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New Battery Suggestions

S

SFXJ125

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
Hi all. Just got back yesterday from deployment. Heep dead :(. Tried jumping, no luck. No big deal, gives me a reasons to buy a new battery and do some long awaited rewiring work this weekend.

So before I go off and purchase one today I wanted some opinions on brands and types please list reasons why ie. best applications etc. As with everything on the interweb, everyone is an expert, but I trust the opinions here more than anywhere else so please help me decide guys.

FYSA-97', two 4x2" lights-more lights to come and a winch as well. Aftermarket cheapo cd stereo face and sound bar in back.

Thanks in advance,

Scotty
 
The best one you can afford to replace every couple years.

The two biggest enemies of any battery are heat and hard discharge events, which pretty much defines the scenario encountered in any XJ, especially with aftermarket mods. As far as I know, there is no battery inherently better under those conditions.

Since this question usually leads to whether an Optima is justified, FWIW, I had a yellow top that died and was replaced with a middling Napa unit and haven't looked back. (I have no add-on parts, other than a CB on trail runs.)
 
Last edited:
Just a rumor that I heard: If Autozone keeps a battery for more than 1 year on the shelf, they have to sell it as a "Used" battery. So apparently Optima batteries can be had for $35.00. Not sure how true that is, but it was from a pretty reliable source.
 
Interstate Battery Megatron II Green top Best CCA out there never had one last less than 5 years. I have them in both Jeeps and the Toy truck.
 
I heard the same thing about autozone, and asked a guy there that, and he said he's never seen a battery on the shelf longer than 6 or 7 months and he hadn't been told about that policy before.
 
Die hard platinum. The Diehard platinum is actually made by Odyssey. I have both the optima red top (AGM) and the platinum (AGM) in my jeep and once the red top s$&ts the bed ( which has happened twice in 4 yrs.) I will buy another die hard. Warranty is better, the construction is better, and it reads off a voltmeter more constant then my red top.

Though I don't know about battery fitment as my mount is made to fit the die hard. I have heard fitment might be a problem in some situations.
 
xj5280 said:
Die hard platinum. The Diehard platinum is actually made by Odyssey. I have both the optima red top (AGM) and the platinum (AGM) in my jeep and once the red top s$&ts the bed ( which has happened twice in 4 yrs.) I will buy another die hard. Warranty is better, the construction is better, and it reads off a voltmeter more constant then my red top.

Though I don't know about battery fitment as my mount is made to fit the die hard. I have heard fitment might be a problem in some situations.
Click to expand...

This...go diehard platinum if you can afford it.

Stay FAR FAR FAR FAR away from ANY Optima battery...unless you like replacing them or wasting money.
 
"Stay FAR FAR FAR FAR away from ANY Optima battery...unless you like replacing them or wasting money."

Not my experience at all. I've had three in the jeep, which I've had for 22 years, and they have lasted better than any other. I've taken the current yellow top to less than 10 volts on more than one occasion. With a little persuasion, it comes right back. My last redtop lasted 7 years even with being taken to less than 10 volts on numerous occasions. I'd say it's effective amp-hours have decreased to half of what it started with, but it still will charge to over 12. The average "reasonable priced" battery I used to buy never lasted more than 3 years.

That said, I'll probably try something else for the next one.
 
Optima is NOT the Optima we all used to know and love.

Ever since Johnson Controls took over and moved production to Mexico...there have been NUMEROUS QC problems. I myself went through 4 red tops before one lasted...then got delegated to spare duty.

There is an LONG ongoing thread on Pirate about it. Most even the Pirate crowd won't touch them anymore where as they used to be the gold standard. Finding the same thing across the boards on numerous forums I'm on as well as friends from tow rigs, street cars, 4x4, etc.

If you have an older Optima they're probably fine...the newer ones I wouldn't touch. You would have to pay me to run them.
 
I Replace a red top optima with a die hard platinum about 6 months ago... Wow, what a difference! Cranks my heep over a lot faster. Winch works better. It's been night and day.
 
Go to Costco! 3 year free replacement. And everyone that has a mepership knows that they have a satisfaction guarantee.

Other than that, most Carquest batteries are made by East Penn, based out of somewhere in SoCal. I know that their AGM batteries are for sure, some of the parts stores carry AGM batteries and are supposed to be same manuf.
 
Another vote for optima.

I had a yellow top in my '96 ZJ limited that not only had all the electronic bells and whistles that come with a "luxury" Jeep, but also had a 2,900 watt stereo. I did also have a rewound alternator from ohio generator. I think it was 160 amps?

The battery was one of the first things installed and it lasted until I retired the Jeep. Some 7-8 years without replacement.

Deka batteries are nice too. Slightly less expensive than the optimas with similar performance. I've been running a Deka in my Nissan pickup for at least 4 years with absolutely no indication of checking out any time soon.
 
Ok, thanks for all the input everyone. The diehard and optima were the two brands I was looking at initially. When I went to auto store they said Optima wouldn't fit in heep. I didn't purchase and decided to look up fitment of the Diehard Platinum as well. Interweb said it wouldn't fit heep either. :(.

So what is the deal? Do I need to purchase an aftermarket battery cradle or just modify the existing one (stock)? If so, where can I purchase one from or how should I modify? Also, one last thing; what size/model should I purchase for either the Diehard Platinum or the Optima (Red/Yellow)? Thanks a lot all!

Scotty
 
SFXJ125 said:
Ok, thanks for all the input everyone. The diehard and optima were the two brands I was looking at initially. When I went to auto store they said Optima wouldn't fit in heep. I didn't purchase and decided to look up fitment of the Diehard Platinum as well. Interweb said it wouldn't fit heep either. :(.

So what is the deal? Do I need to purchase an aftermarket battery cradle or just modify the existing one (stock)? If so, where can I purchase one from or how should I modify? Also, one last thing; what size/model should I purchase for either the Diehard Platinum or the Optima (Red/Yellow)? Thanks a lot all!

Scotty
Click to expand...


You should be able to find both in the size for an XJ.

Apparently people at your auto store don't know their a$$ from a hole in the ground.

Sears diehard:
http://www.sears.com/diehard-platin...2851090000P?prdNo=10&blockNo=10&blockType=G10

Optima would be the same group size (group 34/78)

Just an FYI...Optima is a 3 year warranty (that can be a PITA to use), Sears is 4 years.
 
Another vote for anything BUT Optima.

YELLAHEEP attributes the mystery problems in his '97 to the lower voltage in his Optima battery. He installed a standard lead-acid battery and the Heep ran like new.

FWIW, I bought my AGM from Hensley Battery. If I need warranty, I have to get it done on banker hours.

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1106981&highlight=hensley+battery
 
I had to get longer bolts to hold the retainer to the battery platform at some point. Simple fix.

FWIW, my understanding of the Optima deal is that they did go through a period of bad quality when they transferred the process. This happens when a process is transferred from one facility to another. Ask any process engineer. My previous two batteries I think were before the transfer, and I'm hoping that they had their SPC in order when they made my last one. :) So far, so good.
 
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