EXIDE ORBITAL BATTERY

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electricvehicles
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EXIDE ORBITAL BATTERY

Postby electricvehicles » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:42 pm

Just wondered if anyone has tried using the Exide Orbital battery opposed to the very expensive Optima Battery. As far as I can see the specs are more or less the same but the price is some 40% less plus you get 18 months warranty

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aminorjourney
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Postby aminorjourney » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:53 pm

Paul is the man to ask here. He's used Optima before. :)
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

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EVguru
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Postby EVguru » Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:58 pm

The Orbital (make sure you get the deep dicharge version) is a little lighter and a little lower capacity than the Optima deep cycle batteries. The retail price tends to be lower than the Optima, but discounts are often not available. What prices are you being quoted?

The warantee probably wouldn't cover traction use (there are always exclusion cluases).

The American experience is that there's not much difference between the two brands, but the Orbitals had more sudden failures early in life.

Both are fairly critical in their charge requirements and can suffer from 'thermal walkaway'.
Paul

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http://www.morini-mania.co.uk
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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:33 pm

EVguru wrote:......... and can suffer from 'thermal walkaway'.


Which is not as fast as thermal runaway :lol:

Must admit I've never heard of a "walkaway" :lol: made me larf

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

electricvehicles
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Thermal Walkaway

Postby electricvehicles » Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:06 am

Trust you Chris to notice something as trivial as Walkaway opposed to runaway. I was more interested in the technical aspects !!!

electricmini
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Postby electricmini » Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:31 pm

I have (well had, they've been taken out now) a pack of 10
Exide Maxxima 900DC's in the Mini. I haven't really used the pack much,
but what a difference over the old 50Ah Dynasty AGMs that were in there.

The Maxximas (same thing as the Orbitals) are very stiff, hardly any voltage sag even
when they are discharged a fair way. They laugh at the current draws the Mini takes
(never over 250 amps) - Rich Rudman in the states briefly tested one at 1800 amps!

I'm keeping them to go into my next project - anyone have any good sources
for them in the S.Wales area (Cardiff) ? I'd like to get some more.

You do need to be careful about charging, like any AGM, if you want decent life from them.
I have individual bypass regulators, and an adjustable charger, to try to keep them happy.

Richard Bebbington
electric Mini pickup

----------------edit--------------

I forgot to add, I really like the extra stud terminals they come with, and
the integrated carry handles. Also the 2 holes between the cylindrical cells - perfect
for bolting them down, although I had a big steel tube holding mine in place.
Richard


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