Optima Yellow Top Battery Damaging Toyota Alternator?

[1meancruiser]

I had an issue with my alternator on an off road trip, i posted the trip detail on a another thread.

I spoke to a friend of mine today who was a toyota technician for over 10 years. I told him what happened, and the fact that i was using a Bosch battery, i had my original alternator go out one year ago, and last weekend had another re manufactured alternator went out and that I ended up getting a optima yellow top battery from a local supplier near the trail, just to get off the trail (disconnecting the alternator and driving on the optima alone for 1.5hours).

He told me the yellow top batteries are great, but because the land cruiser uses the 110-130 amp (he couldn't remember the exact amp) alternator, i was over straining the alternator with the yellow top. He told me to get the interstate battery, that it is OEM and it would work best. actually went as far as to tell me to do it immediately...

i've heard many of you using yellow top, any such experiences? I trust his judgement given his 10 years+ experience, but i can't return the yellow top and i'm not crazy about dishing out another few hundred dollars on another battery...any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[HFDPNL]

Have had dual yellow tops wired parallel for right at 2 years without issue....

 

[Sandroad]

That tech must have not liked Optima. I don't have one, so others who do can chime in, but the alternator will not be harmed by using one that's healthy even with your potentially heavy use of a battery (winch). I don't know if the same company that makes Interstate makes the OEM TrueStart, but it seems you found a tech who likes Interstate.

 

[1meancruiser]

Thanks For the input. I'm pretty sure interstate makes optima batteries. Also, he's a friend, he was just trying to help me. He currently maintains a fleet of trucks for our local water and power company and he told me there were using optima batteries exclusively and having alternator problems on Toyotas every year. I'm not trying to put a guy on a pedestal but I do believe he's got experience with Toyotas. I hope is others have used the yellow top with no issues...

 

[Simplespirit]

I didn't buy my LC new so I can't be 100%, but I'm 99.9% sure the OEM battery is a Panasonic. From an electrical perspective I don't see how a battery can "over strain" an alternator. The alternator is going to put out some max number of amps. If the battery is larger it will just take longer to fully recharge it. The battery is not going to pull more amps from the alternator than it is wound to output.

 

[nmatcek]

I've had a yellow top for almost a year. I even run my fridge off of it, sometimes for over 12 hours without charging. Alternator hasn't had a problem yet.

 

[TexasCrane]

but I'm 99.9% sure the OEM battery is a Panasonic.

It's an Interstate battery.

Edit: Actually I should qualify this. The OEM battery (since the truck is coming from Japan) may be a Panasonic. But if you go buy a Toyota battery at the dealer, it's going to be an Interstate.

 

[costalcat]

I'm not sure that what your mechanic described is exactly correct but I will say this based on experience in my Syncro. I had three yellow tops die on me over 18 months being utilized as my second battery in the syncro. This did not start until I upgraded the alternator on the 2004 TDI conversion that I have in the van. I also had the upgraded alternator go during this time. I liked the Yellow Top because if I cut off the post and used the bolt holes on the side I could mount it on the side in the compartment behind the driver seat. I finally dropped them after killing three yellow tops and one alternator and went with 4 AGM in parallel under the back seat and the same alternator and isolator setup has been flawless for the last 3 years. My buddy who is a VW Porsche mechanic gave me a similar line about yellow tops and alternators said he dropped using them because they were always messing up one or the other... Not saying it is true, just saying I experienced something similar in my Syncro and had the same comments from a mechanic that is a good friend and once I stopped using the yellow tops batteries the alternator has been fine.... So I don't know if there is any truth to these things but there you have it....

I have a single battery , interstate in my LC with no problems to date...

 

[1meancruiser]

Guys, this is helpful.

i think i'm going to leave the yellow top in there and see how it goes. also, any other longer term use of the yellow top in the LC would be helpful...

 

[Sandroad]

It's an Interstate battery.

Edit: Actually I should qualify this. The OEM battery (since the truck is coming from Japan) may be a Panasonic. But if you go buy a Toyota battery at the dealer, it's going to be an Interstate.

Interstate batteries are made by Johnson Controls. Do you mean the Toyota Truestart batteries sold in the US are made by Johnson Controls that Toyota buys through Interstste and puts Toyota labels on? I'm asking because I'll be wanting a new battery soon and credible info on batteries is hard to come by.

 

[TexasCrane]

Do you mean the Toyota Truestart batteries sold in the US are made by Johnson Controls that Toyota buys through Interstste and puts Toyota labels on?

Essentially. Sometimes the Toyota labels are even applied at the dealership.

 

[Bomar]

Lexus for sure are interstate and carry a crazy long warranty

 

[Superflo]

I didn't buy my LC new so I can't be 100%, but I'm 99.9% sure the OEM battery is a Panasonic. From an electrical perspective I don't see how a battery can "over strain" an alternator. The alternator is going to put out some max number of amps. If the battery is larger it will just take longer to fully recharge it. The battery is not going to pull more amps from the alternator than it is wound to output.

I've had mechanics tell met this.. that the autozone battery (I had to don't judge me I was in a bind) I bought is the cause of my alternator going bad and I should buy his Interstate. I asked my electrical engineer brother and he basically said the same thing and Simplespirit.

 

[1meancruiser]

I've had mechanics tell met this.. that the autozone battery (I had to don't judge me I was in a bind) I bought is the cause of my alternator going bad and I should buy his Interstate. I asked my electrical engineer brother and he basically said the same thing and Simplespirit.

this seems to be the consensus...thanks.