Odyssey Lightweight PC680 Battery

Odyssey PC680 Battery - 12V AGM TPPL Lightweight Performance Battery

Gutting your EG hatchback for time attack or building a lightweight S2000 for track days and your 40-pound stock battery's gotta go? The Odyssey PC680 weighs 15.4 pounds and it'll still crank your engine reliably. I've been running PC680s in my track cars for years - they're half the weight of your factory battery and they actually work. The battery's got 520 cranking amps at 32°F, which is plenty for most four-cylinders. It's an AGM battery with Thin Plate Pure Lead technology, so it's got way more lead plates packed inside than a normal AGM. More plates means it cranks harder and recharges faster. Here's the catch: it's only 16Ah capacity compared to 40-50Ah for your stock battery. That means it won't run your stereo and lights for hours if you're sitting in your car. But if you're building a race car that only needs to start the engine and run for 20-minute sessions, the PC680's perfect.

Here's Why Lightweight Batteries Matter for Track Cars

Your stock Civic or Miata battery's sitting in the front corner weighing 35-45 pounds. When you're trying to get your car down to minimum weight for your race class, that's a huge chunk you can cut. The PC680 saves you 20-30 pounds right there. I've also seen people relocate these to the trunk for better weight distribution - move 15 pounds from the front corner to the rear and your handling changes noticeably. The battery's tiny (7.2" x 3" x 6.4"), so it fits in custom battery boxes or tight engine bays where a full-size battery won't go. But here's what nobody tells you: if you're daily driving your car and you're sitting at cars and coffee with your radio on for 20 minutes, the PC680's gonna drain way faster than your stock battery. It's got less than half the capacity. This battery's for cars that get driven hard and put away wet, not for cruising around town with the AC blasting.

520 Cranking Amps Doesn't Mean 520 Cold Cranking Amps

This is where people screw up. The PC680's rated at 520 cranking amps but only 170 cold cranking amps. Those aren't the same thing. Cranking amps (CA) are measured at 32°F - basically room temperature. The battery can dump 520 amps for 5 seconds at that temp, which is plenty to spin over a K series or B series motor. Cold cranking amps (CCA) are measured at 0°F. At freezing temps, the PC680 only delivers 170 amps. Most stock batteries are 400-600 CCA. If you live in Minnesota or Colorado and you're trying to start your car in January, 170 CCA's marginal at best. I've had PC680s struggle to crank in 10°F weather. The battery works fine in California or Florida, but don't run it as your daily driver battery in Chicago unless you like jump-starting your car in winter.

TPPL Technology Actually Means Something

Thin Plate Pure Lead isn't just marketing BS. Regular AGM batteries use thick lead plates. TPPL batteries use way thinner plates made from pure lead instead of lead alloy. Because the plates are thinner, Odyssey can stack more of them in the same size case. More plates means more surface area for the chemical reaction, which means the battery can dump more power faster and recharge quicker. Odyssey claims the PC680 recharges in 4-6 hours vs. 10-12 hours for a regular battery. I've tested this - if you drain the battery doing a track day, it'll come back to full charge overnight on a decent charger. A regular battery takes two days. The TPPL design also handles deep discharge way better. If you accidentally leave your kill switch on and drain the battery to zero, the PC680'll usually recover. Regular batteries die permanently after a few deep discharges like that.

Deep Cycle Capability Matters if You're Running Big Electrical Loads

Here's where the PC680 shines. It's designed for deep cycle use, not just starting. If you're running a standalone ECU, fuel pump, fans, data logger, and you're on track for 20 minutes at a time, your alternator might not keep up and the battery's gonna discharge. Regular starting batteries die fast if you drop them below 50% charge repeatedly. The PC680 can handle getting discharged to 20-30% over and over without dying. Odyssey claims 400 cycles at 100% depth of discharge. I've personally killed PC680s after 3-4 years of hard use and they still hold a charge - they just don't crank as hard. Compare that to a regular AutoZone battery that's dead after 100 deep cycles. If you're running a gutted race car with minimal charging system and high electrical draw, the deep cycle capability's critical.

Sealed AGM Means You Can Mount It Anywhere

The PC680's a sealed AGM battery. It won't leak or spill even if you bolt it sideways or upside down in your trunk. I've got one mounted horizontally in a custom battery box and it's been there for three years with zero issues. You can't do that with a regular flooded battery - it'll leak acid everywhere and corrode your trunk floor. The sealed design also means zero maintenance. You're not checking water levels or adding distilled water like old-school batteries. The battery just sits there and works until it doesn't.

What You Get

• Odyssey PC680 12V AGM TPPL battery
• Dimensions: 7.2" L x 3" W x 6.4" H
• Weight: 15.4 lbs (saves 20-30 lbs vs. stock battery)
• Cranking Amps (CA, measured at 32°F): 520A
• Cold Cranking Amps (CCA, measured at 0°F): 170A
• Capacity: 16Ah (less than half of stock 40-50Ah batteries)
• Reserve Capacity: 24 minutes
• M6 threaded terminal (NOT a post - you'll need adapters for stock cables)
• Deep cycle rated (400+ cycles at 100% discharge)
• Sealed construction (won't leak, can mount in any orientation)

This Battery Works Great For

• Lightweight track cars where you're cutting every pound possible
• Race cars with 20-30 minute sessions (short runtime, high electrical draw)
• Relocated battery setups in trunks or custom locations
• Four-cylinder engines (K series, B series, SR20, 4G63, etc.)
• Warm climate street/track cars (Southern states, West Coast)
• Weekend cars that don't sit with accessories running

Don't Buy This Battery If

• You're daily driving in cold climates (170 CCA won't cut it below 20°F)
• You've got a V6 or V8 (need way more cranking power)
• You sit in your car with the radio and lights on a lot (16Ah drains fast)
• You want a maintenance-free daily driver battery (get a full-size AGM instead)
• Your alternator's weak and can't keep up with electrical loads

Note: Not available in Hawaii or Alaska. The M6 terminal's a threaded hole, not a battery post. You can't just clamp your stock battery cables on it. You'll need battery cables with M6 bolt terminals or you'll need adapters. Most lightweight battery cable kits come with M6 terminals already. When you're installing this thing, strap it down properly. It's small and light, so it'll bounce around if it's not secured. I use a battery hold-down or I bolt it in a metal battery box. The 24-minute reserve capacity means if your alternator dies mid-session, you've got 24 minutes to get off track before the battery's dead. That's enough to finish your session and limp back to the pits. For endurance racing where you're running 2+ hours straight, you might want more capacity or a bigger battery. Check your voltage with a multimeter regularly. The PC680 drops voltage faster under load than a full-size battery. If you're seeing voltage below 12V while the engine's running, your alternator's not keeping up or you've got too much electrical draw. I've also learned the hard way: don't leave these batteries sitting for months without a tender. They'll self-discharge and sulfate. Hook it up to a Battery Tender or trickle charger if you're not using your car for more than a few weeks.