optima batteries

[oleguy74]

a couple days ago there was a post on broncofix.com about trouble with optima batteries.one of the responders was a fella named optimajim.he is a cust rep for optima.according to jim,the red top is a starting rated battery.not for running accesories (winches and other high draw eq).for that application you should go with the yellow top.also in the article is info on charging.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Yep, red top is a normal starting battery not for deep cycle use
Yellow top is a deep cycle battery not for starting use
Blue top is a deep cycle battery capable of starting duties.

My 10 year old Optima is still in use. I have a collection of old dead just out of warranty late model Optimas sitting on the side of the house. They keep the dirt under them from blowing away.

 

[67Stallion]

I bought a red top optima about 2 1/2 years ago, maybe 3 1/2 years ago, and it is the best battery i have ever bought hands down period. I have bought a ton of batteries over the years of every kind, this is one cranking son of gun! I have heard some bad things from others, but if i get another one for my truck, i hope it will work like the one in my bronco!

 

[Wyldebill]

Either Broncobowser or my self is wrong, but I have bought Optima's for years understsnding that the yellow top is the duel use battery. The Blue top being the deep cycle only. As I have three yellow tops in use at the moment with their duty's requiring them to be a combination deep cycle/cranking battery. I will believe that my assuption is the correct one as they are performing as expected. I am still using every Optima that I have ever puchased, starting 12 years ago.

 

[Pokey71]

Optimas suck. hands down.
I've been using a cheap Kragen battery for 3 years now.(runs the winch with the truck off, Lights on with truck off, Blasting the stereo from sun down until passed out, with the truck off... and it fires up every time.) works great and it didn't break the bank.

My first and last optima (yellow) exploded on me leaving me stranded on the freeway 3 hours from home. after fixing the problem battery (i already had a new alt and volt reg. installed before the breakdown) i called optima and they sent me a crate to ship it to them. After a couple weeks of NO PHONE CALL i decided to call them. the battery could not be replaced. they kept the battery and hung up.

 

[br0nc0xrapt0r]

The only thing I don't like about optima is they take one hell of a charge if you do run it dead I love my red top.

 

[crankman]

i have two red optimas in my chevy truck, running a dual set up with winch and couple warn spot lights never had a problem.

 

[Z Bronco]

I had a red top in my bronco that was pulled and put in a full size bronco that eventually was sold by my ex wife, the battery is now over 10 years old and still going. I now have a yellow top in my bronco and it works even better with the winch than the red top did, it also sat on the shelf and floor for four years before being installed. I have never had a problem with Optimas.

 

[Madgyver]

another one of my optima red tops is going down. It can't take a charge now.

Its about 4 years old

 

[sprdv1]

All about your own opinion or choice..

 

[HavaBronco]

I've had the same optima red top in my speed/ski boat fot the last 7 years and it has performed flawlessly with just a little maintenance. First time I've had a boat battery last longer then 2 years. I don't have a big stereo, but play what I have and 502 cubic inches at 500 hp take some amps to turn over.
Chuck

 

[DirtDonk]

another one of my optima red tops is going down. It can't take a charge now.

Its about 4 years old

Maybe try Optima's recommended technique before giving up on this one Mad?
Have you followed their unusual recommendations? Probably available on their website, or you can check out the thread that oleguy was talking about.
Can't hurt to try. I've pulled many Optimas up from the dead and had them work fine for years after.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Yep, red top is a normal starting battery not for deep cycle use
Yellow top is a deep cycle battery not for starting use
Blue top is a deep cycle battery capable of starting duties.

Here's where my confusion starts. Probably just the difference between what the Marketing department says, and reality, but one of the advertised advantages of the Red Top Optimas (at least when they first came out) was that they could take a drain much better than a regular starting battery. Which made them (according to their ad-type) more like a Deep-Cycle battery.
They still call the Yellow Top a "deep cycling and cranking" battery. Right on their home page.

And I can't see any reason why a Blue Top deep-cycle version, or a Yellow Top can't be used as a starting battery too. Seems to me that, just because it's not taken down to the minimum every time you use it, it shouldn't have a shorter life expectancy than a regular starting battery. They've got plenty of CCA's to get the job done (less than a Red Top or a Blue starting model, but still plenty) and have more reserve capacity. And I know of plenty of people running them with no problems. So far at least.

There is a warranty difference though, so that's something to think about. The Reds are the only ones with a decent warranty. Whether it's honored or not, it's much longer than the pipsqueak 12 or 18 month warranty on the Yellows and Blues. A little longer on the Blue starting maybe, but shorter than the Red. Guess that's due to "expected use" of the others, but it's too bad.

The Blue Tops are always a "Marine" style battery (with the dual top posts), but they're available in either a Deep-Cycle (I should say, "dual-purpose") OR a Starting version. Not one battery that does both, but different batteries with different part numbers. And then to confuse things, they don't even call the version of the Blue Top that I have, a "deep-cycle" anymore. They call it a "Dual Purpose" battery on their website and right on the label. So the Blue is available in either "cranking" or "dual-purpose". Go figure.

The Blue Tops are what I have now, simply because I liked the small threaded top posts that I could use to easily attach accessory wires to and still have a deep-cycle model.
Turns out that getting a deep-cycle version might have been a good choice, since they've all spent most of their lives just sitting most of the time!

Paul

 

[Mark]

You guys remember that prior to 2003 Optima was THEE name in offroad batteries.
But then their manufacturing process changed. They were bought out and mass sold in multiple discount stores, they weren't as good. One of my yellow tops from 2003 is still going strong. My other yellow top from 2003 failed and I purchased the Deka Intimidator which was recommended by many on this site. Picked up the new Deka Intimidator 9A78DT from the local Owens Auto Supply for $149.00.

 

[jw0747]

Yep, red top is a normal starting battery not for deep cycle use
Yellow top is a deep cycle battery not for starting use
Blue top is a deep cycle battery capable of starting duties.


Since the guru has spoken guess I'll be tossing my yellow top since it's not for starting purposes. Did both reasonably well for several years.

 

[starkypdx]

http://www.broncofix.com/viewtopic.php?t=274872

Interesting read about care and maintenance of your optima for sure.

 

[Rocky1977Bronco]

I bought a red top about three months ago and I have to boost it about ever three or four days. I thought maybe it was a wiring gremlin, but after reading this thread, maybe it is just a junk battery.

 

[Hank Dodge]

I've had both good and bad luck with them as well. One thing that will kill an Optima is over charging it. Make sure that you are not charging above 14.5 volts. not much of an issue with electronic voltage regulators, but I cooked one on an old Chevy once.

I like the technology behind the Optima and others like it. That cell design holds up to the rough suspensions and dirt road pounding much better than traditional battery designs.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Yep, red top is a normal starting battery not for deep cycle use
Yellow top is a deep cycle battery not for starting use
Blue top is a deep cycle battery capable of starting duties.


Since the guru has spoken guess I'll be tossing my yellow top since it's not for starting purposes. Did both reasonably well for several years.

I will admit that the yellow top that I have in my boat (that is over 10 years old now) is strictly there for starting the boat and a little bolge pump action in the off season.

You guys remember that prior to 2003 Optima was THEE name in offroad batteries.
But then their manufacturing process changed. They were bought out and mass sold in multiple discount stores, they weren't as good. One of my yellow tops from 2003 is still going strong. My other yellow top from 2003 failed and I purchased the Deka Intimidator which was recommended by many on this site. Picked up the new Deka Intimidator 9A78DT from the local Owens Auto Supply for $149.00.

So that is why my 10 year old yellow top is still good and there is the collection of dead late model red tops on the side of the house (not counting the ones I already turned in as cores.

But I do have 1 good red top. I don't know how this thing is still working. It is a newer one, abandoned in a car stored in a shed for 3+ years. Charged it up and it is working just fine for the past 2 months.

 

[jw0747]

I bought a red top about three months ago and I have to boost it about ever three or four days. I thought maybe it was a wiring gremlin, but after reading this thread, maybe it is just a junk battery.

No doubt yours is defective. I bought a bad Red Top from Auto Zone that acted like yours. Took it back along with the receipt and they made it good no adjustment because it was almost new like yours.