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Odyssey battery w/ generator?

Started by David Greenburg, January 28, 2023, 04:35:33 PM

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David Greenburg

My '61 needs a battery and I'm contemplating getting an Odyssey battery for it (yes, pricey, but 930 CCA).  But from what I'm reading, they like a good charge.  I'm wondering if anyone is running an Odyssey or similar in a generator-equipped car.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

TJ Hopland

What do you hope to gain by going to this style battery?  The main advantages to this style battery is they can be mounted in any position and are much more vibration resistant than a typical flooded type.  Doesn't seem like either of those would really apply to a classic car. 

I have not looked but I assume Odyssey is still an AGM similar to Optima?

Back when Optima was an independent company and their batteries sold for not much more than a regular premium battery I used a bunch of them including in a old tractor that was converted to 12v with what was likely a 15-20 amp generator running the original 'tweaked' mechanical regulator. 

Only issues I ever had with them (back when they were independent) was if you did significantly discharge one you had to be careful bringing one back.  It seems like they can and will take all the power you can give them and then some. Had some issues burning up wires, alternators, and chargers. 

The recommend way to do it was to connect another charged battery with heavy gauge cables and I think once they balanced you then charge the pair.  Maybe you just let them balance then split them and charged?  Its been a while I don't remember the details but if you did that it seemed to work fine and in a reasonable amount of time. 

The other way I was able to bring them back was with a smallish non smart charger.  Bigger and smart chargers just get angry and shut down.  The one I used was an old school heavy unit that was something like 2a/15a/55a boost.  15a it would thermal out but 2a it would keep charging.  Took like 8 hours before I was able to kick it to 15a and complete the charge in a couple hours.

Many years ago now one of the two? big battery companies bought them out and moved production to one of their plants.  About the same time the price really went up and I noticed when swapping out a 10 year old one for a new one that the new one was significantly lighter weight. 

I think I did 2 of the new ones and one failed really early and the warranty was a massive hassle so I didn't bother.  I never had to try and claim a warranty before but the store told me it used to be simple and they could just do it in store.  The other one lasted about as long as an average quality regular battery so there was just no point in paying more than twice the cost if I didn't need to mount it upside down or really vibrate the heck out of it.             
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

David Greenburg

Yes it is an AGM, but my main interest is the power (CCA's) and longer life.  My cars take a while to fire up if they've sat for more than 3-4 days. And the Odyssey I'm considering is in their cheaper "Performance" series rather than the "Extreme" series, which I think is the one that can be mounted in any position.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

TJ Hopland

Hopefully someone here will have recent experience with the Odyssey batteries. 

What sort of condition are your starters and cables in?  Maybe some new cables and at least an inspection and cleaning of the starters would solve your issues?
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

winger888

The little 925 Odyssey used to be the a standard for my for my 502 Boss Hoss motorcycle. "Small" but lots of cranking power. If you are looking for longer lasting cranking power, its the way to go; otherwise I dont see any advantage in a classic car. 
76 Eldorado Bicentennial
79 Lincoln Town Car Collectors Series

fishnjim

Not familiar with the brand but I use AGMs in almost everything now.   They don't discharge as fast as "wetties". 
'58s has a gen.  I just put the big charger on it, for two hours, if it's sat for a while and low.
Recall the first C is for cold, if that's an issue with battery power or not for you.  Anything over 800 is more than sufficient for these motors, if the equipment is in working order.  They came probably around 6-700+.  More amps means more heat in the wires.

phildeville@cox.net

I have 2 Odyssey 12 v modules, wired in parallel, in a 3EEE case in my '54.  I use a "Genenator" from Oregon.  In the desert heat, they last 6 years. I do use a "maintainer" charger.

Phil

3EEE battery upgrade 1.23.JPG3EEE battery upgrade 1.23.JPG 
Phil Terry  CLC# 15270

TJ Hopland

In Phil's case I see why he is doing it,  its a capacity vs form factor issue so he could fit it into that vintage looking case. 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

David Greenburg

I'm not having any "issues" other than an old Delco repro battery that I assume was in the car as far back as the Lake George GN, when it was under the care of Dan LeBlanc. I'm thinking of going with an Odyssey (or the private label version sold by Batteries Plus) because of the cranking power and durability. I suppose I'm gambling that the higher price will be justified by a longer life. As for cranking power, I don't have cold weather issues and drive year round, but it can take a fairly lengthy cranking session to get gas to the engine if it sits for more than a few days (this has been an issue with all of my old Cadillacs, not just this one), and even an otherwise healthy battery can get run down. I already have one of these batteries in my '60, and its been great, but that car also has a Gener-nator conversion, so there's plenty of amps to feed it. But based on Jim's response, it sounds like the stock generator can adequately feed other AGM batteries.  I'm not sure why Odyssey would be any different, but perhaps I should try and talk to their tech staff before "investing."  
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

TonyZappone #2624

It is not unusual for a 6 volt optima to last well over 10 years, with a maintainer in the off season.  I took one out of another make 6 volt 385 cubic inch straight 8 after 14 years, just because I was afraid it was going to fail.  Its still kicking around, and I charge it once in awhile.  I have had one in my '58 Cad also, but they are pretty ugly sticking out in front as they do in that year.  If you drag one down to nothing, its real tough bringing them back, but it can be done

Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

jdemerson

Quote from: TonyZappone #2624 on January 30, 2023, 06:18:15 AMIt is not unusual for a 6 volt optima to last well over 10 years, with a maintainer in the off season.  I took one out of another make 6 volt 385 cubic inch straight 8 after 14 years, just because I was afraid it was going to fail.  It's still kicking around, and I charge it once in awhile.  I have had one in my '58 Cad also, but they are pretty ugly sticking out in front as they do in that year.  If you drag one down to nothing, its real tough bringing them back, but it can be done

Yes, I can verify Tony's claim. In fall 2022 I replaced an Optima battery in a Delco case, purchased from Restoration Battery in Ohio on October 13, 2010. So the battery worked fine for 12 years. I used a Battery Tender to keep it charged.  Of course the car is 6 Volt and has a generator.

I don't have any experience with Odyssey, but it sounds quite similar  with AGM technology.

John Emerson
1952 Cadillac Sedan 6219X
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

jwwseville60

#11
I have installed 10 Odyssey batteries to various Caddies and other vehicles. Good product, but not really worth extra cash for an older car.

Yet they dont on average last any longer than lead acid is my experience. Some just go dead for no reason even if disconnected and on a trickle. Same deal as regular batteries today.
Great for Offroad and racing or military Humvees, however.

• Diehard Gold is still made in America. They come highly recommended.

• I have in-line battery cut off switches in all my old cars. Dont use the brass cheap one for the battery terminal, they wear out over time.

• Odyssey makes a very good AGM charger too. Use it for any battery.

1960 Eldorado Seville, Copper, "IKE"
1961 CDV, gold, "Goldfinger"
1964 Eldorado, Turquoise, "Billy the Squid"
1963 De Ville Station Wagon Vista roof, silver blue, "Race Bannon"
1963 Fleetwood 60S, turquoise, "The Miami Special"
1959 Sedan Deville flat top, tan, "Jupiter-2"
1947 Caddy Sedanette 62, black, "Johnny Cash"
1970 ASC Fleetwood wagon, dark blue, "Iron Maiden"
Lifetime CLC

TJ Hopland

Odyssey apparently isn't part of the big auto battery companies.  EnerSys is the name of the company and they are based in Reading PA.   They are not a small company, 9000 employees and $2.5 billion in annual sales.  I didn't recognize any of the brands listed so I imagine they are mostly industrial OEM sort of company for the most part. I doubt the Odyssey line is more than a blip of that $2.5 billion. 

They also say on their site that they have 2 manufacturing sites in Missouri, one in Wales, and one in France.  Not what I was expecting. Maybe worth giving them a try since they don't look like the typical sort of company we normally see these days.     
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason