Lightweight AGM or Lithium battery in Cold Weather daily driver?

Jack Rabbit

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18 Mazda CX5 AW
Which is better in cold and overall? Lightweight AGM or LifePO4 Lithium?
Am looking to drop battery weight in cold climate daily driver. Stock battery is 32 lbs. Comparing Bosch flat plate AGM @ 18 lbs, Braille AGM @ 21lbs, Braille Lithium motorcycle @ 8 lbs, and Antigravity Lithium @ 16.5 lbs.(lower if drop group class/cca). The Lithiums are lighter but way more expensive. Have always used NAPA lead acid batteries which have been reliable but weigh a ton. Anyone have experience with any of these new lightweight AGM or Lithium?
 
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If you are going to switch to a lighter battery of any type don't forget to buy a battery tender. The worst thing in the world is getting in your car and having it be dead because of a smaller battery. I would not recommend trying to lose much weight here. It is really easy to wreck the tiny lightweight batteries.
 
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Seems like
If you are going to switch to a lighter battery of any type don't forget to buy a battery tender. The worst thing in the world is getting in your car and having it be dead because of a smaller battery. I would not recommend trying to lose much weight here. It is really easy to wreck the tiny lightweight batteries.
Noticed from reviews that alot of the Miata folks, etc use tenders on their smaller less cca lithiums but I am thinking it shouldn't be needed on an lightweight AGM with the same cca as the stock? Gonna try it and we'll see what happens over winter.
 
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650 cca for $230 is decent enough, and if it only weighs 18 lbs that would be great.

Where can you buy this battery?
Amazon, partlimit, and other websites. Just type in Bosch flat plate agm S6523B. Or Braille AGM 21 for the braille battery...it's at JEGS and other websites.
 
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Seems like

Noticed from reviews that alot of the Miata folks, etc use tenders on their smaller less cca lithiums but I am thinking it shouldn't be needed on an lightweight AGM with the same cca as the stock? Gonna try it and we'll see what happens over winter.
it is very inexpensive insurance. It is not just the cranking amps you need to worry about. a CX-5 has a higher static draw even sitting off than a Miata does. Using a battery tender will help extend how long the battery actually lasts.
 
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Which is better in cold and overall? Lightweight AGM or LifePO4 Lithium?
Am looking to drop battery weight in cold climate daily driver. Stock battery is 32 lbs. Comparing Bosch flat plate AGM @ 18 lbs, Braille AGM @ 21lbs, Braille Lithium motorcycle @ 8 lbs, and Antigravity Lithium @ 16.5 lbs.(lower if drop group class/cca). The Lithiums are lighter but way more expensive. Have always used NAPA lead acid batteries which have been reliable but weigh a ton. Anyone have experience with any of these new lightweight AGM or Lithium?

How old is the battery? Not sure if the expense is worth it. I highly doubt you'll notice a 11-14 pound difference on a 3,700+ pound (AWD, normally aspirated) vehicle.

If you want to spend extra for an AGM battery, by all means, but I wouldn't replace a good factory battery to save a negligible amount of vehicle weight. I personally also use a battery tender periodically to keep the starter battery topped up.

JMO :)
 
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I found two :

Bosch S6523B S6 Flat Plate AGM Battery​


on Amazon. One was $231, the other $250...they both said wouldn't fit CX-5

The descriptions were different and different weights?


Brand
Bosch Automotive
Battery Cell Composition
Lead-Acid, AGM
Item Weight
33 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH
9.31 x 8.5 x 4.94 inches
 
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I found two :

Bosch S6523B S6 Flat Plate AGM Battery​


on Amazon. One was $231, the other $250...they both said wouldn't fit CX-5

The descriptions were different and different weights?


Brand
Bosch Automotive
Battery Cell Composition
Lead-Acid, AGM
Item Weight
33 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH
9.31 x 8.5 x 4.94 inches
Yeah. I just noticed that. The specs are all over the board depending on which website you visit. Some websites say it fits while others don't. Bosch website says it fits and it's only 18.4 lbs. It is a group 35. Waiting for a return call from Bosch for the true dimensions. On the other hand, the Braille 21 is smaller and should fit... You might just need to put some padding around it to keep it from moving and keep the bracket tight.
 
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Ok...per Kuasa website:

Mazda OEM 55D23L-MF
L =231 mm = 9.09 inch
W = 171 mm = 6.73 inch
H = 225 mm = 8.86 inch
Weight = 14.4 Kg = 31.7 lbs

Per Bosch sales rep/chat service when verified bci 35
Bosch S6523B
L = 9 and 1/16 inch
W = 6 and 7/8 inch
H = 8 and 7/8 inch
Weight = 18 lbs.

Close enough for me.
 
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I found several different weights quoted for this batttery on Rockauto and other websites. The Bosch website even.

I hope you post the real info here.

I think the Braille battery is a different group altogether. It seems to be "out of stock".

A battery is a pretty heavy chunk that you only really need when you start up, so an excellent place to lose some weight.
 
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I found several different weights quoted for this batttery on Rockauto and other websites. The Bosch website even.

I hope you post the real info here.

I think the Braille battery is a different group altogether. It seems to be "out of stock".

A battery is a pretty heavy chunk that you only really need when you start up, so an excellent place to lose some weight.
You may have missed it... See my post above yours.
Bosch responded. Its close enough for me.
 
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Ok...per Kuasa website:

Mazda OEM 55D23L-MF
L =231 mm = 9.09 inch
W = 171 mm = 6.73 inch
H = 225 mm = 8.86 inch
Weight = 14.4 Kg = 31.7 lbs

Per Bosch sales rep/chat service when verified bci 35
Bosch S6523B
L = 9 and 1/16 inch
W = 6 and 7/8 inch
H = 8 and 7/8 inch
Weight = 18 lbs.

Close enough for me.
Ok popped the hood...at least in my 2018 Mazda cx5
If use the mazda battery contraption/tray provided, limited to similar width and length of OEM...maybe slightly larger(1/8 inch) and can go higher if cables have slack.

If switch battery trays, are still constrained in width.
Width = 6 3/4 inch and not too much over.. might be able to squeeze up to 7 inch in that and not much more.
Length- could get another inch up to 10 inches.
Height- could go higher than OEM provided cables have slack.

As far as the Bosch, unless the Bosch rep gave me wrong specs, the Bosch should fit, and looks like it should fit in the OEM tray.
If not just switch trays.
 
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Antigravity Lithium Batteries:

Antigravity responded to my inquiry concerning charge cycles and question as to whether every startup would use up a charge cycle and use up the approx. 1460 charge cycles per year(the website had previously mentioned the batteries had something like 2000 to 3000 charge cycles) :

Cut and pasted email response below:

Starting the car and the alternator topping the battery off will not waste charge cycles. A charge cycle is basically when a battery goes from full capacity down to empty, and back to full again. For example, if you have a habit of playing music while the car is off, in other words when the battery drains down significantly, that is when you really waste charge cycles. You have completed one charge cycle when you have discharged an amount that equals to 100% of your capacity, not just one start or a few starts in a day. And our BMS never lets the battery discharge all the way to empty, which also helps prolong its life. So, no need to worry. Plus, our automotive batteries come with a 5 year warranty, and we also offer replacement discounts long after the warranty expires.

Please, do not disconnect the alternator or make it work intermittently as that would actually expedite the completion of charge cycles and shorten the battery life.

So there you have it, Antigravity Lithium bci group 35 is good for ??? charge cycles ? Hmmm... the charge cycles is no longer listed on the webpage or I just can't find it again. Was certain I just saw it last week. Why did the charge cycle info disappear ? Maybe I'm wrong and it was a different lithium vendor but was pretty sure Antigravity had listed charge cycles before. Not too sure about this, especially at $850.

Charge cycles = ???
CCA - no cca listed
CA= 1500
Capacity - 40 amp hours
Weight 16.5 lbs.
Prcie $830
Will it last in cold north ? Not sure
How long will it really last ? Not sure

Disclaimer:
I have always used OEM, NAPA, or DIEHARD flooded batteries
and compared the Lithium, AGM and flooded batteries objectively as possible and arrived at the conclusion that the Bosch and Braille AGM batteries are the lightest battery at best value thus plan to switch my current OEM for either a Bosch or Braille.
This comparison did not factor in warranties, reliability, battery life or any other factors that may be of importance to you.
 
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How old is the battery? Not sure if the expense is worth it. I highly doubt you'll notice a 11-14 pound difference on a 3,700+ pound (AWD, normally aspirated) vehicle.

If you want to spend extra for an AGM battery, by all means, but I wouldn't replace a good factory battery to save a negligible amount of vehicle weight. I personally also use a battery tender periodically to keep the starter battery topped up.

JMO :)
In agreement about replacing a working oem battery before it's time ... And by itself it's negligable but just dropped 56 lbs on the nonturbo and it's in the sweet spot ...quick on acceleration, spry and nimble. Add in an overweight humanoid, hitch, roof rails, crossbars, rack, decent size spare tire, etc. , Gotta decrease somewhere, i.e lose body weight, rotor weight, battery weight, more rim weight, etc. to offset all the weight I'm adding and still keep performance. It was sluggish with that extra 50 lbs. Can't go back up .
 
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Rather than a full sized spare, you can run a CX-7 temp spare. It is the diameter of the OEM tires, carries a higher load rating and an 81 mph speed rating. That tire is at least 13 pounds lighter than the OEM wheel and tire. it will also fit into the spare well while an OEM tire is too wide for the cover to sit down where it is supposed to.
 
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Went to purchase a Bosch last night and it was sold out at Amazon and Rockauto.
Not too may places sell it. Ended up on a foreign merchant site but was going to have to pay international shipping. Shipping was going to be on 18.14 kg. which seems to be 40 lbs ?? Again there is discrepancy on dimensions and weights. Did the Amazon site and the Bosch rep provide wrong weight in lbs?
Am going to call Bosch on Monday and see if Bosch rep can email me the actual specs sheet. Might just buy the Braille 21 if can find one domestically as JEGS is sold out.
 
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I live in a cold climate - Minnesota. When my original battery needed replacement, I went with AGM. It didn't really last very long and it was expensive. So now I'm back to a "regular" battery from Walmart. The Everstart Max is 640cca, 38.2 pounds, $108.76 + tax, 3 year replacement warranty. It fits my needs just fine and I won't buy any "fancier" battery in the future. And I re-upped my gym membership!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...tery-Group-Size-35N-12-Volt-640-CCA/177087793
 
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I live in a cold climate - Minnesota. When my original battery needed replacement, I went with AGM. It didn't really last very long and it was expensive. So now I'm back to a "regular" battery from Walmart. The Everstart Max is 640cca, 38.2 pounds, $108.76 + tax, 3 year replacement warranty. It fits my needs just fine and I won't buy any "fancier" battery in the future. And I re-upped my gym membership!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...tery-Group-Size-35N-12-Volt-640-CCA/177087793
Yep- I had an AGM in my 2006 BMW originally and swapped for a standard LA battery the second time around. They both lasted about 5yrs. I don't see a significant advantage to AGM.
 
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UPDATED RESULTS:

Disclaimer:
I have always used OEM, NAPA, or DIEHARD flooded batteries
and compared 39 different Lithium, AGM and flooded batteries objectively as possible and arrived at the conclusion that the following may represent the best value for lightweight battery, and power at best $$. The below results were based on information available to me at the time from Reseller(Jegs, Advance, Summit etc.) and Manufacturer(West Penn, Interstate, Optima, Braille, etc,) websites and may not be completely accurate. Please do your own research to verify weight, cca, price, etc. Some of the evaluated were motorcycle batteries which note they should not be used for auto use. This comparison did not factor in warranties, reliability, battery life or any other subjective factors that may be of importance to you.

1st off, was able to locate more literature on the Bosch...it appears some websites had weight incorrect and that it is a 40 lb battery thus it has slipped to the bottom of list. If you want a heavy battery with alot of ah and cca for the price than its great but for the purposes of this comparison, it did not make the list.

Following four(4) are flooded lead acid or sealed lead acids.

The OEM Yuasa/Panasonic Battery a group 35 is supposedly rated for 60 ah, 540 cca @ 31.7 pounds. For the weight it actually packs some punch. There is an equivalent Interstate battery 35-1 with 58 ah, 550 cca at 32.3 lbs for $145. Staying around the same weight, the Exide sprinter(bci 35) is also a great value at 68 ah, 650 cca at 35 lbs for $94. If you want an AGM nonspill and more cca, the Optima redtop has 44 ah, 720 cca @ 31.7 lbs for $245.

Dropping to a bci group 26 will get you a NAPA legend of 540 cca @ 30 lbs for $116 or a Die Hard Silver of 575 cca @28.4 lbs for $ 160.

To lose more weight , go into some AGM and LifePO4 batteries:
* alot of AGM batteries are heavier than the OEM and alot of the LifePO4 batteries are more expensive than the ones listed below.

The Motocross /YUASA platinum AGM GYZ32HL give you 32 ah, 500 cca @ 24.7 lbs for $163. The Braille AGM 21 race battery gives you 31 ah, 550 cca @ 21 lbs for $230 or more $$. Please note that the cca is great but the ah is half of OEM which may mean not using radio, tire inflators, accessories, etc. with car turned off and maybe using a battery maintainer during winter months. Again I am not a battery expert on all types of batteries and how car would perform with a reduced ah battery.

There are two LifePO4 batteries that stand out for weight, price and power... And you probably need a battery maintainer/tender for these.
The Mighty Max with 55 ah @ 19 lbs for $385 and the Lossigy with 100 ah? @23 lbs for $349. The ah and equivalent cca need confirmed for these. Antigravity seemed way too $$ for a LifePO4 group 35, although it does have a battery monitor but $830 is out of my price range. Additionally, questions remain such as will any LifePO4's charge correctly from alternator, will they use up charge cycles every time car is turned on, and will excessive engine heat ruin battery ? For those in warm locales, it seems like great option. In cold locales, the battery will start car below 32 F, but will not charge below 32 F. so you need to bring inside to charge which could become a hassle for a daily driver. trying to charge below 32 F could risk explosion. and you cant jump start.(although Antigravity shuts down low battery and saves enough for one last start). Antigravity seems to have alot of nice features but is too expensive and questions remain. Also there is a Powertex LifePO4 with 48 ah, 430 cca @ 13.5 lbs for $599.

Moving into superlight, we have two(2) Li-Ion batteries. You probably need a battery maintainer for these. Please note that Li-Ion could be ruined by excessive engine heat, is more unstable than LifePO4 and more prone to explode than LifePO4. Also the same questions regarding charging in winter below 32 F and using up of charge cycles with every engine start remains. The Shorai is the best value with 36ah, 550 cca @ 5.54 lbs for $ 259. Runner-up is the NOCO with 32 ah, no cca listed, 700 hca @ 5 lbs for $200. Am very tempted to go full out nuts and throw a Shorai five pounder in my daily driver and see what happens.

if a cca or ah was not shown ,it means i didn't find it during search. if anyone has that info, please provide and will update.

Most of these batteries should fit, but again check the measurements.
Some may be smaller which means you may have to adapt your tray, hold-downs and possibly cable connections.

Welcome any corrections, critiques, or suggestions for the above, including if I misunderstand a certain battery technology or how it works.

Again, please do your own research to verify correct information.
 
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