/Optima Battery

[Bob Farrell <farrell@icdh16.dseg.ti.com>]

> Also, has anybody here used Optima's spiral-wound gel cell in their 'Rocco
> before?  I am looking to replace my 3rd Diehard, which seems to be dying
> hard.
> Thanks,
> ADP
> 
Having a an interest in electric cars, I subscribe to the EV mail list. Optima
batteries have been a hot topic there for months so I looked into it as SLI
(starting/lighting/ignition) battery for my '77 Scirocco. Optimas are available
only in one size (BCI group 34) while VWs use BCI group 42 (or 41? for more 
recent models.)  According to http://www.acdelcobatteries.com/bci.html, a 
group 42 is 9.6 x 6.8 x 6.8 (LxWxH inches) with R/H Pos SAE posts. The
Optima sheet shows it (model 800S) as 9.94 x 6.75 x 7.81 with L/H Pos SAE posts.
The length and width look workable but the height could be a major problem
depending on how close it is to the hood. Also the posts are backwards 
and the wires would need to be crossed.

I found a note that seems to suggest that an Optima will fit in a group 42 space:
http://www.digest.net/bmw/archive/v2/msg00696.html.

Be prepared for it not to fit. A group 42 is one of the shortest (least height)
batteries available so it cannot be replaced with much else.

Bob Farrell




--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to scirocco-L-request@privateI.com,
with your request (subscribe, unsubscribe) in the BODY of the message.