So I've been chasing around an electrical gremlin. After cutting off all my solder joints and crimping them I still have the issue. Even just when cranking it seems the ground is weak. Is it possible the battery is bad? It is 8 years old. Holds 12.6 charge when not in use. I'm guessing this is probably my culprit. Now I'm not sure that this is entirely possible but it's all thats left.

So what are the best 12v batteries out there? I'd like it to have lots of CCA as well, because I plan to hit up the ice drags again and I need to start a 13.8 engine in -5 to 20 degrees. I'd also like to know what you guys do to maintain your drag car only batteries.

Thanks!

If it is still working after 8 years I would say your taking care of it just fine. I have been pleased with my Optima Yellow Top, its 6 years old now and I just tested it a month or two ago and it still passes a load test at full CCA with no problem at all.

Been running 2 Orbital gels for many years and they rock and last years as long as you keep em somewhat charged up.........

Odyssey by miles and miles and miles.
Yes they are expensive but they kick optimas butt!

I've run Optima and Odyssey (Sears Platinum were relabeled Odyssey, but they discontinued them.)

X2 on what Thumperdart said...keep them charged. I charge them as much as I can before loading up after the races, then periodically top them off between events at home.

Have someone check the cranking voltage drop on the battery when cranking it Let us know what the drop is
Are you running a alternator or charging the battery after each run?

Can I just watch the battery read out on my Racepak? That should be a real time voltage drop right? Or is that not accurate enough.

I really don't know Do you turn the racepak on after staring it or before? I see a lot of racers that have someone turn the Racepak on just before the run and the diver shuts it off with a master kill switch at the end of the runs

My Racepak is on with my ignition. It doesn't start recording until it sees 6500 RPMs during the burnout.

When cranking the battery drops from 12.6 to 7.8-8.1

That's what my Racepak dash reads.

I have head of optima batteries causing electrical glitches, never used them my self. Worth a try if you ask me. Take the battery out of the daily driver and try that.

Min. should be 12.4 while cranking. Battery needs replacing.

A dip to 10v during crank isn't uncommon at all. I've seen as low as 6v when the starter initially engages. I'd take yours to Autozone/OReilleys/NAPA and have them load test it for certain.

Let me get this straight. Your battery lasted 8 years and you're asking us what kind of battery to buy? I think you should be telling us what battery to buy. I've almost never had a battery in anything last over a couple of years. Me and batterys have bad mojo.

If that is the case, the battery is junk or something in the starting circuit is drawing crazy amps

My opinion if it is a race car is go 16 volt and NEVER look back..

Then I have to buy a generator and a charger right? Or can you go a day without charging?

I'm still running the original battery in my 2004 Dodge Ram truck. So whatever battery the factory put in that truck was a good one. I don't think I've ever had a battery go 12 years before. The 8 years that you got is really good, usually they seem to last about 5 years.

OK I lied. It's 11 years old. Wow, time flies. It has started leaking in the last year or so. The stain on the top is from me topping off the distilled water. So for you guys wondering, here is a battery that lasts i guess.



Yes that's October of 2005 lol

No alternator? I would put one on now and never look back, use a 65 amp or bigger one so the alternator will carry the electrical load and put some voltage back into the battery while racing it
Every drag car that I have tested with and without a alternator ran faster and quicker with the alternator working properly
Todays electronics ignitions and all the other electrically driven race parts we use need a good supply of voltage to work properly