What has been your experience with these batteries? Getting ready to upgrade system.

I don't know much about the lithium stuff. I do know that the lithium stuff is expensive and not everyone seems to have a hold on how they should be cared for and charged. It wasn't to long ago that Boeing had to ground planes due to problems with lithium batteries. When huge companies Boeing and Samsung have problems with something as simple as a battery it makes you wonder how good the tech is on the ones we can buy for our race cars? I don't think I am ready to have one in my car that is parked in my garage yet lol.

I recently met a guy that worked for Bell Helicopter as a go between for the FAA and Bell. He was trying to get lithium batteries approved for a new helicopter they were working on. The problem he was having with the FAA was that they wanted to them to build a steel cage around the batteries, that cage weighed about 85lbs and washed the savings from the lithium batteries. Stuff like that makes me question them.

AGM is the only safe way. Also, the AGM/Lead Acid discharge curve is a steady slope, and the Lithium is a dead drop off. They are also a fire hazard in high current load situations.

In about 3-4 years there will be other battery designs that will be a safe and equal in discharge rates.

My 2 cents... Mark

AGM is the way to go I use one on my dragster starting a 14:1 engine with no charging system--it is 2 1/2 years old and doing great--No expensive charger needed just one from NAPA with an AGM setting ( important but not hard to find)

I have Lithium in one car and a lieghtweight AGM In the other. I can tell you the cranking ability of the Lithium battery is FAR FAR superior to the AGM unit, in fact than two AGM units. It was a big factor in my switching to the Lithium along with the weight. One eight pound battery vs a total weight of 84lbs of AGM battery.

There does seem to be some lithium batteries that are better than others for sure. One thing for sure is IF you go Lithium get that companies charger and follow their directions to a T.

Thank you for all the info. I currently have 2 red tops (80+ lbs) but they are 2008 batteries. I want to run some street classes but they make you run a 35 mile trek through town and I'm concerned. I do run a alternator. I am going to call Go Lithium tomorrow and XS power and see what they say.

You can run a lithium with an alternator, the issue will be they seem to all have a MAX voltage for charging. That would be the concern, it is also what gets some people into trouble trying to use their existing 16 volt charger on their lithium battery. Most lithiums I have seen have a max voltage of 17.8-17.9. MOst 16 volt AGM chargers will go to 18.5-7, this will certainly cause an issue with a lithium.

My XS has been a great buy--It has served me very well --I use a $70 charger from NAPA It has never let me down--I will buy another when the time comes

What is the name or part number of the NAPA Charger

If you buy XSPower batteries I highly recommend using their charger.

It just has a switch that says normal/agm/gel I have used the agm setting and battery performs well for near two years now
I was in fear of not using the high $$$$ charger but after talking to techs at many battery places decided that I was OK and apparently so NAPA one died so went with Schumacher unit from Wally world with same switch and price range--have used it over a year now same deal

Thanks for all the input. I believe the AGM technology is best suited for my situation. Starting and stopping in driving the car around town I think the AGM battery will be better. XS power 16 volt battery with there 15 amp charger. I was thinking of just mounting the charger in the car. It only a few lbs. I ordered a 16 volt alternator 140 amps that should help.

Crabman, what XS battery do you run?

The Cuda had the charger mounted in the truck for years and never an issue..