12V Battery Replacement ?

[FLKiaEV]

Thanks! It's always a bit nerve wracking for me to hook up a 12V battery in a car because of that minor spark that happens when the negative cable makes contact with the post (you should always disconnect batteries as Negative and then Positive and then reconnect them as Positive and then Negative). I'm always afraid I'm going to fry something, but everything's fine and now I have some more peace of mind with twice as many amp hours. The default battery was about 45 amp hours so I'm pretty close now

On an unrelated note, a few days after I received the car I got a call from SiriusXM telling me I have 3 months of free service and that I can add 3 additional months for only $2 plus tax. So, 6 months of SiriusXM for only $2! It was a deal I couldn't refuse so I signed up for it (I can also listen on my PC and on my phone!).

After the 6 months it goes up to about $21/month so I will definitely be canceling before then. It's a nice service, but I just don't spend enough time in my car to justify paying that much for radio, nor that much free time on my computer or phone. Maybe if it was half that much. I'll bet if I try to cancel 6 months from now they will offer me another hard-to-beat deal...

Anyone else get this with their Kias?

 

[MassDeduction]

Thanks! It's always a bit nerve wracking for me to hook up a 12V battery in a car because of that minor spark that happens when the negative cable makes contact with the post (you should always disconnect batteries as Negative and then Positive and then reconnect them as Positive and then Negative). I'm always afraid I'm going to fry something, but everything's fine and now I have some more peace of mind with twice as many amp hours. The default battery was about 45 amp hours so I'm pretty close now [...]

How are you making out with your lithium 12v set-up? Do you feel it's worth the extra paying for the ReLiOn? They're about twice the price, and since I don't live in the U.S. I'd also have to pay shipping, so it's more than twice the price. But I'd hate to have a hassle (let alone a lithium battery fire!) from a no-name battery.

Is ReLiOn the only name brand worth considering, or are there other lithium 12v batteries known to be safe and quality?

 

[FLKiaEV]

https://youtu.be/X_0lFn9YFNg
No issues whatsoever in the year or so since I first installed this setup! And I do like the additional peace of mind: I've been stranded on the side of the road because of a dead lead acid battery way too many times in my life back in the old ICE days...

As for ReLion, the reason I went with them is because that was the one the YouTuber (see video above) I got the idea from was using. I searched for other brands online from ebay and Amazon and found a cheaper brand that had good reviews but when I went to order it, it was no longer available. I could have waited until it came back in stock but I didn't want to.

I would say that if I was going to do it all over again I would have just taken my time, done the research and got the best one in my price range with good reviews, etc. You should be fine as long as you get it from a reputable source (I've had mixed results from Chinese websites like Alibaba, for example) If you buy it through ebay or Amazon you'll have some extra peace of mind. Probably wouldn't hurt to buy additional protection if they offer it during checkout. The price is usually pretty small.

Also, I ended up with two batteries because they sent a replacement (the first battery had some red paste on one of the terminals and the guy I talked to offered to send me another one without sending in the first one!), but because of the relatively low power demands of the 12V accessory battery you should be totally fine with just one. If you do decide to get two and hook them up like mine, be sure you connect them in parallel, NOT series or you WILL cause damage to your vehicle!

Good luck. Let us know how it goes if you decide to do this.

 

[MassDeduction]

It's a long term thought on my part, for when the stock lead acid battery is about to age out. Right now it's only a year old.

Like you recommend, I'm starting my research now. I'm inclined to go ReLiOn as they're one of the few that offers a model that has both a BMS and charges in sub-zero temperatures. It rarely goes below freezing here, and when it does it doesn't usually do so by much, but it does dip into the negatives on occasion. So I'm not sure if there are ANY other options for me or not. I guess I'll keep looking.

 

[FLKiaEV]

I'm here in Florida so the coldest it gets is in the mid to upper 30's (Fahrenheit) for only a few days out of the year. Still, lithium tends to do better in temperature extremes than lead acid. But better yet, lithium can hold its charge for a long time so if you don't drive it for a month or two there's no problem.

Anyway, yeah, just take your time and find the best one for your situation.

 

[Gordo]

I've heard good things about Braille Batteries, but second hand and all that. Pretty pricey though.