Thread: Anyone used E-nex batteries?

have not used these but check a recent post of mine. caterpillar 1000cca for around $170, from the local westrac/caterpillar dealer.

Thnx found the part you purchased.

CAT part number: 175-4390

What I'm concerned with is repeatedly discharging the starting battery down to 12V with the Traxide setup. I don't see much point spending $170-190 on a 1000CCA Supercharge or CAT if I end up killing it after 18 months.

CAT part number 175-4370 looks a bit more enticing. It's listed as a Deep Cycle/Starting battery with the same 31 series dimensions but 800CCA/100AH @C20.

Still, I wouldn't mind opinions on the E-nex.

cheers
Paul

Hi Paul and I’m not sure what you mean.

You can cycle any cranking battery down to 50% SoC ( 12.0v ) without harming it.

Furthermore, because of the way the USI-160 works, you are actually likely to have a cranking battery in a far better state of charge ALL THE TIME, than you are with any other set up and this is why most people get a better than average life span from the cranking battery, no matter what type it is.

The biggest killer of batteries, deep cycle or cranking batteries, is not charging them after you use them, and this again is something the USI-160 allows you to do better than other isolators.

So again, what is your actual concern?

Tim,

My concern is that while SLI batteries are designed to be operated down to 50%, I've read in various places that regular discharge below 20-30% significantly reduces their lifespan. One figure that is commonly quoted is that regular discharge to 50% will reduce the life of a battery to a 30-150 cycles. I suppose at the top end of that range the reduced life span might be 3-4 years for most users.

This is a quote from a masters thesis titled "Influence of Shallow Cycling on the Ageing of SLI Batteries":

An automotive battery can last for thousands of cycles in normal 2-5 % discharge starting use, but normally will only survive 30-150 deep cycles. Repeated deep discharges will cause loss in capacity and eventual premature failure- due to electrode disintegration from the mechanical stresses that cycling results in.

It seems that truck batteries typically work better for cycling than car batteries due to heavier plate construction.

Anyway, I'll keep what you've said in mind.

cheers
Paul

Looks like those E-nex DC series batteries are definitely a case of you get what you pay for.

There is a small graph in the catalog illustrating % DOD vs cycle life. At 50% DOD the DC series have a life of what looks like 50-100 cycles, and 1100 cycles at 10% DOD. That would have translate to 1.5-2 years life span?

Originally Posted by OffTrack

Looks like those E-nex DC series batteries are definitely a case of you get what you pay for.

There is a small graph in the catalog illustrating % DOD vs cycle life. At 50% DOD the DC series have a life of what looks like 50-100 cycles

Hi OffTrack but you are not looking at the big picture.

Lets say you go camping once a month and EVERY TIME, you cycle your auxiliary battery to below 50%, which means your isolator has allowed your cranking battery to be discharged down to 50% SoC ( 12.0V ) before separating your cranking battery from your accessories power supply.

And lets say you have a worst case scenario where you only get 50 x 50% cycles from your cranking battery and it’s stuffed.

that means you will only get a little over 4 years use from your cranking battery.

Now how long does a cranking battery normally last?

And again, as I posted earlier, because of the way your isolator works, when in the SHARED mode, your cranking battery is always going to be in a higher state of charge, which means it doesn’t have to work as hard to start your motor.

This is why most people with one of my isolators get much longer life spans from the cranking and auxiliary batteries.

OffTrack, there are lots of advantages to the way your isolator works, advantages that are not available with any other type of isolator, and to date, NO disadvantages.

So even if your battery is not that good a quality, your isolator will help you get a decent life span out of it.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi OffTrack but you are not looking at the big picture.

Lets say you go camping once a month and EVERY TIME, you cycle your auxiliary battery to below 50%, which means your isolator has allowed your cranking battery to be discharged down to 50% SoC ( 12.0V ) before separating your cranking battery from your accessories power supply.

And lets say you have a worst case scenario where you only get 50 x 50% cycles from your cranking battery and it’s stuffed.

that means you will only get a little over 4 years use from your cranking battery.

Now how long does a cranking battery normally last?

And again, as I posted earlier, because of the way your isolator works, when in the SHARED mode, your cranking battery is always going to be in a higher state of charge, which means it doesn’t have to work as hard to start your motor.

This is why most people with one of my isolators get much longer life spans from the cranking and auxiliary batteries.

OffTrack, there are lots of advantages to the way your isolator works, advantages that are not available with any other type of isolator, and to date, NO disadvantages.

So even if your battery is not that good a quality, your isolator will help you get a decent life span out of it.

But Drivesafe, I do look at the big picture.

My usage is closer to 2 x 1 week camping trips and 6-7 overnighters a year. That worst case scenario of 50 x 50% discharges then looks pretty close to 2.5 years use from a starter battery.

I'm not doubting the effectiveness of your system. I just think I'll get better battery life and increased capacity if I go with a dual purpose starting battery.

cheers
Paul

Hi again Paul and going for a better quality battery is always an advantage but even with your usage figures, I would be very surprised if you didn’t get a far better life span from a cheap cranking battery than what you are suggesting.

The disadvantage of a dual purpose battery is initial cost but then you should get an advantage be getting better life span so it should even out anyway.