I have a 1949 chevy truck with air suspension. I need to change over to a optima battery yellow top. It was converted over to 12v. Can anybody tell me what group or the dimensions? The battery is under the floor on the passenger side. Thanks
I bought my heavy duty marine ''optima'' from ''Pep Boys" within 3 months unused/mocking up a car It was dead...I had taken all the precautions they had provided me with....They wouldn't make it good...I waited a few weeks thought I would talk with th manager....He took my paper work and went to his office...The counter folks told me was waiting for me to follow him so he could call the police..//..calls and letters to Optima folks produced nothing..It only cost them 4 sets of tires a year for all the years hence...I wouldn't install an Optima on a Russian sub...
yep, make a pretty product with fancy stuff to go with it, but, since no one will see your battery buy a good one. put a batt on/off switch along frame some place too. auxilary batt studs for charging/jumping may come in handy.
What battery would you suggest? What Have you guys had luck with. Thanks for the heads up. The last optima battery I had was about 10 years ago in a VW bus. Stock engine just to keep the acid from eating the paint. I actually need a good battery to run the pump for the air bags in my truck. I don't care if it's a gel core or not. Thanks again.
Can't tell you anything about the yellow top. I have a red top in my 50 chevy pickup it has been in the truck for 8 yrs, and no problems. The longest it set was for about 2 months, but started the engine right up. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones....Jim
Can you remember what the group was? Does your truck have any excessories that can drain the battery? Like a big stereo or something? Thanks
I have a yellow top for the lights and winch in my enclosed trailor from 1-5-06 and I use it for lots of other stuff. It works and Lasts Great Gary
I have an Odyssey, 925. in my T. 6 years and no trouble. Mine is small. Comes from a Harley. It's a T so not much power needed. I don't know if they make larger or not. http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc925.htm Bill
Optima red top going on 8 trouble free years ! I to have a shut off switch when not in use. Sometime sits for up to 5 months. Can't be the only good one they made !
I had great service from Interstate batteries,....One of which was a grossly neglected group 27 "deep cycle"... Talk with a dealer, and give them the dimensions of your battery compartment. i did the Optima red top thing with my '40 pickup...it died when the truck was in storage....And yes, I did have a maintenance trickle charger on it..... 4TTRUK
chuck 49 - you state that your truck has a air bag system and has been upgraded to 12V. was the wiring completely replaced? are all components top notch? are battery cables, etc heavy duty? how is air system wired in to electrical system? you should do a search here on batteries. opinions/experiences are all over the place. no matter what brand you buy there is no warranty that gives the install and forget gaurantee. go to your local battery supply shop close to you that you trust. take them the measurements of tray & battery area. then they can tell you what cranking amps, etc are available for that size. sometimes a slightly different size will have more CC's. also, a air system can put a big strain on a charging system and may require a battery just designated for the system. if you are planning to change out the 6 cyl you should consider that when you do your electrical components.
Since Optima went to Mexico they become junk. Also twice the price and half the warranty of regular batteries.
I'm on first year with an Optima and I'm starting to become disappointed in it. OK, I left my battery disconnect turned on and all my accesories are shut off, including stereo stuff------it lost charge in a week's time. I've come to the conclusion that a Battery Tender will be needed to keep my battery usable as long as it will be. Once it's done, I will be changing to an absorbed glass mat battery, AGM type, labelled by O'Reilly's or whoever, to get a possibly more reliable battery. I'm not convinced that Optima is a good battery choice any more. I will suggest getting a battery is has both side and top posts when the purchase is made. Spend your money wisely.
There were apparently some bad Optimas (I had a couple) out there a few years ago, but Costco took care. I've got 4 vehicles w/ Optimas incl 2 garage dwellers. Anyway they are AGM and can be charged in various conditions if a newer type AGM charger is used. Here's a bit more info on keeping charged http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/general/hrdp_1009_how_to_charge_a_agm_battery/viewall.html Red top dimension 7W x 10L x 7.5H
The red top Optima has been in my roadster since 1996. With the blower and 8.5: compression, it takes a pretty good grunt to start. I have let it set for up to 2 months, and it never fails to fire right up. I can't speak about the yellow top, never used one.
Deep cycle marine battery are the best to run air compressors, they are built to be drained and recharged with out compromising the amperage output, have them in my 66 t-bird and my 59 f100, also get a good alternator with a low rpm kick in
Optimas are not and never have been "gel-cells". The Optima has the acid/water "captured" in a fabric layers wound tightly inside each cell. This minimizes the gas production and corrosion caused by free liquid sloshing around plates. My understanding of their construction. To my knowledge Optima is available only in Group 24, stock 55-57 Chevy and most GM until side terminals. The exception being the 6V version which has only 3 cells and looks like a big phone/camera AAA battery pack. Various companies have produced or are producing "Gel-cells" or drycell batteries for Auto and Motorcycle use. When I was in the auto parts business we sold a couple brands , gel and dry, and had so many returns we thought the return rate of Optimas was nothing. Both gel and dry were dropped, perhaps they have improved in the past decaed, perhaps not. I notice most are using conventional lead-acid batteries or Optimas in early cars these days. It is quite simply a more sophisticated version of the common lead/acid battery.
I have a Optima D31A Yellow Top, and a D31M Blue Top in my 4x4 rig. They both just hit the 10-year mark. Zero issues.
The only wiring that's new is the stuff thats new install. I still have the original wiring in the places that haven't been changed. I talked to the guy at JBC he said as long as the battery has high CC's it should be fine. He said he has used everything from a optima to a die-hard. As long as the charging system works I'll be fine.
I have had red tops and I've liked them.. Costco doesn't carry them anymore, but the regular Kirkland sig batteries have a good warranty and Costco will never give you a hassle returning them as long as it's in the warranty period.. I have one that is going on 8 years old that sits most the time, still works.
Many people, including me, have had good luck with the Optima battery. But, there does seem to be more trouble with them than a good quality "regular" battery. I remember reading about a trucking fleet that kept records. They found the Optima to be considerably less reliable than a "regular" battery. Just reading on the internet, problems with Optimas seem to come in waves, That would indicate some kind of manufacturing/quality control problem. In the last couple years the problems aren't being reported as commonly as they once were. I believe the company changed hands a few years ago. Possibly that made a difference?
Get an Exide. Made here in Salina Ks, home of the Lead Sled spectacular. http://www.carpartswarehouse.net/pages/images/specials/2011-2-feb_exide_program.pdf
The Jalopy Journal
