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Optima Batteries Any Good?

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Old 10-15-2009, 07:58 PM
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The first red top I owned is still going strong 4 years later. Only reason I took it out of my car is I wanted a light weight battery, so I have gone in a completely different direction that this thread. When the battery died out in my truck last year though I replaced it with another red top. I'm also not having any issues with that one, so far both red tops I have owned have treated me well.

I had heard prior to this thread that lately they have been bad, is it just a bad run, or is there a distinct period in time where all of a sudden they have crapped out?
Old 10-15-2009, 09:23 PM
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had a bad string of redtops...after about 4 days they would be dead. I did big 3...alternator etc. This last battery is a sears diehard platinum...its a rebadged odyssee but 50 bux cheaper....this joker rocks. I left parking lights on for 2 hours....and the car fired right up....after days of sitting it always starts like its fresh. expensive but great warranty
Old 10-15-2009, 09:28 PM
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Go with a redtop, and throw away your capaciter.
Old 10-16-2009, 12:40 AM
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Got a red top in my car. sit for 5-6 months atleast put the motor back in and hit the key and she fired right up.. i use optima in ALL my cars.. Red top has a 3yr warranty. Yellow top has a 1yr warranty. and Blue top is 1yr i think but its a marine battery..
Old 10-16-2009, 02:13 AM
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Originally Posted by camar0corey
The first red top I owned is still going strong 4 years later. Only reason I took it out of my car is I wanted a light weight battery, so I have gone in a completely different direction that this thread. When the battery died out in my truck last year though I replaced it with another red top. I'm also not having any issues with that one, so far both red tops I have owned have treated me well.

I had heard prior to this thread that lately they have been bad, is it just a bad run, or is there a distinct period in time where all of a sudden they have crapped out?
from late 2006-now they have sucked. i see regular wet cell batteries last 2-4 years longer than an optima
Old 10-16-2009, 02:13 AM
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Originally Posted by cablebandit
had a bad string of redtops...after about 4 days they would be dead. I did big 3...alternator etc. This last battery is a sears diehard platinum...its a rebadged odyssee but 50 bux cheaper....this joker rocks. I left parking lights on for 2 hours....and the car fired right up....after days of sitting it always starts like its fresh. expensive but great warranty
i recommend it to everyone i know
Old 10-16-2009, 12:39 PM
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with the size of the stereo you have there is no need for 2 batterys or even a cap. Do the big 3 and eliminate the cap you shouldnt be burning through batterys that much. I had a bigger system in my camaro and it would sit longer and never an issue with starting
Old 10-16-2009, 12:55 PM
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what is the "big 3"?
Old 10-16-2009, 12:56 PM
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Question

Originally Posted by 00VetteCoupe
I used this to isolate a primary and secondary battery. Uses an ignition signal to activate. Worked perfect.


http://www.stingerelectronics.com/pr...=12&ParentID=1
Is this only for 2 batteries? I dont want to add a 2nd battery to my car. If i'm reading the directions right, this would go in-line BETWEEN the the wire from my battery and the main fuse.

I.E -
Cap------100A Fuse-----isolator-----Pos terminal on battery

Is that correct?

Last edited by Nightrydass; 10-16-2009 at 01:09 PM.
Old 10-16-2009, 02:33 PM
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i have a yellow top....................................






























Duralast.


lmao. and its been treatin me well for about 1yr and half. with 2 subs and amp.
Old 10-16-2009, 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Nightrydass
what is the "big 3"?
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152355


Do the Big 3 and get a Kinetik 1400 or 1800 battery.

I'm running the Kinetik 1800, no voltage drops and it has 162 minutes reserve time
Old 10-16-2009, 09:51 PM
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Red top for many years here. Had a system for a while and now don't. Car sits for a week and starts right up. Battery has been completely dead a few times also and still jump starts and keeps going.
Old 10-16-2009, 11:17 PM
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Originally Posted by hitmanws6
from late 2006-now they have sucked. i see regular wet cell batteries last 2-4 years longer than an optima
Ah so I may or may not end up being lucky in regards to my truck then, bought that one last year. So far so good, and the alternator is weak on my truck.
Old 10-17-2009, 01:28 PM
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My truck has had a yellow top since 2001. At one time it had 2 10s, tv, playstation, and etc for about 5 years.......I've accidently left the lights on about 6-7 times because the dinger/buzzer is dead. 2 or 3 were overnight.... Jumped fine all those times and has been still cranks every time now. So that battery has well over 150k miles on it.

Why are you guys running capacitors??? Might want to do some research on that

After I replaced the alternator I still had a dimming problem so I put 4ga from alternator to batt, 1/0 ga ground, and 1/0 ga to my amps and my dimming problem went away. I was running about 1000 watts class d to the subs. Mids/highs were running about 500 to a 6.5" component set.
Old 10-18-2009, 09:24 PM
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does anyone know how to hook up that Stinger isolator? Is there a diagram?
Old 10-21-2009, 08:23 PM
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I have had a red top in my 99 chevy fullsize for 4 years now. With 2 amps pulling juice from it. A 1000 watt memphis and a 4 channel memphis amp. Once the AcDelco battery i have in my bird hits the can i will be going with yet another opti
Old 11-07-2009, 09:59 PM
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Well I too don't know what is going on with optima, but I just had my yellow top bite the bullet yesterday. I bought it new in Sept. 06. No problems until this all of a sudden, took it to advance auto and it tested dead. So now I am running the yellow top Duralast Gold from AutoZone. I am quite pissed that I only got three years out of a $200 battery, and I have only changed out speakers in my car, no amps or extra subs or extra lighting etc..
Old 11-07-2009, 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ncfastls1
I just replaced my AC Delco battery with a Red Top. The positive terminal was so corroded on the Delco that part of the terminal on the battery came off with the screw and I had to get a whole new screw. So far the Red Top has not disappointed me..it cranks up immediately every time. I also have a Stinger Powercell in the rear powering my subs/speakers.

FYI the cheapest place I found for the 75/25 size was Amazon.com, I got mine for $137 with free super saver shipping.

That's exactly what happened on Thursday for me. Wow.
Old 11-08-2009, 04:49 AM
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I have been using a red top optima for about two years now with no problems. Even though I just found out my brother (01SunsetSS) yellow top just died. very weird considering it is a very high quality $200 battery. Other than this one incedent I have not heard of any other problems personally from other people using optima batteries in any car.
Old 11-08-2009, 07:05 AM
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The recent failures are probably because Optimas are made in Mexico now.

http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/...mexico-215667/


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