Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Free

[Terry B.]

I have searched the archives looking for this information that I would expect someone has all ready asked but I could not find anything there so here goes.

I have been using a wet cell Restoration Battery for the past 4+ years with no problem but it has recently gone bad. I see in the Driveline that the company that I purchased the restoration battery now sells a maintainence free version of this same battery for $85.00 more. My 5 questions are first, is this battery worth the extra money and are Corvette owners using them with success? Would I be better off buying a regular Delco battery and taking the point hit? (How many points would it be?) How do the maitainence free batteries compare strentgh wise to a regular maintainence free Delco battery? I plan on having the car judged at a regional this spring and perhaps a National in the future. Thanks for your advice.

[Duke W.]

Re: Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Fre

"Maintenance free" batteries have a much lower internal discharge rate than the older technology "maintenance" type batteries that require periodic watering - about one percent per day versus three percent at room temperature. So it's very important to keep maintenance types charged - once a week versus about once a month for maintenance free.

Or keep both connected to a battery tender, and check the water level on maintenance types at least once a month.

Duke

[Jack H.]

Pull your copy...

of the NCRS Judging Reference Manual off the shelf and open to Section 4, Standard Deductions, Rule 2, Batteries. You'll find the following:

No Originality Deduction: Original or original design reporduction (indescernible as installed) Delco as described in judging manual withy, applicable, appropriate plant and date stamp for the vehicle.

Deduct 10%--Battery appearing as above but with no appropriate plant or date stamping, if applicable.

Deduct 30%--Reproduction differeng from original design and construction in minor detail.

Deduct 50%--Delco, correctly sized, service replacement with appropriate top or side post configuration.

Deduct 100%--Originality & Condition for others.

[Chuck W.]

Re: Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Fre

The maintenance free batteries from Restoration Battery are actually made by Antique Auto Battery. I have used them exclusively for the past 3 years without any issues in about 15 cars. Good cold cranking, good longevity, same appearance as their lead/acid counterpart thus probably the same point deduction (if any) from Judging. I like them because they can be removed and installed without the risk of spilling or leaking acid, require no watering, and they don't leak like similar lead/acid type can. The acid being saturated in the plates using gel don't have the same risk factors as the traditional lead/acid variety. Other than the price hit, I can find no negatives with the technology or product. Antique Auto Battery will also date stamp the battery if you ask them for no additional charge.

[Louis T.]

Re: Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Fre

Terry,

To clarify regarding which of the standard deductions will apply - 30% (e.g., 30% of 25 pts = 7.5 pts, rounded down to 7 pts). Since the Boston Regional last year, the NCRS has ruled that battery caps are not to be removed on the judging field to ascertain the internal construction/technology of the battery (officially, “safety” reasons were cited), so assuming all external construction and markings being equal, the gel restoration battery will take the same hit as the conventional lead acid restoration battery (the hit is due to the poly-top rather than the correct but now discontinued tar-top design).

It seems to me that if you’re going to go the expense of a restoration battery over an off-the-shelf Delco service replacement battery, you might as well pay a bit more for the more durable and safe gel battery.

As to whether spending the additional money (I don’t know the going rate for a Delco service replacement battery, but assuming it’s around $80, that’s approximately 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of these restoration batteries) for an additional 20% in points (e.g., 5 points in my example above), only you can answer that. It depends on your pocketbook, aesthetic tastes (irrespective of judging, many love the period-correct look), and how ultimately material do you expect those points to be, i.e., how close do you expect your car’s judging score will be to the 94% minimum for a Top Flight. Will 5 pts put you over/under? You have 270 to play with, not including mileage driven credits.

Hope this helps.

Louis

[Anthony S.]

Re: Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Fre

Terry,

I have spoken to several people at local car shows who have had problems with the "wet" batteries at around the 3-4 year mark. I have heard stories of pinholes that develop & mist acid inside the engine bay ruining painted & chrome finishes.

Most od these people have switched to the maintenance free reproduction battery & have had no problems and the batteries have lasted much longer.

Based on this, it would seem that the extra $$ is negligible if the battery lasts several more years.

Good luck,

Anthony

[John D.]

Re: Restoration Batteries - Wet Cell vs Maint. Fre

Terry, If you can find an old tar top original or repro battery there are fellows out there rebuilding them. Try Jim Kane of Cameron Battery 205 S. Maple St.,Emporium, PA 15831. #814-486-0921. I don't know the cost but do know that my friend Tom Barr, who is now the late C4 team leader, has used Jim Kane a lot and recommended him to a ton of people.
If you aren't in a hurry for a tar top there is one in the works right now from the former New Castle Battery of PA. Don't know when this battery will be ready for the market as all my info is heresay.
Meanwhile Tom Kobman of Restoration battery in the Cincinnati area is an old time NCRS member and one of us. I have been using Tom's batteries for an eon. But you will get a 7-8 point hit which is peanuts in the long run.
I would go for a good repro like Chuck Walder recommended and forget the small deduction and concentrate on passing the operations check instead. I mean if you blow just one line item of ops you are out about 25 points. As mentioned today at a Pittsburgh chapter ops seminar, too much time is spent on misc parts, bolts and nuts, polishing, etc. and not enough time on getting everything on the car to work. Not saying you haven't already done your homework. I know from having my show car judged a couple of times that ops can kill you but little things like a repro battery don't mean crap. JD