Deka Powersports Lightweight battery and remote mount

speedtek · Post by **speedtek** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 7:44 pm

Well, if you ever wanted the single cheapest mod you can do to your car to put it on a crash diet. Dump that old flooded cell battery (which can weigh up to 50 pounds) and install a nice lightweight Deka ETX20L (about 14 pounds and non-spillable, also only abou $100 at your local dealer). Plenty of guys run these on MKIV VR6's, so they do have more than enough crank for our little beasts. I went the extra step and did a custom remote mount setup for mine, but that isn't completely required if all you want to do is put it in where the old battery was. Remote mount worked best for me, as the new Jacobs ignition system now resides where the battery used to sit. A pictorial for all to see, any questions....just ask.

The battery install

The custom box, with cable snaking off in the background

Overall shot of ignition in battery spot and a glimpse of the electrical breakout box where I tied all the 12V to a Busbar

Closeup of the breakout box from above, it sits where the coolant resevoir would normally be....which I don't have.

Post by **Calimus** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:21 pm

Hrm, I think a need a new pair of pants

tolusina · Post by **tolusina** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:40 pm

I Googled best I could, couldn't find specs..... Do you happen to know the Amp/Hour rating or CCA specs?
Tia,
Ron

1lowcab · Post by **1lowcab** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:01 am

tell me more about this Jacobs ignition system.
how and why it's better then stock, and how it's helped your motor.

just curious, i've been looking into aftermarket systems and want to know what you think of yours.

speedtek · Post by **speedtek** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:54 am

tolusina wrote:I Googled best I could, couldn't find specs..... Do you happen to know the Amp/Hour rating or CCA specs?
Tia,
Ron

whoops, sorry...that's because I typoed the model #....should be an etx, not an ext.
Specs are in link below.
http://www.ms-battery.com/harley-davidson-battery.htm

it's rated at 270 CCA and 17.5 AH, but the CCA far surpasses the factory rating on any battery test I've seen done. One guy on the 'Tex was showing almost 500 CCA on his battery tester for one that had been sitting on the shelf for 6 months.

edit: found the pics and a link to the thread on VWDOV: http://www.vwdov.ca/forum/showthread.ph ... light=deka

speedtek · Post by **speedtek** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:01 am

1lowcab wrote:tell me more about this Jacobs ignition system.
how and why it's better then stock, and how it's helped your motor.

just curious, i've been looking into aftermarket systems and want to know what you think of yours.

Well, in theory, it should give me a far hotter and more efficient spark. I can't honestly comment on the system other than to say " it runs" as the car is still in the garage for the winter. I will update with full impressions in a month or so when the car goes back on the road.

Spring is coming, spring is coming, spring is coming..........

tolusina · Post by **tolusina** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:03 pm

speedtek wrote:
tolusina wrote:.... couldn't find specs.....
.......it's rated at 270 CCA and 17.5 AH, .........

Thanks so much for the response!!

I followed the links, the one at ms-battery.com does indeed list 17.5 AH, I think there is a decimal misplaced in that chart. Either way, 270 CCA rating with higher measured readings in the threads, sounds like plenty battery, at least in this mild, Central California climate I'm in.
That battery is indeed gettind serious consideration. The Braille version was just too pricey to get excited about.

speedtek · Post by **speedtek** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:48 pm

Read the thread on VWDOV and Vortex, the guy basically proves that the braille is just a rebadged Deka. East Penn makes them both.

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)