Waggoner5
SILVER Star
I have been a dealer since Optima started building Red Tops. I completely understand the application. I am explaining why not to use red tops in this truck, and why yellow tops are better.
Optima Red Top
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Sorry guys for not responding till now just been working and havent had time to get online, but thanks for the feedback and suggestions.
Just told me that they are bad. One guy said it wasnt putting out anything close to what it should be when it was testing.
Gary, thanks for the input, Im gonna go by the local cruiser shop with this info and see if they can give me a hand. Im understanding now why the yellows might be better for the truck.
Just told me that they are bad. One guy said it wasnt putting out anything close to what it should be when it was testing.
Gary, thanks for the input, Im gonna go by the local cruiser shop with this info and see if they can give me a hand. Im understanding now why the yellows might be better for the truck.
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Never had a red top or have seen anyone of my fellow club members experience a prob with those. I have a yellow top that has transpired three rigs and 5yrs of use still rockin. Put two blue deep cycles in the offshore boat and it got sunk in katrina. The boat needs to be repowered but i use the batteries as power for my sprayer in the back of my pick up and just charge them when they are dead. Those are now 4yrs old will not die......
I would try what Gary suggested about first making sure the alternator is working and putting out enough juice. There might be another GM alternator that would put out more juice. I would find a good alternator shop and show them your setup and ask them to test the alternator. Also I bought a voltage gauge that plugs into the cig. lighter and it displays the voltage on the battery while you are driving and has a green,yellow, and red LED which shows if the voltage is staying in range to charge the battery. It is easy to test the alternator while driving around and turning on different accessories and watching the voltage on the gauge. Ask around and find a good alternator shop in the area.
This a GM 1 wire alternator? Maybe the rpms are not staying high enough to keep the alternator "on" while idling? If I remember right, it takes a certain rpm before the voltage regulator connects to the battery and turns on the alternator.
Goodluck
This a GM 1 wire alternator? Maybe the rpms are not staying high enough to keep the alternator "on" while idling? If I remember right, it takes a certain rpm before the voltage regulator connects to the battery and turns on the alternator.
Goodluck
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i have gone thru probably 6 red top and about 4 yellow tops in multiple trucks. I am still running them in all my trucks except the ford. I have a red top in my 40 thats 6 years old, its sit for the last 4 years with the possitive side off and about 2 months ago i put it back on and started it up. so i think the quality control and mass production has really brought them down in the last couple of years or so.
I hate to hijack, but . . .
Do any of you know the part number for the Costco deep cycle recommended by Clint previously? I had read prior posts comparing the Costco batteries with the Optimas and I couldn’t track down the part number for the battery that would work in my FJ60. (I’m looking to replace the 6+ year old generic batteries on my 87’ before winter (or what passes for winter here in Southern California!
) sets in.)
Do any of you know the part number for the Costco deep cycle recommended by Clint previously? I had read prior posts comparing the Costco batteries with the Optimas and I couldn’t track down the part number for the battery that would work in my FJ60. (I’m looking to replace the 6+ year old generic batteries on my 87’ before winter (or what passes for winter here in Southern California!
) sets in.)
3+ years
I've had a red top for over 3 years and I live in AZ and the only time I have had any issues is when I was a dumb ass and left something on like my running lights.
I've had a red top for over 3 years and I live in AZ and the only time I have had any issues is when I was a dumb ass and left something on like my running lights.
Waggoner5
SILVER Star
The alternator was a custom built CS105. They are notorious for over heating and loosing charge. Unfortunatly, thats the only one that will fit on the Mercury engine. It put out 140 amps @60 degrees at 2500 rpm. It only dropped to 80 amps at idle, so it should be able to keep up. It does sound like it needs testing though.
I've got 2 old Fords with a red top in each, both cars are used infrequently. One battery is about 7 years old and the other is about 2, no problems yet. Regarding new versus old, a friend owns a small shop and recently his Interstate distributor stopped carrying Optimas other than warrantee replacement saying the new ones were junk and was tired of replacing them. So maybe there is something to the change in origin of manufacture . . .
i will take a look at all three i have and ck manu dates and origins. interesting possibilities. too bad about theses batteries takin a dive in quality i love mine.
jvazquez53
El Tractor
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Even that I am not an Optima fan, now that I see that the problem might be the origin of the battery (Made in foreign soil vs US) I could probably give them another chance, if I can get one made in USA.
