Red? Blue? Yellow? Optimas

[FordTruckGuyFX4]

They are 189.95 part number ULT-9051-160 group 31 battery for drag racing, circle track, winching, audio, etc. 155 minutes reserve capacity, 59.8lb weight. 900 cold cranking amps. 12 13/16x6 1/2x9 3/8

 

[MnkyBiz]

You will get better prices from TNA Sports and you wont have to pay for shipping. This is who I am ordering from.

MnkyBiz

 

[kens71]

I'm running a red and blue. no problems after a year, but my truck is not a daily driver. But it has cranked everytime, even when sitting for weeks at a time. Bought them from Costco also.Can't remember $?

 

[DirtDonk]

Ken, do you know whether your Blue one is a Starting or a Deep-Cycle? Just curious.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Optima Data

Ok, some of you that know me were probably dreading this, but hey, that's never stopped me before, right?
I spent yesterday crawling all over the pallets of Optima batteries at one of the warehouses I frequent and checked out the data tags on them for some updated info. And I figured I'd just sort of pass it on. I probably could have gotten the book or called the factory, but that'd be too easy. And not near as much fun.
If it's too much info, stop me if you can...

Some common spec's for each category:

All 12v Red Tops have a 3 year free replacement warranty. After that it's pro-rated for the rest of the warranty period.
All full-size Red Tops are rated at 800 CCA's and 980 CA's and have a 110 min. RC (reserve capacity). All the compact ones are rated at 720 CCA and 910 CA and have a 90 min. RC. All are starting type batteries. All had black "six-pack" cases but the smaller ones had squared-off bases and tops. Probably for ease of mounting.

All Yellow Tops have a 1 year replacement warranty and are all Deep-Cycle types. The full-size ones are rated at 750 CCA's and 870 CA's and 120 min. RC and a 55ah rating. The smaller 51 series are rated at 500 CCA's and 625 CA's and 70 min. RC and 41ah. All had gray bodies. The full-size ones had the traditional "six-pack" bodies while the Group 51's had smooth rectangular shapes.

All Blue Tops have an 18 month free replacement period. The starting version is the same 800 CCA and 980 CA and 110 RC as the Reds and is additionally rated at 50ah (amp-hour). The Deep-Cycle version is 750 CCA, 870 CA and 120 RC like the full-size Yellow's and is rated at 55ah. I didn't see any compact Marine versions. All were black six-pack cases. Didn't see any gray cases like before. Even on the Deep-Cycle ones.

I didn't make it to the big mamma-jamma Group 31 pallet and never saw any of the old Orange Tops so don't have any info on either.


For identification purposes, the part numbers and descriptions are:

Red Tops:

8002-002 - Group 34 (fullsize) w/black case and no side terminals.
8003-151 - Group R34 same as 34 but with reversed terminals.
8004-003 - Same as above but with top AND side terminals.

8020-164 - Group 35 (compact) w/ removeable top "cap" for
retaining stock type hold downs (I think). Black
case. Top terminals only.
8022-091 - Group 75/35 same as above with side terminals.
8025-160 - Group 25 no side terminals.


Yellow Tops:

8012-021 - Group D34 (full-size)
8014-045 - Group D34/78 (f.s.)
8071-167 - Group D51 (compact)
8073-167 - Group D51R (compact) Reversed terminal layout. I
didn't note whether they had side terminals or not,
but I thought they did.


Blue Tops:

8006-006 - Group 34M w/marine terminal layout. No side posts.
8016-103 - Group D34M same as above. Deep Cycle.

There may be more batteries in the lineup but these are the only ones I saw.

I know I tend to write novels and take up bandwidth, but SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE will hopefully find this information useful. If not I can always go back and delete it!
Happy referencing.

Paul

 

[kens71]

Ken, do you know whether your Blue one is a Starting or a Deep-Cycle? Just curious.

Paul

Deep cycle.. Its hooked up to my winch.Need to get it wired for dual charge one day.
Ken

 

[classic4x4s]

Okay Dirt...so what is the best dual optima set up with a winch and offroad lights? Driven weekly, but not daily.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hah! You're crediting me with too much experience! Thanks, I appreciate it.

I'd say either one actually. Depends on how hard you work them when you do drive it or if you were driving it much less than weekly. In that case I'd say go with two deep-cycles. They're strong enough for starting most small-blocks, have longer reserves (though just a few minutes) and supposed to take deep draining and/or sitting better than starting types over the long haul. But if you rarely use the winch and lights, and do drive it fairly consistently, I'd say save a few bucks and get two standard starting types. Even the standard ones are better at recharging from a deep drain than a traditional battery so they act like a deep-cycle type in a way. And they have a longer warranty period so are the bang-for-the-buck winner.
I'm still an adherent to the Use-Same-Type-Batteries in dual systems theory. Even though Ken, and I'm sure many others are running dissimilar units in a dual situation with no obvious problems, the battery companies make sense when they say that different batteries will drain and charge at different rates, causing one to sometimes put a drain on the other.
Whether to go with the Marine or not is personal preference as to how you want to hook up the winch. The threaded top posts make for a convenient place to attach the winch, but it can be done with standard top posts as well and still be a clean setup. Just don't ever use side terminals for winch use. They're not designed to take prolonged heavy draws.
Sure made that decision easier for you didn't I?

Paul

 

[classic4x4s]

Thanks...I think...

 

[DirtDonk]

Couple of updates that I just thought I'd add.

8051-160 Yellow Top D31A 24 mo. replacement.
900 CCA 1125 Marine Cranking Amps.
75 AH 155 min. reserve capacity.

8052-151 Blue Top D31M 18 mo. replacement.
Same ratings as above.

These two are the larger six-pack case style, but with the two "banks" of cylinders offset in a funny kind of skewed base. Probably requires a battery clamp over the top and not one that clamps the base like on a lot of modern trucks.


9015-159 In a REALLY BIG box!!! Huge, not sure what color.
1100 CCA's! Woohoo (not an official description)
1740 Cranking Amps. Double Woohoo.
240 minute "Reserve"
"Capacity" (listed separetely from Reserve) -
C20 2 110 minutes.
Probably some industrial rating or whatnot?

Anyway, it's probably for tractors and boats, but it's cool to think about.

Paul

 

[SC74]

I got a yellow top from Advanced Auto for $145.00 a month ago and have no complaints yet. I got yellow so I can winch off of it.

 

[JaxLax]

just to add it here. I had dual reds for about 3 weeks, until i blew them up. the guys @ sears were like, 'you bought them like a month ago, they can't be dead' . I'm told them "i charged them all night and they won't hold anything. " so they plug them on their checker/charger. one had 131 CCA; the other 134 CCA. I guess reds just weren't for our kind of rides. i guess if you have a streeter you'll be fine, but if you do anything off-road or hard-driving go with Yellow. I got dual yellows now, and i can't complain...

but for safety i'm gonna add a capacitor between batteries and alt just to be safe. ;D