Quote:
Originally Posted by mgarblik
I really appreciate this thread. Always want to keep up with latest technology and learn new things I can apply to my cars and use in my classes. Also like the fact that you included real world results and actual test results with data. I was interested enough to spend over 45 minutes on the Antigravity web site looking at various batteries and watched the long video on the site. Also spent some time evaluating the warranty and costs of the batteries. I would strongly recommend spending some time on the site if buying a $ 950.00 battery is a significant cost for you. Like everything in our hobby, every part has a plus side and and a down side, and a warranty to consider. The energy density vs weight can not be questioned vs a lead acid battery IMO. They are really impressive. Also the higher sitting voltage is significant as seen in the cranking RPM tests. Carbureted collector car engines need 80-100 cranking RPM to start right up and provide no issues. Aftermarket EFI engines that sync cam and crank signals apparently need allot more RPM to start reliably as evidenced in thread thread. OE EFI systems need 120-160 cranking RPM approx. So this new LI battery solves a problem. The very low weight is a big advantage as well. The battery management system and the auto-restart system is a neat feature too.
So what is the true cost currently for this cool new technology? Pretty high IMO, at least right now. I can buy a flooded lead acid battery from NAPA, 800 CCA, 2 year free replacement for $153.00. A better AGM 860 CCA battery, 55 AH, $218.00. It weighs 43 lbs. and has a 3 year free replacement warranty. So the Antigravity battery cost almost 5 times as much as the AGM battery and 6 times as much as a flooded battery. But consider it has just over twice the CCA capacity of either lead acid battery which is impressive. If you need it to make your EFI engine crank and start efficiently, it is decent investment I guess.
The only thing I really had a problem with on the Antigravity web site was their claim of "double to triple" the life of a lead acid battery and a claim of "8-10 year" average life span. If this is true, why do they NOT back up these claims with their warranty? I spent some time studying the warranty on the car batteries. It is very weak IMO. They offer a 3 year free replacement warranty which is decent. But it comes with a boatload of fine print and exclusions. Read it carefully. It excludes racing, any modifications to the OE charging system, failed charging components and a bunch of other specific exclusions. I can just see them weaseling their way out of honoring any kind of warranty obligation by pointing to tiny fine print. They offer only a 40% pro-rate and 30% pro-rate off MSRP in year 4 and 5. So the warranty ends completely 3-5 years BEFORE their claimed "average battery life" That is a weak warranty IMO. You also have to ship it back to CA for evaluation and register the battery in 30 days after purchase. Lots of loopholes to jump through. They also mention you need to purchase a specific battery charger type to charge these batteries if needed.
So in summary, do your homework before making the switch as it could be an expensive solution to a problem the vast majority of our cars don't have. But again, I really appreciate the information. Knowledge is power!
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I appreciate your input. You brought up a great point regarding the warranty. I was initially looking at the Full Spectrum Power P.Motive IPT7.PM2K13. It has 2000CCA vs the Antigravity’s 1800CCA and is a little more expensive. The Full Spectrum Power is also only 36 amp hour vs the Antigravity’s 60 amp hour. I went back and forth trying to decide until I read the warranty differences.
The Full Spectrum Power only offers a 1 year full replacement warranty and is then prorated months 13-24 at 50% and then months 24-36 at 25%.
https://www.fullspectrumpower.com/bl...anty-explained
The Antigravity battery warranty is below:
The 5 Year Limited Warranty is on a pro-rated basis based from the original date of purchase.
Only ONE battery replacement will be given under warranty.
1-3 Years — Free Replacement
4th year — 40% discount from retail MSRP
5th year — 30% discount from retail MSRP
https://antigravitybatteries.com/pro...es/automotive/
I forgot to mention that I also purchased the Antifravity battery tracker add-on, but it is currently on back order and won’t arrive for a couple weeks. It lets you full monitor your battery via Bluetooth from your phone. I no longer need to leave the car on a tender or worry if it’s has enough juice… Technology can be pretty cool
https://antigravitybatteries.com/pro...acker-lithium/