery (btw, this was the "big" Mazda battery),
the rpms would increase by 100-200 from idle whenever I turned on the
parking and/or headlights. It was also leaking a slight bit if acid.
Not enough to do any damage, but enough to activate my paranoia. With
the optima, there is no longer any change in rpm. I take this as a good
thing. Oh yeah, the instrument lights seemed a bit brighter too :)
________________
Other people have shimmed up the battery to get the original bolts to
work. --Steve
Spencer Hutchings added quick disconnects to his battery to make it
easier to disconnect when working on the car. As he said, it is always
a good idea to disconnect the negative terminal when working on the car.
Here are his pictures:
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[Copyright Notice]
From: "Chow, Thom"
From: "Brian L. Goble"
From: Ted Koseki F8LDZZ
> want. (The deep cycle one is yellow.) It is for cars without alternators.
From: GREDDYRX7@aol.com
>send me a price list of your sealed racing batteries (800S,
>800U, etc.)
Optima 800 S Starting $120.00
Optima 800 U Starting $124.00
Optima 1000 M Starting $129.00
Optima 850/6 Starting $103.00
Optima D750 S Deep-cycle $145.00
Optima D750 U Deep-cycle $148.00
Optima D900 M Deep-cycle $154.00
DC Marine Systems
email
160 NW 73 Street
Miami, FL 33150 USA
FAX 305-758-3469
From: Jay Wallace
800-283-2948/FAX
23.8lbs 6.5 wide, 6.89 deep, 4.9 tall
$ 89.66 plastic case
$104.00 steel case
From: "Linthicum, Sandy"
From: "Kevin T. Wyum"
From: "Kevin T. Wyum"
From: brad barber
From: "David H. Lane"
Model: Odyssey
Weight: 13.3 lbs
Dimentions: 6.7x3.9x6.9
Power: 700 pulse current amps for 3-5 seconds, 245 cold cranking amps,
deep discharge for 400 cycles
Service Life: 3-5 years.
617 N. Ridgeview Dr.
Warrensburg, MO 64093
816-429-7506
From: Paul Schruben
From: "Linthicum, Sandy"
From: "Kevin T. Wyum"
From: Tom Gandey
From: "Chow, Thom" 
Battery Quick Disconnects
