I have 3 cars on Odessey PC 925 Lightweight batteries on OEM trickle charge during the winter in the Garage, year 1 was ok, but in year 2, one PC925 has just gone completely dead for no reason. Is there a difference having a dry cell battery's on trickle charge for extended periods or is this just bad luck. This winter its longer due to more snow ?

 

The Odysseys don't like the charging voltage of some (most?) chargers. Refer to the guide here: http://www.odysseybatteries.co.nz/Su...3/Default.aspx
Especially this: "Determining the charger output voltage is the most important step in the charger qualification process. If the voltage output from the charger is less than 14.6V or more than 14.8V for a 12V battery do not use the charger. "

 

Wow so these batteries have to see a voltage within a .2volt span in order to be happy? Seriously?!

 

Any charger made with more than $2 in parts can maintain its charging voltage +-.1v. The real problem is that a lot of common chargers are hotter than the max of 14.8v that the Odyssey can deal with.

 

That wasn't my point - of course it can be posisble to build something that maintains a specific voltage so long as the load isn't crazy and the amperage is okay. What I'm questioning is that their batteries are so intolerant that as little as .2volts is going to be an issue! Over a max voltage - okay I can better understand that but the mighty narrow window for charging they specify seems awful specific.

As it happens I may be replacing a battery soon and had been pondering something lightweight that I would have to trickle - not doing so this year I likely weakened my existing battery. But a voltage tolerance of just .2volts sounds awfully picky to me.

 

I have been using my Porsche charger on my LW Deka battery for 6 months now and no issues...

 

My 925 has lasted two years and still seems strong. I use a Porsche trickle charger but only occasionally since its a daily driver.

 

My Odyssey has been with me for over two years with zero issues. I use the Battery Tender Plus.

 

They are pretty sensitive to charging current and voltage, but in my experience overvoltage is the real problem. My first two PC680s lasted exactly 2 years on $20 Walmart (Schumacher) trickle chargers. When both batteries died on the same weekend, I called Odyssey. After ruling out alternator problems, they told me to put a meter on the charger when it was active. It was 14.9-15.1v. I now use a charger that's advertised as being compatible with batteries like this (ACI chargers 1206CC). I just looked up the charging voltage and it's only 14.4V! Must not be a problem as one of the replacement batteries is almost 5 years old.

All of that said, if you're looking for lightweight, I'd be looking at the Lithium batteries. They should last much longer than a lead acid battery (dry cell or otherwise), somewhat mitigating the high cost of entry. Voltphreaks has some neat stuff, and I'll be putting one in one of my race cars shortly, saving 7lbs over the PC680 for equivalent juice.

 

tx for that guys. My spare PC925 didn't want to charge whilst I was away either, I have a 996 GT3 RS battery now in my TT, pretty reasonable cost wise (less than $200) and pretty light too. Holds its charge very well. Part no is 999 611 05320 fwiw