Optima red Or yellow?

[97LandCruser]

did some reading and the die hard platinum seems to be made by the same company that makes the Odyssey batteries. in that case i would recomment the diehard. though has a same model in odyssey the diehard is much cheaper
platinum 1500

 

[marcovgv]

I have not had any luck with optima batteries. i actually have 3 yelllow tops sitting in my garage dead.. i dont know what all the hype is about these batteries? i am running an interstate in my 40 now that hasnt given me a problem in two years.

optima= CACA

 

[Grench]

I have three Optima D31A industrial yellow top batteries in my two FZJ80s.

One in my wife's truck - was originally in mine before I did dual batteries. It is 6.5 years old.
Two in my truck - purchased as a matched set so they have the same age and wear. Run in parallel mode (one battery bank) their entire life. They're 5+ years old.

I have nothing bad to say about them - they have worked great for me.

IMHO YMMV

 

[OptimaJim]

mazder, if your vehicle is stock and driven daily, an appropriately-sized RedTop should work just fine. If you are running significant aftermarket accessories, like a large stereo or winch, we strongly recommend a YellowTop. RedTops are SLI (starting/lighting/ignition) batteries that offer plenty of cranking amps, but are not designed or warrantied for deep-cycle applications, including winching.

The quality of our batteries has always been excellent and continues to improve. Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged. In many of these cases, the owners probably didn’t realize that most battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a certain voltage level. The threshold varies from one charger to another, but can often be as high as 10.5 volts. If a battery (of any brand) has been discharged below this level, the charger simply will not work. The parallel charging instructions explained in this video can effectively recharge many of those batteries- YouTube - Tech Tips 3: Recovering a Deeply Discharged Battery

This is not a situation unique to Optima, in fact, some other manufacturers have dealt with this issue by voiding the warranty on their batteries, if they are discharged below 10 volts, which is a real concern if you plan on winching. We decided to make the YouTube video, explaining how to recharge deeply-discharged batteries. You can read our warranty information here- Optima Battery Warranty Information - Spiralcell AGM 12V Batteries

The key to long battery life, regardless of brand, is to make sure battery voltage is always maintained at or above 12.4 volts. When batteries are discharged below that level and allowed to sit, sulfation begins to diminish both capacity and performance. That makes a quality battery tender or maintainer an excellent investment for any vehicle that is not driven daily. While our batteries can be found in a vast array of military applications, I’m not allowed to discuss any of them. However, I am allowed to post links to comments made by others- CamaroZ28.Com Message Board - View Single Post - Best battery, optima or not?

If anyone has any questions about our batteries, I’ll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
Optima Batteries | Facebook

 

[gotmud]

Thanks Jim for bringing the other side of the story to the forum!

 

[Layonnn]

Get the best of both worlds.

Dual battery setup:
Diehard platinum as primary/starting and a Yellow top as my auxiliary/accessories battery.

 

[yOHda]

i had a red top that i got years ago. it lasted for a long time...even sat for 2 years, threw it back in, and fired right up. then it grew legs and walked off. got another red top a year ago and have had to replace it twice. when the cruiser needs a new battery, ill probably head to sears.

 

[yoopercharged]

I have a Deka Intimidator, which is also an AGM type battery. I've been very impressed with it. It's over 6 years old and is still above 90%. This battery has been discharged by my Diesel Mercedes countless times in the dead of winter and still is in great shape. Discharging batteries will drastically shorten their life span. Be wary of Optima batteries. They are a marketing company, which prioritize sales above building a quality battery and having satisfied customers. This is why they use the "6 cell" design as opposed to a traditional box design. This cell design reduces the available internal volume (charge capacity) of the battery. It is a sales gimmick which is intended to fool the masses of ignorant people that buy them. (They look trick man!!!). It has worked very well for them as they have sold lots of overpriced batteries, and there are still people out there that think they are great batteries. They aren't bad batteries, but there are much better for the same price or less.

 

[Grench]

Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged. In many of these cases, the owners probably didn’t realize that most battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a certain voltage level. The threshold varies from one charger to another, but can often be as high as 10.5 volts. If a battery (of any brand) has been discharged below this level, the charger simply will not work. The parallel charging instructions explained in this video can effectively recharge many of those batteries- YouTube - Tech Tips 3: Recovering a Deeply Discharged Battery

I have been running two D31A batteries in parallel for the last ~6 years. No complaints.

I use the truck sporadically during the warm months and as a daily driver in the winter. It has a 12VDC ARB refrigerator that I keep running all the time.

When I'm camping I switch the truck to a single battery (alternating) to run the fridge on and save the 2nd for starting.

When I'm not driving the truck, I garage it and hook it up to life support.

I plug the fridge's AC connector in (relieve the load) and I have a 2/10/50 6v/12v automatic normal/deep cycle battery charger, sold by a five letter company starting with a big S, that I hook up to the parallel battery system, set to 2A automatic charge and leave it for days or weeks. The charger cycles on/off as it senses charge need. My thought had been that since I wasn't in a hurry, charging at the lower amperage would be more gentle to the battery. Essentially a maintenance cycle.

The question: Looking at the charging threads - should I be using 10A deep cycle automatic instead of the 2A deep cycle automatic setting? I.e. was my assumption about slow charging being better than fast charging wrong?

So far my method has seemed to work rather well - is there a better way?

Thank you.

 

[TomH]

...

I think both batteries look like good choices, and both will last. The P2 is also an AGM battery, which generally means thicker plates to begin with.

Ebag

I agree, both batteries are a good choice. I was coming off a bad experience with an Optima Blue Top (marine battery) that died before the 2 year warranty period expired. Unfortunately I didn’t get it returned in time so I wasn’t able to get a replacement. Based on this I was really hesitant to spend the extra $60 for a PM-1 and only get a three year warranty although I really did want the extra power the battery provides.

The P2 was the biggest non-marine battery I could get and its specs are very close to that of the PM-2. The biggest obvious difference between the P2 and the PM-2 are the warranty. It may be true that the life span between the two batteries will be comparable, but the fact is that if the P2 fails within 8 years, I’ll get something back. The same cannot be said of the PM-2 or 1. After three years, you are on you own.

As for the environmental conditions, I have no problem abusing the P2 because I have a warranty. I used it a couple weeks ago to power my refrigerator for the weekend and Sunday the truck started just fine.

The P2 was a compromise but for my intended use, I think it was a good choice. I couldn’t think of why I would need the added power of a PM-1, let alone two of them. Now if someday my needs change, I can always add a PM-1 (or two).

Tom

 

[elprup87]

I guess I can add my two pesos into the mix.

I am running a Optima Yellow Top (the middle one, not the smaller capacity one or commercial one) that costco had locally at one time two years ago. I have had two red tops in the past as well. Two years on my LC with the Yellow top, but not much heavy use yet. My plans got sidetracked with a divorce and all.

My first experience with Optima was when I had an alternator problem on a '87 4Runner. Ended up replacing my 7 year old diehard with an optima and actually hooked the alt up wrong. I didnt connect the main line to charge the batt. Well, a few days later I noticed dim lights again and found out my problem. At 17 I guess its lessons learned. I hooked everything up properly and it started right up, and still worked when my brother sold the 4Runner this year. So about 10 years of life (speakers, lights, and winch use)

When I have to buy a new battery, I will do with a different brand. Not because I dont like Optima, but because I can find a battery with the same capacity and takes up less space. An ideal issue with dual battery setups (which I plan on doing when it comes time for a new batt). But that will be expensive.

Final word, if you have your heart on an Optima - Yellow. Unless you know you wont have additional power demands.

 

[OptimaJim]

yoopercharged, if Optima was strictly a marketing company, we wouldn’t manufacture our own batteries in our own facility. We certainly market our products as any smart business should, but we also manufacture them and we do so to the highest standards possible. Our grid alloy is one of the most corrosion-resistant alloys in production and the high purity of the alloy and its simple binary composition also minimizes gas generation. Typical we or flat-plate AGM batteries use grid alloys that contain three or four elements, which results in overall purity and gassing characteristics that are not as good as Optima’s binary lead alloy. As a result, Optima batteries will have less corrosion at elevated temperatures and less water loss when compared to conventional wet or flat-plate AGM products.

If we weren’t concerned about satisfied customers, I wouldn’t be posting in this forum and hundreds of others, trying to assist people who may have questions, concerns or problems.

Grench, it sounds like you are well ahead of the game for properly maintaining your batteries. There are dozens of different chargers on the market, but generally two types of maintenance chargers. Fully-automatic “multi-stage” or “multi-step” chargers will monitor the battery and charge it as necessary, which it sounds like yours is doing. Multi-stage maintainers will charge at varying voltages and varying amperage, rarely exceeding 2 amps. Some of these multi-step chargers are also capable of being regular battery chargers (7 amps or more). These are preferred, but traditional “float” chargers are also OK. Float chargers will provide constant voltage with tapering amperage to the battery, even when it is fully-charged. For float charging, we recommend a maximum of 1 amp.

If using either type of charger is not an option, we recommend fully-charging the battery and disconnecting it from the vehicle during storage, to prevent small electrical drains from discharging the battery. Stored batteries should also be checked every 3-6 months, to ensure the battery maintains voltage at or above 12.4 volts.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[Dave 2000]

I had 2 yellow Optima's in my DD Discovery, one to start the engine with and the other to run a fridge/winch, four years in there zero problems. Sold the car six months ago and I am still in contact with the new owner and he too has zero problems too date. It seems (rumours not facts....yet) though that recently Optima were taken over by an another company and then the quality control fell?

TBH these threads can run for weeks which is best and my battery did this and that ect but technology stops for nobody, I would buy the CORRECT and best guaranteed battery you can afford and and call it done!

regards

Dave

 

[PhrogsPhorever]

I have an older red top in my 40, 6 years old and no problems yet.

I had a red and yellow top in my 80 when dual batt setup went in a couple of years ago, they both died and have been replaced with DH Platinum since.

Hit or miss

 

[yoopercharged]

Hit or miss

The hit or miss mentality is one reason I stay away from the Optima Batteries. If I pay more money for a similar product, I would expect to get a better warranty or better service from the higher priced product. (But the warranty doesn't matter with Optima because they don't stand behind it anyways). I have known a few battery distributors that refuse to sell Optima's anymore. They have seen too many failures and no support from Optima, which typically translates to pissed off customers. I have told many people to spend less money and get a better battery. If Optima's batteries were that much better than the rest, they wouldn't need an eMarketing sales person to defend them or market a 10 year old product.

 

[OptimaJim]

Dave, Optima was acquired by Johnson Controls ten years ago and the quality of our products has continued to improve under their ownership. Although flat-plate battery technology has been around for quite some time, the Gates Rubber Company, specifically Gates Energy Division, first patented the SpiralCell technology which JCI ultimately acquired in the 1970s. yoopercharged, if you know someone who is currently dealing with a warranty-related issue regarding their Optima battery, please feel free to PM me with their contact information and I’ll do my best to assist them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.powerpacknation.com

 

[Grench]

They have seen too many failures and no support from Optima, which typically translates to pissed off customers.

If Optima's batteries were that much better than the rest, they wouldn't need an eMarketing sales person to defend them or market a 10 year old product.

Which way is it? Do you dislike them for poor support that you 'experienced' third hand or because their support is reaching clear out to us here?

Personally, I -like- that we have vendors and manufacturers that see this community as important enough to stop by and answer questions. We should give them some modicum of respect just for that, whether you like their products or not.

IMHO YMMV

 

[91Crusher]

Warenty

I once pondered buying an optima, but when i sked the sales person how long the warenty was he said it was shorter then a normal batter. i was like WTF mate!! If its suposed to be such a BA battery, then why doesn't the warenty reflect it? and he was like long story short i just bought a napa battery, and it's doing just fine

 

[jynx]

Hijack on:

OptimaJim,

I have a question about recharging a discharged yellow top. I have a relatively new yellow top (about 3 month old). About 2 weeks ago I went out and it was dead (parasitic draw) and when I checked it it was at around 10V. So I hooked it up to my wife's jeep and basically parallel charged it, I think. Cranked hers and let it run while hooked to the yellow top to charge. Once it was able, I cranked the cruiser and have been driving it to help keep from dropping it out again.

I also picked up a "battery tender plus" to trickle charge it and try to keep it topped off since this is a second vehicle and doesn't get driven as much as it should. So it is charging it up, but while checking on the voltage one day I noticed it was at about 14.6V on the charger and appeared to be headed for near 15V before it went into maintenance mode, so I have unhooked it because I don't want to overcharge it.

So all that to ask two questions.

1. Have I killed this battery?

2. Will the battery tender plus "overcharge" the yellow top if it tops it off at 15V?

Thanks,

Tucker

Hijack off.

 

[yoopercharged]

Which way is it? Do you dislike them for poor support that you 'experienced' third hand or because their support is reaching clear out to us here?

Personally, I -like- that we have vendors and manufacturers that see this community as important enough to stop by and answer questions. We should give them some modicum of respect just for that, whether you like their products or not.

IMHO YMMV

Grench, I dislike their support because they are helping us with questions. If this was a court case I would probably have some more compelling evidence, but I don't because I don't need to. I'm simply sharing some experiences that some of my close friends have had in the past with their products.

I like the support from vendors too. Jim has offered to look into any warranty issues which is great (especially since I'm picking on his company).