Batteries. Optima Red top or Yellow Top??

Can't complain about any of the nine Optima batteries that I have had. In the last ten years I have only had two cars that didn't have them. I did actually have one wear out after eight years, so I think I got my money's worth. BTW I only have experience with the reds and yellows, if you're going to drive the car on a regular basis I would recommend the red top. If it is a seasonal car, I would recommend the yellow top. I've been wondering about the blue-top for my 53 Bel Air.

 

cool. im gettn a red fer my truck an coupe.

 

Having looked at the Optima web site and reading the general comments given on the HAMB I am going to opt for the yellow top.

As much as I would like to say I drive the car on a regular basis it is really a seasonal vehicle and I just want to be able to jump in and drive it when the fancy takes me rather than have to faff around with jump leads and chargers which is what I have to do at the moment with the red top.

Looks like it has enough cranking power to turn over my big block as I dont have a stereo so jobs a good un!

Thanks to all and especially AussieFluke for your comments on the trickle charger.

P.

 

These are the ones I was trying to remember the name of. Really small suckers. I want to put one up under the dash of my '28 (tank removed)

Who can tell me about these?

Pete

 

Paul....I have a good Optima supplier if you need one that does me a good price. We are all using the red tops though but I would recomend a battery tender in your case to keep it topped up. No battery likes to be left unused all winter long whatever it's colour!
Steve.

 

Striper, oddessy's are great in that type of situation where space is an issue. Can be mounted on thier side if you need to as well. Great punch for a small sucker! I can tell you they aren't cheap though, but as with anything, you get what you pay for!

 

No probs at all Paul Y! As far as trickle chargers go, definatly look at CTEK 800XS can be left on 24/7. CTEK are one of the worlds best battery chargers, we sell stacks of them! Good luck!

 

ive used 3 seperate optimas, two yellow and one red. to me outside of the fact they arent wet theres no real incentive to pay extra. they all behaved like any other battery and one red and one yellow wouldn't keep a charge after not being used for a week. for me and my money i would just buy a coventional battery that has the amps 1 need. also i thought the blue tops were the marine/diesel deep cycle? not the yellow or red.

 

I have the one in the Fly for almost 8 years now. Granted it doesn't get used as much as a standard car but it probably gets more neglect as far as sitting without charging etc. I hope my next one lasts as long.

 

Yep, as others have said, the yellow tops are for drag cars and such that get started over and over with little time for the alternator to recharge.

 

I don't think I'd buy another optima, going to look around at other brands. I've tried them all blue,red yellow. Only one a yellow top out of 6 (6 different vehicles) ever kept a charge. One out of six is not good! A friend of mine owns a stereo shop and won't use optima, only interstate batteries.

 

I have a 7 year old yellow top that looks like hell. It has been drug around the shop and dumped in to just about everything to start and run for the day. Best investment I have made!

 

I put the Red Tops in everything I own. I have never had a problem with any of them, ever!

We have one that is used as a general purpose 'shop battery', for moving cars around, testing wiring, etc. It will sit in the corner for 6 months at a time, and you throw it into a car, and it cranks right up. I've never had a lead-acid battery keep a charge that long!

I'm sold on them. I know some people have had problems with them, but I have never seen one. And most of my friends have them, also.

Nick

 

If you are planning on leaving your car sit for long periods of time, put a battery disco on it. They are only a couple bucks, and take less than 5 minutes to install. I have them on all of my vehicles. And they take all of 15 secs to screw them in or out.
Saves a lot of hassle and headache, I mean aside from getting in the car to start it and realizing you haven't rehooked the battery yet.

Works good as an anti-theft as well.

Here is the ones that I use. Cheap and easy. And a battery saver.

 

I have had 3 12V red tops and still have 2 (one went with a vehicle when I sold it). The one in my wifes is about 10 years old and has endured alot and has never failed, ever. The one in my work truck is about 5 years old and has had no problems to date. I also have a 6V red top that works pretty well. It's only about a year old.
Now what I know is there is a definate difference between what you buy at Advance, Autozone, Sam's Club or whatever as compared to what you buy at a reputable battery or automotive specialty store.
The biggest difference is price. You can easily save anywhere from $15-$45 if you get it through a large chain. Knowing what I know you probably won't get the service life from your battery and will be disappointed.
These are great batteries but get a bad rap when the large chains tell them to manufacture a battery that will sell for $99 and the chains will guarantee that they'll sell thousands. This is a fact.
This is the same thing as buying a DeWalt power tool from Home Depot as compared to a Supply House. Why do you think they sell so many??

Use your best judgement.


Hope this helps.


BloodyKnuckles

 

With at least 20 cars in the shop at any given time, it's hard to keep the batteries fully charged in them all. Optima has really come to disappoint lately with the ability to hold a charge in vehicles not started everyday. We've had several defective new ones lately, and we joke that it is the red brick flooring in the building sucking the life out of them. The only thing we put in cars now are Interstate or Odysseys. Mega-Trons are much better than red or yellows and nothing beats an Odyssey - IMO.

 

I've had the Sears DieHard battery in my 1959 F100 for six years now. It's fine. I think it was $70. What am I missing?

 

Yellow top here in my blown flathead powered 3w coupe. 3 years and still going strong....ccar sits a lot more during Winter and is still ok in the spring.

I have a batt disconnect switch which I use to kill power to the elec system and it works a treat.

Previously I had to chuck out normal batteries coz they were DEAD. Optima has worked real good for me.

Rat

 

Another vote for Optimas here.

I run red-tops on engines with less than 12:1 compression or less than 500 cubes.

I run yellow tops on engines with more than 12:1 compression or more than 500 cubes.

All the family daily drivers get red tops.

No problems ever. I only wish Optima made batteries for my damn riding mower. Every other year I need to get a new one.

~Scotch~

 

I have a yellow top in my Heep.Planning on running a winch and air compressor.It died on me once and had to be replaced,would not take a charge.

 

Anyone running a blue top Optima battery. Let me know if you had any issues with them.

Thanks !
Frenchy