Optima Battery

[SpareParts]

What I have been told:

Red Tops: normal style batt., just a jel cell

Yellow Tops: marine starting batt., will hold up to alot of slow draining and cranking

Blue Tops: Full marine battery, will hold up the best with a slow draw but does not do well with cranking the motor

The only experenice I have had is with the Monster truck "Big Dawg", he runs 2 Yellow Tops. I think he's had them in there for a couple of years. It's alot different application, no alt. between races and in down times it sits on charge. But when its running, it is running all of the electronics, 3 elec. fans, water pump and 2 hydrolic motors for steering. He can crank the 1500hp motor and run all of that for several passes with out charging, we always hook the charger up on long intermissions. I know he has made 4-5 passes with out charging though.

Just my 02.

These are probably not over 4 year old Optimas bought from a local alt. repair shop.

 

[mkaenel]

got the red top today at Costco...fired up like a champ.

 

[69Sport]

Battery

I got my alternator from RRRAAAYYY's on this site and when I was talking to him he just hammered the optima, there was a certain type that he said blew the optima away but I don't recall the brand name. Maybe he will chime in and let us know. I will look in my paper work and get back to you. 69sport

 

[sfaforester]

got the red top today at Costco...fired up like a champ.

Well if it's it new I should surely hope so. ;D Most do, reguardless the brand.



69sport- I think Raymond was talking about the Dekka Intimidator. I have that as my second battery, to run winch, lights, horn, etc. Works great, but have only had it for about a year now.

 

[mkaenel]

Well if it's it new I should surely hope so. ;D Most do, reguardless the brand.


69sport- I think Raymond was talking about the Dekka Intimidator. I have that as my second battery, to run winch, lights, horn, etc. Works great, but have only had it for about a year now.

just wait till tomorrow...now all I need is my brakes to work and that is a complete nightmare.

 

[nvrstuk]

Optima

I ran the red for 7 yrs no problem.

I'm now running a newer red for over a year, no problems. Both of these have been completely drained several times (wouldn't lite a dome lite) and charged up just fine. This includes a lot of winching although I have a 130amp alt to help some.

Yellows are NOT designed for automotive use. Will work OK, but a marine battery is designed alot differently than the auto style. Check their site or talk to a knowledgeable battery dealer (not a flipping box store) to find out more. Too much info to type.

Gel or dry cells are much less maintenance too. If you bounce down your driveway (mine is over 1/4mi) or drive alot over bumpy roads, you will notice that you'll never have a corrosion problem on your terminals anymore. This is why I went with dry cell and gel batteries since '86 in my Bronco. Worth it just for that. I'm waiting for my dual batteries in the Cummins to go dead (7yrs old now) so I won't have to scrub battery terminals and clean cables a few times a year. Those felt pads or grease under the cables or around the posts don't help.

Whew, typed too much!

 

[shifter]

I got my alternator from RRRAAAYYY's on this site and when I was talking to him he just hammered the optima, there was a certain type that he said blew the optima away but I don't recall the brand name. Maybe he will chime in and let us know. I will look in my paper work and get back to you. 69sport

DEKA Intimidator?

 

[bronco977]

I have a year old red top in our bronco- no problems, even in blazing Bakersfield heat. We run the yellow tops in all of our vehicles at work- we have a 340 car fleet. We do a lot of idleing and starting/stopping. Plus, we have lots of computer/lights/ radio equipment. Our shop will not use anything else. When somebody leaves the computer on over the weekend and the battery is dead as doornail, the Optima will come back with a good charging.

 

[ken75ranger]

DEKA Intimidator?

Yup, that's the one. Here's a link.
Deka Intimidator

 

[JWMcCrary]

I have had a blue top that I bought from Sam's Club about 1 1/2 years ago. I think I paid $140 for it. My EB sits for a month without being cranked regularly and it hasn't failed. There are 2 different blue tops, because I didn't actually buy the one I was after not realizing this. I can't remember the difference other than the case bottoms are 2 different shades of color.

 

[69Sport]

Thats the one.

The Intimadator, thats the one. Anyone on the board running one. Are they really that much better. 69sport

 

[ken75ranger]

Not yet 69Sport. I will when my cheap one gets weak. Ray had a good thread about the construction of those batteries and they didi look good compared to the other choices.