white out
Enthusiast
So, I was looking for a recommendation for a light weight battery, and obviously the first battery that usually comes up is Braille. Did a little bit of research about them, as I need a battery. Now, it's been rumored, and is widely believed that Braille batteries are actually made for them by Deka. Which, if you look on Deka's website they have a series of batteries called Sports Power, and you can find a list of batteries that are made for ATV's, motorcycles, watercrafts & snowmobiles ect. Those batteries just happen to have the exact same weights as the Braille batteries, although there are some differences in their specs. Which would lead me to believe that Braille in fact overrates their batteries as Deka is the company that actually makes them, or is believed to make them.
Here are al the Braille - Deka comparisons.
Braille B106 - 6.6 lbs - 210 CCA's - Only recommend for warm weather racing/not recommending for a daily driver as per Braille.
Deka ETX9 - 6.3 lbs - 120 CCA's
Braille B129 - 9.5 lbs - 323 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily driven car.
Deka ETX12 - 9.4 lbs - 180 CCA's
Braille B14115 - 11.5 lbs - 360 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily
Deka ETX14 - 12 lbs - 200 CCA's
Braille B2015 - 15 lbs - 425 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in warm conditions (60-120 degrees), recommended as a race only battery for cold conditions (0-59 degrees).
Deka ETX15 - 14 lbs - 210 CCA's
Deka ETX20L - 15.5 lbs - 270 CCA's
^^^Not sure which Deka battery the Braille is modeled after in the 15 lbs range?!?
Braille B2317 & B2317R - 17 lbs - 475 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX16 & ETX16L- 17 lbs - 275 CCA's
^^^Note, these batteries are meant to be used as a set to replace 2 batteries/supply 24V power ect.
Braille B2618 - 18 lbs - 472 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX18L - 18 lbs - 330 CCA's
Braille B3121 - 21 lbs - 550 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX30L - 21.7 lbs - 365 CCA's
Information pulled from the following:
Braille Battery USA
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/0278.pdf
Please note the discrepancies in the CCA's... some are pretty far apart, and if the rumors are correct, and Deka makes batteries for Braille, I would tend to believe Deka's CCA ratings over Braille's, as they actually make them/not just rebadge them. Maybe I'm wrong, and the rumors are incorrect, but if not, please keep this in the back of your mind.
I also tried looking for what our OEM batteries are rated for as far as CCA's, and couldn't find a straight answer. The most common answer was anywhere from 330 CCA's to 400 CCA's, which apparently is well below what what most OEM batteries are rated at (between 500-800 CCA's). If someone know the exact CCA rating of our OEM batteries, please let me know.
Chuck stated that 730 cold cranking amps are needed for the Viper.
Lastly, the weight of our stock batteries are around 40lbs so there's definitely some weight to be saved there.
Here is another review of the Braille B3121:
Braille CF battery (20day) review - Viper Alley - Dodge Viper Forum
I plan on picking up a Deka ETX30L this spring.
This thread is to help anyone considering picking up a lightweight battery in the future, hope it helps someone. Note that if the rumors are true, that obviously Braille batteries are a good bit more expensive, but also come with terminals, whereas you can save money with a Deka, but will have to buy your own terminals.
Nick
Here are al the Braille - Deka comparisons.
Braille B106 - 6.6 lbs - 210 CCA's - Only recommend for warm weather racing/not recommending for a daily driver as per Braille.
Deka ETX9 - 6.3 lbs - 120 CCA's
Braille B129 - 9.5 lbs - 323 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily driven car.
Deka ETX12 - 9.4 lbs - 180 CCA's
Braille B14115 - 11.5 lbs - 360 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily
Deka ETX14 - 12 lbs - 200 CCA's
Braille B2015 - 15 lbs - 425 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in warm conditions (60-120 degrees), recommended as a race only battery for cold conditions (0-59 degrees).
Deka ETX15 - 14 lbs - 210 CCA's
Deka ETX20L - 15.5 lbs - 270 CCA's
^^^Not sure which Deka battery the Braille is modeled after in the 15 lbs range?!?
Braille B2317 & B2317R - 17 lbs - 475 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX16 & ETX16L- 17 lbs - 275 CCA's
^^^Note, these batteries are meant to be used as a set to replace 2 batteries/supply 24V power ect.
Braille B2618 - 18 lbs - 472 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX18L - 18 lbs - 330 CCA's
Braille B3121 - 21 lbs - 550 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in both warm & cold conditions.
Deka ETX30L - 21.7 lbs - 365 CCA's
Information pulled from the following:
Braille Battery USA
http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/0278.pdf
Please note the discrepancies in the CCA's... some are pretty far apart, and if the rumors are correct, and Deka makes batteries for Braille, I would tend to believe Deka's CCA ratings over Braille's, as they actually make them/not just rebadge them. Maybe I'm wrong, and the rumors are incorrect, but if not, please keep this in the back of your mind.
I also tried looking for what our OEM batteries are rated for as far as CCA's, and couldn't find a straight answer. The most common answer was anywhere from 330 CCA's to 400 CCA's, which apparently is well below what what most OEM batteries are rated at (between 500-800 CCA's). If someone know the exact CCA rating of our OEM batteries, please let me know.
Chuck stated that 730 cold cranking amps are needed for the Viper.
Lastly, the weight of our stock batteries are around 40lbs so there's definitely some weight to be saved there.
Here is another review of the Braille B3121:
Braille CF battery (20day) review - Viper Alley - Dodge Viper Forum
I plan on picking up a Deka ETX30L this spring.
This thread is to help anyone considering picking up a lightweight battery in the future, hope it helps someone. Note that if the rumors are true, that obviously Braille batteries are a good bit more expensive, but also come with terminals, whereas you can save money with a Deka, but will have to buy your own terminals.
Nick