Need a new battery. (1 Viewer)

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I've read in other threads that most of you all run Red Tops, and I'm pretty convinced that's where I'm going. I've been searching around on the internet and locally for good prices, anyone know of a place to get the best deal? Also I need some more information on what to look for in a good battery. I think I understand CCA's, but there's also CA's and Reserves. What's necessary and what's fluff? Most of all, what's worth the extra $?Utah can get pretty cold, especially in some of the mountain places I like to winter camp, but not too bad generally speaking. Cruiser has a winch and some aux lights, but nothing too fancy.

Thanks
 
Get an Exide Orbital Extreme(its the purple one) I have 2, they are $109 each, built better than a Optima IMOP. Or get the best there is.....and Odyssey :)

best price on the Odyssey is
http://www.batteryweb.com/odyssey.cfm

might be able to stuff a 1700 in your stock tray without to much work. I have 2 of the 1200 is a fj40 tray that I made just a bit bigger.

here is my post from a few weeks ago
http://69.61.14.149/forum/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=6148;start=msg49511#msg49511

John H
 
BTW Yellow Tops are junk.....and not the good Junk......eh Junk? :flipoff2:
 
I have to co check out the Exide...Had pretty much ruled them out by association. I HATE my local Checker, and I've got about 4 to choose from. :mad: Bunch of lame-ass mofos that have NO clue on parts.

I'll take your advice and at least check them out though. Why do you think they are better? Thanks.

BTW

www.summitracing.com is the cheapest I've found so far. $125.95 for 870 CCAs 2 year waranty
Local boys is AutoZone. $119 for 800 CCAs 7 year waranty, 2 year free repalcement.

Worth the upgrade?
 
If you have a Costo nearby, they carry Red and Blue top, don't remember the exact price but IIRC it was about $20 cheaper that elsewhere.
 
Costco was 99, but the lowest CCAs around....only 720. I thought it was too low, but really have no clue...mo is mo betta.
 
Safado,
Just so you're not surprised, an Optima red top has the terminals reversed from stock. Many people are able to make it work. I selected an Orange top but have heard they don't make them any more. The Optima orange tops have the battery terminals oriented like stock.
-B-
 
it might not be available in all stores,but they still make a reversed terminal optima,
red34r,according to the optima website.....but it is red,not orange like they used to be.........

doug(who has a orange top 34R)
 
Ok, if you are going to operate a winch you really should be using deep cycle batteries. The red and blue optimas are the deep cycle versions. Running a winch for any period of time will deeply discharge the battery in a LC with a stock alternator. Deeply discharging a normal starting battery will quickly kill the battery.

Regarding deep cycle optimas, here are my opinions when compared to "normal" wet cell lead acid deep cycle batteries:

1) When comparing amp hour ratings (the total amount of power available per deep discharge cycle), an Optima costs a lot more per amp hour of capacity.
2) When comparing amp hour capacity per amount of phyiscal space required, you get a lot less in an Optima battery. This is due to the fact that the round cells in an optima waste a lot of space.
3) There may be a battery overheating risk, at least for me and where I operate, with Optimas, in a TLC 80. Optimas batteries are sealed, meaning that there is no way to add water to the battery. Normally this would never be required, as they are designed not to lose water. However, there is a vent, and they will vent hydrogen and oxygen if the battery is overcharged or overheated. When I operate heavily loaded in the desert mountains in high temperatures, my engine compartment gets damn hot. I expect that it likely gets much hotter than the temps than an Optima should be exposed to. If the Optima overheats and vents gas, then it is not possible to replace the lost water. I freely admit that this concern, for me, is theoritical, as I have neither owned Optimas nor experienced this problem myself.

So what I plan to do is install a pair of "old style" deep cycle batteries. The pair will give me plenty of capacity for both starting the engine in cold temperatures and operating a winch and fridge when camping. When water lose occurs I will be able (and will need to) add more water. I expect the total cost over the lifetime of the batteries will be around half of what Optimas cost.

The brands that I will be considering include Trojan (major supplier of electric golf cart batteries, a west coast company) and Rolls (past history of suppling very good quality marine deep cycle batteries, east cost company - Surrette was the former name). Neither one markets to the automotive trade, as passenger vehicles rarely require deep cycle batteries. I expect Trojans are more familiar to RV and boat owners. In the consumer market Rolls would likely only be known to boaters. I have had excellant experience with Surrette deep cycle batteries in the past, I don't know if the Rolls models perform as well or not.
 
[quote author=Landpimp link=board=2;threadid=6584;start=msg53448#msg53448 date=1066777151]
BTW Yellow Tops are junk.....and not the good Junk......eh Junk? :flipoff2:[/quote]

You got that right. I had a blue top that bit it after only 1 year. Piece of crap if you ask me. I will never buy another optima. I did buy one to replace it, but that's only because I needed one fast and did not have time to modify the engine bay to make more room for an Odyssey.
 
[quote author=Rich link=board=2;threadid=6584;start=msg53624#msg53624 date=1066806315]
The red and blue optimas are the deep cycle versions. [/quote]

Uh, Red = cranking batt, not a deep cycle. :flipoff2: :slap: :D
 
I had a redtop for about 10 months. It was accidentally fully discharged once and it had to be replaced. Couldn't get it to recharge. Is this normal?
aaron
 
The OEM Panasonic has been called "the best battery ever" by several forum members. Is it still available?

It probably wasn't a deep cycle, but still curious about availabilty.

Concerning Rolls, Surrette, and Trojan...can't say enough good things about Rolls and Surrette - they charge faster and take much abuse. I stopped buying Trojans (batteries, that is) years ago,; I found their performance and reliabilty to be sub-par.

Ed
 
Just get 2 Everstarts.... who cares if you kill it, the second one will get you back to Walmart for another, and another, and another... and if that one dies, Walmart will give you yet another battery 7 days a week open late. Any battery that fails to hold a charge during the first 3 years will be replaced free. Walmart is good at sticking it people, we all know the deal, so why not take some back? I am not saying to abuse the batteries for the fun of it, but if during use it happens to bite it.... :beer:
 
Summit racing has the 800 CCA Red Top on sale for $85 plus $8.35 S&H. I just bought two, one for my 80 and onme for my 4Runner - $177 total, to my door, including shipping.
 
76FJ40-

Are you sure that was an 800? Their website only offers a 750 and an 870. The reason I steered away from them is the waranty issue, see my post above.
 
[quote author=Junk link=board=2;threadid=6584;start=msg53673#msg53673 date=1066831818]
Uh, Red = cranking batt, not a deep cycle. :flipoff2: :slap: :D
[/quote]

Absolutely right, I mixed my colors.
 
[quote author=landandsea link=board=2;threadid=6584;start=msg53700#msg53700 date=1066835603]

The OEM Panasonic has been called "the best battery ever" by several forum members. Is it still available?

It probably wasn't a deep cycle, but still curious about availabilty
[/quote]

Ed, Toyota has never imported Japanese batteries as replacement parts, only as a component of a complete vehicle. HAZ-MAT shipping issues, weight and tariffs would quickly turn them into a 400 dollar part. Not likely to sell many :-\

D-
 
I still use the Red top Optima...been in there for 2 years no prob. I like having the dual terminals, which does not come on the 'orange top'. it's not a deep cycle, though. Also use Optima Yellows / Blues exclusively in the boats. Had to replace one (blue top) about a year ago, and the distributor swapped it out no charge (cost, that is).

Orange top reverse terminal is still available, I think...it's just red. Model is 34R, Part # 8003-151. The not-really-required spacer is the g78 adapter, Part # 242-0041.
 

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