Batteries. Optima Red top or Yellow Top??

I am in the market for a new battery and have started to look at the Optima range over a standard style battery.

Has anyone any comments/experiance with the Red vs the Yellow top?

Has the yellow top enough guts to start a cold car?

How reliable are the red tops?

Look forward to your input before I get out my flexible friend.

P.

 

I think you can mount them in any direction.....So I'd get one that has enough ass to start it, cold or hot...

 

I run a red top...love it.
Wouldn't consider anything else......

 

RED TOP rules ...

 

yellow top is a deep cycle battery and the most expence i have a red top and it works find for me

 

For what it's worth ... I work in an AutoZone and we get a lot of Optimas coming back dead. Granted, a lot of the people are idiots. So make of that what you will.

 

ive had a red top in my daily driver 52 chevy truck for about 4 years now with no problems

 

Red top's here. And yeah you can mount upside down if you want.

One thing to note, don't get a spark near the little vents on them. I got a 12" flamer off one of mine very recently when I accidentally shorted across the hot post. Luckily I had gloves on and put it out with my hand.

 

Red tops in my 2 daily drivers for 3 years now. No problems and I'm up here in the Great White North.

 

I've had great luck with red tops. I put them in every vehicle I drive (even the ones that sit for the majority of the time). If I had to lay odds, I would bet that Optimas going back to Autozone are from the stereo guys running the life out of them.

 

Red Top here, on it's fifth year without a problem.

 

I have accidently run my red top Optima down to absolute zero several times - I mean DEAD, dead (yes, I am an idiot and forget to turn off my Air-ride which then slowly bleeds down and then turns on the airpump while the car is just sitting alone in the garage), yet with a fresh charge it comes right back to life and keeps on going and it is over 7 years old now.

 

I've always had good luck with Optima Red Tops until recently. I have one that's only six months old, and it suddenly just won't take a charge at all. The place I bought it from is going to replace it though because it's still under warranty.

I've heard rumors that since Optima got bought out by some larger company a few years ago, that their quality control isn't so great now. I was really surprised when this new one "bought the farm", because the other Optimas I have seemed to last forever. Check the 4x4 websites, and there's lots of people talking about recent problems with Optimas. I hope whomever runs Optima now will get their act together and get the quality back up to what it used to be.

 

Run the Red Top! I work in a store here in Oz Called "Battery World" and we sell stacks of Red tops, never had one come back! 700cca's should turn over pretty easy! Yes the yellow top is part deep cycle mainly for those guys running huge stereos, and i bet the same as TudorJeff. Guys running them dead flat with stereos!

 

It shames me to say that I dont use my car everyday which is why I was considering the Yellow top.

I currently have a red top and after two years it is as dead as a Dodo, capute, nothing, zilcho.

May not be the batteries fault but after blowing the pinion out of my 9" in September I parked my car until funds allowed a repair.

Battery will now not take a charge, even using a trickle charger.

For the price differance I was wondering if it was worth going to a yellow top for when the battery becomes completely discharged?

Does a yellow have the cranking power of a red or did i just get a duff battery?

P.

 

Yeah, I recommend the red top.
The yellow top is a deep cycle (marine) battery.
The red would be your best choice.
I own a couple, & sell them at the store I work at.
Had great luck with them.

 

i quess im the only yellow in this crowd and i have never had any problems
with it in almost 4 years , but i do have a red in the wifes grocery gettin pickum up truck..

 

Not trying to hijack this post but I have a related question regarding Optima batteries. Are they truly sealed, to the extent that I can feel comfortable about mounting a red top in the trunk with no vent tube to the outside? Thanks.

 

I have my red top mounted in the trunk with no vent. Don't know if that is right or wrong, but it's been there since 2002 without an issue.

 

Hey PaulY, the best thing for a battery that's not being used much is a maintenace charger (trickle charger) this keeps the battery nice and charged so that when you go and turn the key, she fires!
With the one that went flat, i'd suggest a CTEK 7amp charger with the re-condition mode on, this may take a long time as it's dead flat, but worth a try. If you can't get anything out of it after a recon with the CTEK, she's cactus!

 

Should have no probs at all mounting in trunk. Just think of a ll those "lowriders" with 8 batteries in the trunk! As long as it's secure, all good!

 

I have a red top in the trunk with no problems, either.
It is my understanding that the yellow top, in theory, is a deep-cycle only unit, not rated for cold-cranking amps, but long discharge. The blue tops are dual purpose; they're deep-cycle for the stereo and rated for starting amps as well.
I have three of them in the boat and keep the battery tenders on them in the winter. This will be their third season.
Oddessey makes another sealed battery, it is smaller but they pack a huge wallop. They ain't cheap, either. I hear good things about them but have no personal experience with them.

 

I run red tops in all my cars (my 55, my 4x4, and her Tahoe) and i run a yellow in my boat, it's a high compression big chevy and a v-drive so there's alot of shuting it down and starting it back up, then it sits all winter and i've never had a problem (that wasn't my fault).

 

i killed my red top in my truck, ( i left the key on for two days) and got a yellow top in there now.

I prefer the yellow over the red, (when the red was working)

 

Iv'e had a yellow top (deep cycle) for 4 yrs. now. My car sits all winter, I used to replace battery every spring, had great luck with the optima. These batteries can sit for 8 to 12 months and still start your car, red or yellow,they are well worth the money.

 

1. Yellow tops have enough CCAs to crank over most cars. They are a deep cycle application but there isnt really an issue using them as a starter battery since they have over 600 CCA.
2. Optima Batteries was bought out by Johnson Controls 7 years ago from a Swedish owner. Before that it was owned by Gates.
3. Optima Batteries are sealed units except when they gas. The whole point of the valve under the flamer arrestor is to bleed off any presseure that builds in the unit. So they are sealed except for when the valve opens to bleed off pressure under heavy charging / discharging.

 

I've got a red top, 950cca, had it since '02, sits in the garage in the caddy mostly, get's charged up with a jump start once every couple months, let the caddy run a few hours, and then shut it down. Couple months later, try to fire, it usually cranks for a good 30seconds to a minute, and then needs a jump to crank it all the way again. I imagine if I started it daily, it'd start just fine still after 6 years. Heck I'd throw it in my van just to check, and I'd be willing to bet it'd do just as good as the 2 year old sears die hard sittin in the van. Plus, in the caddy, I replaced the batt tray twice, due to acid and rust, not to mention how many were replaced by previous owners before 2000. Since I bought the optima, I puttied a pretty decent tray, sprayed it with krylon, and I've still got NO rust, 6 years later. Can't complain about that one at all. Now other places on the car... that's a WHOLE nother story.

 

if your gonna run lots of accesories, or listen to the radio with the engine off get a yellow or blue top,theyre designed for it(deep cycle). if you just need it to start the car get a red top, they generally have higher cranking anps

 

My yellow top just keeps on cranking. Sits for monthes at a time, is always ready to go.

 

Hey afourty, the yellow tops and dual purpose. 700cca for starting and 55 ah for deep cycle. Stereos etc....
Another good battery that we sell loads of are the Deka "Intimidator" same specs as the yellow top Optima's but a slightly bigger battery (N70 size).