Deka batteries = braille?

[In Extremis]

So.. My car cas been taking a bit longer to start. I've ran a 15lb. Braille battery in my fully loaded (comfort access/nav) e92 for about 14 months. The battery drains down to the point that I get a low battery level indicated on mu dash about every month. When looking for replacents, i nave come across Deka. They build the batteries for braille, I can't find some of the sites where I got this info, but eastern penn manufacturing in pennsylvania builds these batteries under Deka and they are rebadged as braille and other brands geared torwards powersports or walmart type brands. The deka etx20l apparently has the exact same design as a braille 15 pound (my current batt), the braille 21 is an etx30l. These batteries cost 65-90 bucks depending on source and location! Independent tests show they have the same CCA ratings and that on paper the braille are over rated and the deka under rated. Anyone on here have experience with this subject or the deka manufactured batteries? As far as I can tell so far.. The deka batts don't come with nice terminals a Braille does, but the Braille screw right in and can be had for 10 bucks.

A thread I found about this on lotus talk: http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f321...-2015-a-78540/

[In Extremis]

Here is a post from member white out on the viperclub.org forums:

Here is a post by member white out on the viperclub.org forums:
So, I was looking for a recommendation for a light weight battery, and obviously the first battery that usually comes up is Braille. Did a little bit of research about them, as I need a battery. Now, it's been rumored, and is widely believed that Braille batteries are actually made for them by Deka. Which, if you look on Deka's website they have a series of batteries called Sports Power, and you can find a list of batteries that are made for ATV's, motorcycles, watercrafts & snowmobiles ect. Those batteries just happen to have the exact same weights as the Braille batteries, although there are some differences in their specs. Which would lead me to believe that Braille in fact overrates their batteries as Deka is the company that actually makes them, or is believed to make them.

Here are al the Braille - Deka comparisons.

Braille B106 - 6.6 lbs - 210 CCA's - Only recommend for warm weather racing/not recommending for a daily driver as per Braille.
Deka ETX9 - 6.3 lbs - 120 CCA's


Braille B129 - 9.5 lbs - 323 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily driven car.
Deka ETX12 - 9.4 lbs - 180 CCA's


Braille B14115 - 11.5 lbs - 360 CCA's - In warm & cold weather only recommend for racing or as a motorcycle/chopper battery/not recommended for daily
Deka ETX14 - 12 lbs - 200 CCA's


Braille B2015 - 15 lbs - 425 CCA's - Recommended as a daily driver battery in warm conditions (60-120 degrees), recommended as a race only battery for cold conditions (0-59 degrees).
Deka ETX15 - 14 lbs - 210 CCA's
Deka ETX20L - 15.5 lbs - 270 CCA's

As noted there are differences in the listed cca values but Braille are over rated. For example: the Braille b10049 endurance battery advertises 1520 cranking amps. After opening the box you'll notice a sheet of paper with test values for your actual battery, the cranking amps is noticeably less than 1520. 1216 is shown as the actual measured cranking amps, this was taken from a review on amazon. I wish I cold find my Braille test sheet but I can't. It would be great to compare and see how widespread this is on these braille batteries if anyone else has their test sheets. I'm not one to cheap out, but a braille is around $200 and the deka around $65-90. The savings are huge, especially for multiple cars or wanting to change sizes. These batteries also seem to crap out pretty easily without the use of a charger (more than a year). I am really considering the purchase of a new battery tester to measure the cca of a deka and braille side by side.

[In Extremis]

As you can see, these all look exactly the same.

[pbonsalb]

Yes, the Deka is the same as the Braille. I looked into this about 4-5 years ago before I bought mine.

I ran a Deka ETX30L for about 18 months in my 99M3 that I park outside and drive year round in NH. That was all it lasted. I don't like failing batteries. I am now running a Mini battery that probably weighs 35 lbs in that car. For my 08M3 that I also park outside and drive year round including in freezing conditions, I bought another stock size battery because I want it to work and to last, though apparently the CSL runs the Mini battery. The E9XM3 is an electrical pig.

If you keep the car warm and use a trickle charger, something like a 15-20 lb Deka will last a little longer, but they really cannot handle year round daily driver status in a region that has winter for very long.

The E9XM3 would be more entertaining if you could get the weight down 20%.

[In Extremis]

Thanks for the info Phlip, I always like your posts. I really wouldn't mind replacing my battery yearly, especially with a Deka. My car has usually sat outside as well, but soon I'll have a garage so the car will be on a trickle charger. The climate here on LI is also much milder than NH..

And although the e9x would be excellent with a weight of 3000 lbs, the differences made to my car are significant. I'm not sure about others, but I notice the weight difference after I fill my tank. I've shaved over 200 lbs between battery, exhaust and seats. It's very noticeable in turns and around town, to the point that I can't imagine having the stock battery back. It's not necessarily the weight, but the location of that weight. Add a lighter cat back/trunk and this car just swivels around turns in comparison to stock.

[pbonsalb]

I noticed you had light seats. The power seats in late model BMW weight at least 75 lbs each, so that is an opportunity to cut 100 lbs right there. And the stock exhausts are heavy, so you can cut more there as you have done. And the battery is a beast at nearly 60 lbs. Losing that 200 lbs should be noticeable. The next 200 lbs is twice as challenging to find. I have the fold down rear seats and those seatbacks are pretty heavy, but remove them and the noise increases.

Your car seems more like a toy now. I can't make mine a toy yet because I already have a toy. I bought my E90M3 because I modded my E36M3 so much that my wife did not like to go anywhere in it and wanted us to take her car. If I mod my E90M3 too much, I'll be driving a station wagon again . . . even if the 535xi is OK as far as wagons go.

Get another Deka and a trickle charger. You can also buy a jumper pack and keep that in the house in case it wont start and you still want to drive it.

[sadiq]

Necroing this thread, as I think my topic is relevant -

I just installed a Deka ETX30L in my 08 E90 M3. Had problems right out of the gate. Clock reset upon every ignition, even after a full night's charge using a CTek trickle charger. I had Mike Benvo code/register the new battery (to tell the car about the lower capacity), which appears to have fixed the clock resetting - but voltage still seems to drop super low. This leads me to believe that I either have a faulty Deka, or that the Braille is actually not "just a rebranded Deka."

Anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences?

[1MOREMOD]

Are any of you connecting battery tender or similar when parked?

[sadiq]

I am

[1MOREMOD]

Okay I am too, but on e46 m3 track car. I have had few electrical gremlins since install but has always started car and operated fine otherwise. Braille 17lb.

[dparm]

They might come out of the same factory, but get branded differently based upon the test results. In other words, the highest quality ones get labeled as Braille but everything else gets labeled as Deka (or vice-versa).

[pbonsalb]

What do you think the variation is across the assembly line? 10%? Its not like the same materials on the same assembly line make twice as much power every now and then.

The E90M3 is a power hungry car. There are reports of factory batteries lasting only a couple of years though most last longer. There is a limit as to what you can expect out of a 20 lb battery like the Deka, but I think that an ETX30L should last a year in an E90M3 in a warmer climate, but perhaps require a charger if left for more than a few days. My guess is the one purchased was either defective -- return it under warranty, or the car has an issue like the IBS -- the special negative cable that has been an occasional failure point on late model BMWs. I continue to disbelieve the Braille claims and think they are just rebadged Dekas.

[M3Bimmer77]

BMW batteries spec 750CCA, why are you guys going with much less CCAs? I thought 750 was the ,east you can go with?

[pbonsalb]

The goal is weight savings. To achieve weight savings, you get less battery. With less battery, you get less power. The only exception is the expensive lithium ion battery.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by M3Bimmer77

BMW batteries spec 750CCA, why are you guys going with much less CCAs? I thought 750 was the ,east you can go with?

Actually, I think the cars had anything from 670 all the way up to 900.

Regardless, I agree. I would not be going with anything under 700. These are power-hungry vehicles.

I suggest exercise and reducing your caloric intake if you want to drop 20 pounds from the car.

[1MOREMOD]

Depends on your tolerance for issues vs weight savings value for individual.

[sadiq]

Based on my experience, the Deka ETX30L DOES NOT WORK. I have tried two. I have no extra sound system or electrical components. For those who have had good luck with the Braille, then I would say congratulations, the Braille must be a better battery. However, the Deka does NOT have the juice to start the car without causing gremlins. I have hooked them up to my CTEK MUS 4.3, and charged to absolute full. Even at full, with ignition on and engine off, they read at about 11.4-11.7v. Well under 12v (which is already under the recommended minimum of 12.5v for starting). For anyone reading this: DO NOT buy a deka ETX30L for your E9x M3.

Very sad when misinformation on these forums leads suckers like me down these roads of trial and error, but please please learn from my mistakes and do not try this.