So i finally got around to taking pics of my MMP lightweight battery mount.

Going this route saved me 25lbs off the very front of my car, and i've ended up with a bullet-proof mount (not some crappy J-hook solution, imho).

The mount bolts in to the stock mounting position, and as a result you can switch from regular battery to lightweight battery simply be unbolting the two terminals, and removing the one mount bolt (very slick indeed).

The mount itself is built so that the battery slides down into it. Its welded aluminum which is powder coated black (obviously)

i have a lot of extra wiring here due to my relays and stereo install (which takes away from how clean this mount is)

the second part.... i.e. the testing

So the thing that some people may notice is the battery. It looks the exact same as the Braille battery that is commonly sold by various companies for around $175US. However the battery that i have is a DEKA ETX14. If you put it side by side with a Braille you'll notice that they're the exact same casing. If you weight them, you'll notice that they weigh the exact same, and if you look at the schematic that has been posted for the Braille, you'll notice that it's simply a cut and cropped version of the one from the Deka brochure and website. Why is this important? Because the Deka battery is sold nationally for $59US

It is my belief that the Braille battery is simply a re-badged ETX14 (this is a common practice in the aftermarket battery industry). I however am not a battery expert. So all i could do is visually evaulate the two batteries, test them, and talk to experts about the two side by side.

What I've found out.
DEKA is the manufacturer of the Braille labeled battery - fact.

the Braille and the Deka etx14 are the exact same box - fact.

the Braille and the Deka are the same design (based off of the schematic)

the Braille and the Deka weigh the exact same - 11.4 lbs - fact

the Deka tests the same as what the Braille is claimed to test at - 360-400CCA- fact.

The only piece of the puzzle that was unfortunate when we went to do the testing, was that the Braille battery that was charged yesterday was dead. This happens with batteries, i would have just liked to have had it working properly. However i have been told that the Braille will test at 360-400CCA under normal testing conditions.When i have tested a Braille, this is around where it tested (it was actually a bit lower)

Here are some pics that were taken today. I've tested or been part of the testing of several of these batteries, these are just the results from two of them.

I'd love to hear proof of why a Braille is worth triple of what the DEKA sells for, however so far i haven't been able to find any PROOF of that.

Here are some pics from today's testing.

close up of the meter.

2nd deka battery tested today(another etx14)

and again, a close up of the meter.

While we were there, we also tested a 15lb battery from DEKA. I've heard a rumour that Braille is releasing a 15lb battery.... I wonder if this is the battery they'll be selling.

the Deka ETX20L (this one had been sitting on a shelf since July, and would have test higher if it was newer).

So that is what i've seen/tested so far.
Again, i am not an expert on batteries, I'm just a vortex member/enthusiast who wanted to dig a bit deeper on this.

Here is a link that gave me a lot of insight and information on batteries.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-dynabatt.htm

Perhaps someone from Braille will add something to this thread about what makes their Deka battery different (and worth triple the price).

If not, I've just educated everyone on here how to save 25lbs from the front of their car for $60.

Modified by TBT-Syncro at 9:33 AM 9-8-2008

Just wondering cause thats a super nice compact battery for 60bux.

Any dimming of the lights with your stereo use yet?

The difference between the Deka ETX20L and the ETX14, other than the 3.6 lb, is the ETX20L has a higher CCA rating?

"... freedom is sometimes simply another perspective away..." -Kutless

Futrell Autowerks

If its in the teens or lower you shouldnt be running 20w50. Although people have reported using the braille version to start their r32's in the cold, so it should be able to crank a 4 banger.

I looked up a bunch of batteries before and there are a few that are similar in specification to the braille, all for much less.

I'm sure if scott at usrt see's this he'll have some info on the braille.

brailles sight lists a 15lb battery that is recommended for all season's use, the 11.5lb one is their "race" battery

Meester Montana

Parts galore, time to move on. 1992 gti/g60 part out.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4375806

my car sat for 4 days last week where it was below zero (celcius). I had no trouble when i went to start it (its a VR).

Braille batteries don't have enough umph to spin over a high-compression motor from that far away.

We tried one in a vr6 car, and the battery just didn't like it. I'm guessing the current drop over the distance from the trunk to the front of the car was too much (0 gauge cable BTW). Replacing the Braille with a regular Group 24 battery solved the problem.

You wouldnt need a battery box cause these are gel cell. No liquid to spill out.

how do these compare size wise to the odessey pc680? seems like a similar price

if you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem

Ahhh, that sucks, well I guess I'll stick with an optima

it should be fine, but i'd recommend the 15lb version just to be safe.

tks for posting

total install w/ cable, battery, hold down hardwear and such..... 98 buks!...

Modified by carsluTT at 11:35 AM 12-21-2005

dCi

Quote, originally posted by BoulderGTI8v »

Could you provide us with links to purchase the battery and the holder? Thanks!

Here you go!
http://www.momentummotorparts....s.asp

Milltek exhaust - GIAC chip - H&R suspension

http://www.bigcrank.com/bigcrank_batteries.php

Thanks,

...wonder if this $60 alternate battery has similar issues, if so i would say that they are the same then.

apparently its okay and dosent damage the braille battery if fully drained unlike regular batteries. However who knows since my first braille got fully drained once and after that went down hill and fast. However like i said apparently they had a bad batch so this may have been one of them, or draining it really did damage it.

Do you know if this $60 battery claims the same thing, fully drained w/ no damage to it?

As far as i can tell, it is the exact same battery. so i cant see how it would react any different to being fully discharged.

http://www.brailleauto.com/for...p?t=7

They have yet to respond, surprise surprise.

Geoff

If I knew it was gonna be that kinda party, I'da stuck my d!ck in the mashed potatoes!