Yellow top instal. Real Time

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paulbgardner

paulbgardner

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Today's projects have been one road block after another. Wasn't expecting a battery install to throw me for a loop. Installing a optima yellow top but neither positive or negative cables reach the battery terminals. The positive is tethered to the fuse box by a pretty short leash. Can't really flip the battery around either to get the terminals closer to the cables. Suggestions? Gotta have this working tonight? Should I just rebuild the cables?


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Not to mention the huge kludge of fuses attached right at the en of the cable.

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Ran into this problem wi my FJ. Turns out I bought the battery with the terminals on the wrong side of the battery. I believe it was called something like reverse pole or something. Seems like the only thing you can do now is extend the cables. Try not to cut anything though.
 
Is this Optima designed as a primary battery in the stock location? I think most put a Red in the stock location and use a Yellow as a second battery (where there's more flexibility with orientation, cable routing, etc.).
 
All the batteries were the same at the store. There were no switched terminals. The red and yellow both look the same except for color. This is my primary. No way I will be able to extend these cables tonight. The extra fuse box thing on the positive is welded on there pretty good. Not even sure what it is there for.
 
Paul, keep the yellow battery for your secondary battery. Red is for your primary. For one night, you should be ok on your old battery... If not, bring some jump cables for the morning start. We will be driving most of the day Sat, so your alternator will charge battery and power your fridge.
 
Looks like you bought the wrong battery. I would return it and get the correct one rather than hacking together extenders from the OEM terminals. Also, IIRC, red is more of a deep cycle starter battery. The yellow tops are more of a deep cycle battery. I believe the Reds are better at powering a starter and the Yellows have more charge cycles before they "die". Blues are similar to Yellow tops, but i can't remember the difference between those.

That looks like a 34/78. You need a 35 series battery. I actually did the same thing with my FJ Cruiser. I just bought a dual battery kit and used the optima as a secondary battery.

34 series
Optima_D34_Yellow_Top.jpg


Correct orientation, 35 series.

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Yeah. Lesson learned. Bought a sears die hard for primary. I'll keep the optima for dual setup later. The optima came with a nice spacer to adjust the height. Now my problem is the sears is too short for the restraining bracket. If its not one thing it's another
 
Paul I would take that piece of crap back where you bought it and get your money back. Then go to Costco and buy their Group 65 battery for $ 92 (+ a core) OTD. I have three dead Optima's sitting on the side of my house. Thank god I got them for free when I worked at the off-road magazines. Once they go dead, one week with no use they are useless. No one can bring them back to life. I know I've tried to with all of them. My local O'Reilly Auto has some stupid $10,000 battery charger designed to work with Optima's that couldn't help. Costco's warrantee is 100% refund first 3 years, next 5 years pro-rated vs. Optima's (Yellow Top) 3 year warrantee single use, 12 months on a dual battery with a battery management system and 1 month with a dual battery system no management system. You would hate yourself if the Optima goes dead in the middle of nowhere, which it will. There is a guy on here who's Optima battery died in Death Valley. Once apron a time Optima's were a great battery but not anymore. Best of luck with whatever you do. Also you can also pickup battery cable extensions at your local auto parts store.
 
This once fits like a glove. look closer near the red sticker, the clamp on this side slides down around the side of the battery. the bottom of the strap is firmly down on top of the battery, works great :cheers:

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I just needed the vertical spacer. Plywood is working temporarily. I feel pretty stupid having rushed all this to be able to get my new toys up and running for the weekend trip.
 
Let there be cold beer


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Thanks for all the fast input. I am usually solid at electrical work but I managed to screw up every single step of this install.
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What Newps said. I'm the guy that had a 4 month old optima die in Death Valley. Doesn't seem like its a rare case either, horror stories all over the Internet. Besides I don't think a yellow top will last too long being used as a starting battery. I would at least save it to be used as a second battery as you said.
 
Well this is all a bummer to hear... I have a red and yellow top Optima! Hopefully they will last for me.

-Daniel

Sent from deep in the mountains of Honduras using only sticks and rocks.
 
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