The optima question!

Hey what is the deal with optima batteries- every bozo I talk to at the part stores don't have a clue! What is the differance between the yellow and red top batteries. Which one do I buy when I have amp/lights/and power converter for my compressor!

Red is the regular startng Battery...yellow is deep cycle...blue is deep cycle marine.

Go with the red unless you regularly drain your battery dead. It will serve you well.

I disagree, go with a yellow top. The red is a starter battery. It works great for the normal stuff like starting it, stereo, headlights, the basic stock equipment. The yellow top is a deep cycle/starter battery. It is better for uses where it will be drained and charged more often. You are using more than the standard, and your amp, lights, and power converter are pulling a lot of draw. Also if you ever plan to run a winch go with a yellow top. The blue top is exactly the same as the yellow, just labeled as a marine battery. If you go to the Optima website there is a lot of good information there and it will help you out.

By the way, I'm not saying a red top won't work for you because it will. But a yellow top will last longer if you keep draining it (don't read this as holding its charge longer). So FWIW I'd buy the yellow top. They can be found on Ebay for a pretty decent price and some places there even give free shipping.

As I am now in the market for a battery upgrade I read a long thread of the same subject on a 4runner forum and found the following Quote to be the clearest explenation of the features and benifits?

"Just thought I might add some light to the battery chat. Batteries fall
into 3 main catagories...with some variations.
Standard automotive, rv marine and deep cycle.
Standard automotive need a large available amperage for a short duration,
usually under a minute until the vehicle is started, after which the
battery is immediately recharged.It is constructed with thinner lead
plates. Typically doesn't discharge more than 10%. Full deep cycling
of this battery, 70% or more, will kill this battery if done 8-10
times.Usually rated in cold cranking amps which is the number of amperes a
battery at -18C(0 F.) can deliver over 30 seconds without falling below a
voltage of 1.2v per cell (7.2v combined)

Deep cycle batteries are designed to deliver a smaller amperage over a
longer period of time, with longer periods between recharging.It
incorporates thicker lead plates and denser active material and typically
will discharge to 70% or more.It is capable of doing this 400-600
times.Usually rated in reserve capacity, which is the number of minutes a
new fully charged battery can deliver 25 amps @ 27 C., (81 F.), while
maintaining a voltage of 1.7v per cell.

R.V. Marine fall somewhere in the middle, having to be capable of starting
an engine, and power accessories found on larger boats, as well as being
constructed more ruggedly for the vibrations of marine life.
These are my choice for off-roading with accessories, such as winches &
lights, and large stereos, as they have the best of both worlds."

if your interested the link is http://www.barneymc.com/toy_root/techtalk/electric/battery.htm

I am fairly confident in going with a red top for now. another battery was mentioned called Black Panther which are sealed, and smaller dimensions (they talked about fitting two in a stock tray) , is anyone here running these?

XJ Blue, you're correct. There's no reason to throw more money at something that is neither an upgrade nor designed for the application.

Indeed, go to Optimas site and see what they say....a Deep Cycle Batt is designed to be drained flat, on a fairly regular basis. I run a stereo, an amp and lights, a GPS, a Laptop on occasion as well as a Blender LOL....the red top fit my specs so that's what I run.

BTW I found more info on Black Panther batteries but if anybody was running them I was just curious, Apearantly they were discontinued and replaced by Platinum Max by premier power welder.


FYI I also found out about Lifeline batteries www.lifelinebatteris.com
being a good brand, simular to optima in technology but more options. basically it sounds like people who use deep cycle (yellow top etc.) batteries do so in dual set up, using the normal battery for starting, and deep cycle for accessories left on when the engine is off ; frig, elect blanket, aux lights, and isolating one or using both for winching.

I am going up to Michigan Tech in Houghton Michigan. It is really cold up there (This past winter it hit -20F and water froze before it hit the ground when being poured from a cup!). I want to run a winch and some lights, I have an amp and some subs, so I was thinking Yellow top, but then again, the red has more cold cranking amps, any suggestions?

when your engine is running, if you aren't getting enough juice to run everything the question is not which battery but rather wich alternator and wire gauge upgrades might be appropriate to supply the demand you need. Other than that, I would say that a red top is perfect for engine starting, single battery system applications. So unless your running your lights, amp, winch, etc with the engine off..... if you are I would recommend a dual set up instead so the starting battery isn't the one being drained.

just my .02 HTH xjblue

Red Top starts my 140K mile 1990 Chevy 454, my 157K 1977 CJ 258cuin and my 51K 2000 XJ 4.0; Don't need more than a Red Top, sold at COSTCO stores for ~$125.
Tom

Yellow Top I still don't see where you people get your info from.

The yellow top is what you need according to Optima. It works good as a starting battery but it also has the capacity to run a winch. I live in Hancock and go to Michigan Tech and my Red Top never failed me even when it was -20. I don't think you will have a cold start prob with the yellow.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/faq.asp#q17

If you don't have a good high output alternator you should get a Yellow Top. I would have got one if I only new then what I have now.

One other question, most automotive batteries you buy at sears and other places are kept dry untill they sell the ones on the charger rack. The optimas are shipped sealed and pretty much ready for use. I wonder if there is a difference between one thats been sitting on the shelf for 9 months + and one that is factory fresh.

I had that same question about theses batteies.If you decide to get one there is a date sticker on the side ,that goes by letter code a=janurary b=february ...........and so on with the year numbers.There was some old ? batteries at costco (A2)(D2) upfront of display but in back were newer batteries.I bought one 3days ago (C-3).Just something to check if you get one.

October 2002 Consumers Report rates the Diehard WeatherHandler (North) 30034 the same as the Red Top. The Red Top has longer life and reserve capacity but is it worth twice the price? I guess this depends on your load..lights, winch, etc.

when I bought mine it was the first one that the store had sold and they said it had been sitting there for several months. I checked it on my charger and it was very low but it had enough power to start my Jeep and that was good enough for me.

My experience with Interstate and Optima (same manufacture) is that they handle rough abuse of off road better,if you never leave the road then a regular type batt will be just as good.My van (550,000 miles) has seen some rough abuse in mountains,I run dual batts one deep cycle Interstate for lights(600 watts of halogen) and regular batt for starting.Interstate is 8 years old and outlasted 2 reg batts,since going to red top for starting batt have'nt had it die yet 4 years.Just my experience,supposedly they are made differently than reg batts.