Repaced the old H7 battery with a larger and more powerful H8

The correct hole is already in the battery tray, but it doesn't have any threads. No problem, an M8 Rivnut to the rescue! Then the larger battery drops right in, bolts right up. I got an AGM Everstart from Walmart, and it was made in Das Vaterland!

Clever! I just used a nut underneath, but that's a lot easier.

I discovered Rivnuts a couple of years ago, and man are they a game changer for real. Not expensive, either. I think I got my kit with both metric and standard dies from Amazon for like $50.

Well done, @theblooms -- I personally went to an H8 a few years back, and did the nut thing. Now that I've got a kit with Rivnuts in it, I'll have to replace the nut with one the next time I'm digging in there. Am I adding a bit more weight to the car with an H8? Sure, but I'm not tracking the car either. As I drive it in the snow and winter, I'll take the very tiny, yet added insurance that it won't go flat due to the extra juice, especially here in New England where it can get cold.

The weight difference between the H7 and H8 is a whole 1 pound. I'll forgo a cheeseburger tonight to make up the difference!

@theblooms - Especially as I've used and owned both H7 and H8 batteries, your number in your last post isn't correct. (But boy, do I wish it was though!) Per Costco's website: H7 = 45.48 lbs ​ H8 = 62.80 lbs ​ So, we're talking a sizable 17.32 lb difference here that can actually impact performance. You can read more here: https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/0407it-weight-reduction-tips In my case, my 987.2 Boxster 2.9L weighs 2,855 lbs and produces 255 hp. So, that calculates to 0.0893 HP/lb. So, 17.32 lbs actually equates to a loss of 1.55 hp - which isn't negligible, TBH. For myself - I'm not a track guy and a 1.55 hp loss for the peace of mind of being able to start my car in squarely subzero New England winter temperatures? I'm just fine with the trade-off. But for some track guys who try to shed every ounce of weight on their car, it all adds up per race timing -- and they'll likely pass on an H8. In fact, some will seek out super-expensive, lightweight batteries that use Li-Ion tech for such savings. Occasionally, I do try to joke with myself (and try and motivate myself) that if I physically lost roughly 20# -- I'd go noticeably faster on my tiny Vespa with an anemic motor (which is likely true). I fact, a friend of mine who's converting his 987.2 Cayman S strictly for track use -- he showed me a 5 gallon bucket filled with wires, which amounted to 15#. That sort of thing can make a difference!

Weight aside, my current battery performs perfectly until it needs replacement after the normal life cycle so I’m not sure where the gain is unless the car has higher than usual power requirements due to added peripherals.

I have a couple of Kicker amps in the car, so there's that.

I can see the logic in your decision then. Also, shout out to Foodbiker regarding weight and where that weight resides because it matters. I remember when I first bought the Spyder reading an article quoting one of the Porsche engineers. Article stated that although a mere few pounds reduction, the cloth loops that open the door reduce weight in what Porsche considers to be a critical spot on the car, make of that whatever you will.

Multiple Kicker amps? Great choice to go with an H8. I bet the sound is just fantastic, @theblooms As an aside, one fun thing to try sometime is to put additional weight in your frunk (which is where the battery is). There's no question that the car handles differently with an extra 50# in the frunk as opposed to leaving it empty. I was kind of surprised, TBH.

Kenwood double DIN stereo, Kicker Key200.4 running Focal 8/4/tweeter set, and a Kicker Key500.1 running a Skar EVL-65 in a modified factory Bose subwoofer box.

I went back and looked at the specs. I was looking at kg vs pounds and did my conversion wrong. The H7 battery that was in there was a AC Delco Silver 94R: 23.7kg (52.3 pounds) The new Everstart Platinum H8: 58.97 pounds. So a difference of 6.7 pounds. So I'll forgo cheeseburgers this week! I already missed one yesterday, so I'm on my way!

Interesting, @theblooms ! As you originally had an 94R (not a genuine H7, but a very useable equivalent), clearly there's some variance between manufacturers and specs. The H-series is a Euro spec (DIN), whereas 94R (and similar) are BCI (American?). This now has me wondering if these are like EU/UK/US shoe size differences -- where the US shoe will fit but would land as in-between EU shoe sizing? Who knows... What is the Difference Between H7 and 94R Battery - H7 vs 94R ​ What a great sound set-up. If I was running all that, I'd surely want extra battery power in reserve. When I did my audio refresh, I installed a few small Kicker rear panel speakers and they're fantastic. I had seriously considered Skar for both quality and affordability - great choices there. Save me a cheeseburger for the next time I'm down in SC! In fact, if you have any solid and current SC BBQ suggestions, I'm all ears. As I was lucky to day-stage with both an award winning chef and a pit master down by you, I can quickly make an extra pound of Q disappear faster than a cheeseburger...

I'm DEFINITELY a South Carolina barbecue aficionado! I've been to restaurants all over the state, and my top 3 are the Palmetto Pig in Columbia, Duke's in Orangeburg, and Lonestar in Santee. Farm Boys in Chapin is also terrific. If you're in Charleston, Robert's is the place to go. While Robert's barbecue is definitely good, I go there for the Onion Rings. YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE THEM! Nowhere on Earth has onion rings like Robert's! They are just out of this world different and amazing! Towards the northern part of the state, there's a lot of NC vinegar style barbecue influences, so many people use vinegar instead of mustard. That definitely ain't my cup of tea. True SC barbecue is mustard based.

Thanks for the Q recommendations, @theblooms - Very cool and much appreciated. It has definitely been a while since I've been down by you, so these newer recommendations are very welcome. I've definitely enjoyed Columbia-style before, which is all about the mustard. In fact, the pit master who trained me years ago taught me to go heavy on the mustard. When I'm not making a big batch of BBQ sauce, I usually keep some Columbia-based sauce in the fridge. It's all about the bite! O-rings up here lately have been "O-priced" and really nothing to write home about -- so I'll have to make a pit stop at Roberts.

I remember about 30 years ago, a good friend of mine had just bought a "new aka Gen 2" VW Bug. We had an indoor motorcycle car show, which was a blast -- and he just blasted the beats for a solid hour. It was all great fun... that is, until he couldn't start his car...

I installed a Lithium battery . Saved 13.6 KG - 30 lbs Installed lead acid 22.05. Lithium 8.45kg. It significantly increased the cranking power as well. From my pushbike logic: Lightweight, Strong, Cheap. - pick the 2 you want. (It’s like a disease - I even installed Ti pistons in my brake calipers on one race motorcycle.)

Exactly why my Searay had dual batteries and a 1, 2 or both switch.

The Antigravity lithium have a feature that “reserves” part of the battery for a similar effect.

Yeah, but for $1300? Pass.

I think they were a bit cheaper than that when I looked. But shipping to Australia was more expensive than the purchase price. Bought a “Deadweight Racing” in Aus. Still expensive. But lightweight and powerful 😜

Trust me, I looked just the other day when I bought this battery . $1300.

Here it is, it took me a while to find, but this is the exact same unit.